Yes, the title is an homage to our friends podcast "This Had Oscar Buzz". Here's a piece from new contributor Elie Chivi that we think you'll love on women who strangely haven't been nominated yet...
by Elie Chivi
After Kirsten Dunst’s comments last month about the relative lack of awards attention she’s received throughout her career, I couldn’t help but think of the many other never-nominated yet deserving actresses of the past couple of decades. Some actresses can get Oscar nominations for doing the bare minimum (think Frances McDormand in North Country or Catherine Keener in Capote) due to a mix of bandwagoning on to a bigger lead performance or simply because of who they are.
On the other hand, some of our finest actresses consistently do interesting, complex, or hilarious work yet always come up short on Oscar nomination morning. From the crop of post-90’s era performers, the list below highlights five of the most egregious members of the never-nominated list...
KIRSTEN DUNST
Most realistic chances at Oscar nominations
• Interview With The Vampire: Globe nom, Critics Group noms (Boston, Chicago, Dallas Fort Worth)
• Melancholia: Cannes Best Actress win, National Society of Film Critics Awards win, Critics group noms (Chicago, LA, NYC, Dallas Fort Worth nom)
Never had a chance but is also good in: Bring It On, The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette, Bachelorette (one of the most underrated comedies that had the unfortunate luck of coming out riiiiight after the somewhat but not really similar Bridesmaids), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Beguiled, and Crazy/Beautifu.
Kirsten Dunst has been so good for so long. Her subtle, unshowy work has caused the industry to take her for granted for over twenty years now. Her brilliance is either completely overlooked come awards season or overshadowed by controversy (Melancholia and that awful press conference). A pivot to TV (Fargo, On Becoming a God in Central Florida) might be where she’ll finally find the recognition she deserves.
SCARLETT JOHANSSON
Most realistic chances at Oscar nominations
• Lost In Translation: Globe nom, BAFTA win, Venice win, Critics Group wins (LA, Boston) Critics group noms (Broadcast, Pheonix, Vancouver)
• Girl With A Pearl Earring: Globe nom, BAFTA nom, British Independent Film Awards win, LA win shared with Lost In Translation, Critics group noms (Pheonix)
• Match Point: Globe nom, Critics group noms (Chicago, Dallas)
Never had a chance but is also good in: Under The Skin, Her
Johansson may be problematic and mind-boggingly tone deaf in interviews and about the scope of roles she thinks she should be allowed to play, but her performances as an alien in Under The Skin and computer software in Her kiiiiiiiiind of make me think that maybe she should be able to play any tree or animal she wants? (Just kidding, someone please save this woman from herself.)
Regardless, It still blows the mind that the studios behind Translation and Earring didn’t quite figure out a way to campaign ScarJo in separate categories in 2003 (Category fraud is very much frowned upon at TFE but in situations like these, we know how the studios like to play it). Thankfully, she won’t have that problem this year with a lead role in Marriage Story and an actual supporting turn in Jojo Rabbit both earning early raves.
CAMERON DIAZ
Most realistic chances at Oscar nominations
• Theres Something About Mary: Globe nom, New York Film Critics Circle Award (lol)
• Being John Malkovich: Globe nom, BAFTA nom, SAG nom, Critics group noms (Las Vegas)
• Vanilla Sky: Globe nom, SAG nom, Critics Group wins (Boston, Chicago), Critics Group noms (Broadcast, Dallas Fort Worth, Pheonix)
Never had a chance but is also good in: My Best Friend’s Wedding, In Her Shoes
The fact that Diaz received Globe, BAFTA, and SAG noms for Malkovich and then got Globe and SAG noms for Sky within a two year span at the height of her career (Charlie’s Angels was released in between them!) is insane. Nominations for both or either would’ve been the perfect kind of “moment” the Academy loves to create. This will never not be a head scratcher.
JENNIFER ANISTON
Most realistic chances at Oscar nominations
• The Good Girl: Indie Spirit nom
• Cake: Globe nom, SAG nom, BFCA nom
Never had a chance but is also good in: Friends With Money
We all know how close she was to making it in for Cake in 2014 but had 2002 not been such a crazy good year for female lead performances Aniston would’ve had serious traction for The Good Girl. She had just won an Emmy for Friends, and was in peak Brad & Jen phase. She might have pulled through had the movie been bigger. Her general knack for making terrible movies has tarnished her brand as an actress but hopefully The Morning Show can bring some of that magic back.
EMILY BLUNT
Most realistic chances at Oscar nominations
• The Devil Wears Prada: Globe nom, BAFTA nom, Critics Group noms (Dallas Fort Worth)
• A Quiet Place SAG win, Critics Group noms (Central Ohio, ST Louis)
• Mary Poppins Returns: Globe nom, SAG nom, BFCA nom, Critics Group noms (Central Ohio)
• Into The Woods: Globe nom, Critics Group nom (London)
• The Young Victoria: Globe nom, BFCA nom, Critics Group noms (Dallas Fort Worth, London)
• The Girl on the Train: SAG nom, BAFTA nom
Never had a chance but is also good in: Sicario, Edge of Tomorrow
From the moment she nearly stole Prada from Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt has almost been nominated for an Oscar a handful of times. From her surprise A Quiet Place SAG win to the even more surprising attention given for her work in mediocre films (Victoria and Train), Emily Blunt is clearly loved by the industry. At this point, she’ll likely need to star in a major Best Picture nominee to make it in which is exactly what we all thought was going to happen with Mary Poppins Returns although yet again... nothing for her or the movie.
Which one of these women's never-nominated status most perplexes you and why?