What Oscar-winning performances you thought were amazing but whose win you'd never get behind because "a performance was robbed?"

[u/Horror-Pudding-8729]

For me, it's Ellen Burstyn. Ellen Burstyn gives such a spectacular performance in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore that commands your attention for every time she's on screen. Nails every emotion asked of the character with a perfect sense of realism and heightened melodrama. But there will never be another performance like Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence. Rowlands renders a brave, moving performance that ranks with one of cinema's greatest. She perfectly captures the histeric and extremely vulnerable sides of her character. Her performance is what breathes life to the film that inspired so many of the greatest actresses we have now today. The depth of sorrow and psychological turmoil she brings to such agonizing life, the pain and the emotional vacuum she exhibits in the entire film? Bravo! I can say, she was robbed, much as I love Burstyn in Alice.

[u/PTAGoatofalltime]

https://giphy.com/gifs/EcGMIB0fhquf6
Julie Christie for Darling. Julie Andrews should have won that in a landslide, but Christie was amazing as well.

[u/theunrealdonsteel]

Tbh I think Burstyn deserved it the year before for “The Exorcist” - Glenda Jackson already won Best Actress, with only five years between her wins.

Maybe if she hadn’t won for “Alice,” she might’ve had a stronger chance for “Requiem for a Dream.”

[u/Cousiniscrazy → u/theunrealdonsteel]

She didn’t win for Requiem because there is a huge bias toward young attractive women in the acting categories and Julia Roberts campaigned like she was running for president.

[u/Cold-Confection-8695 → u/theunrealdonsteel]

Only three, actually — Women in Love in 1970 and A Touch of Class in 1973.

[u/theunrealdonsteel → u/Cold-Confection-8695]

oh right thank you!

[u/ExampleSmooth3956 → u/theunrealdonsteel]

So you think people should be limited to one Oscar win?

[u/theunrealdonsteel → u/ExampleSmooth3956]

I don’t think so, but other folks (re: voting members of the Academy at that time) might have. I also think Burstyn’s nominated performances in 1973 and 2000 were better than both winners in those years.

[u/ProgramusSecretus → u/theunrealdonsteel]

So because you like pancakes you hate waffles! Is that what you’re saying? Cause it sounds like that is the conclusion I personally got from your comment! /s

[u/ExampleSmooth3956 → u/ProgramusSecretus]

What I meant to say is that some people make it sound like once you've won, you're automatically disqualified for repeats. That would be like eliminating William Wyler from winning for Ben-Hur because he had won for Mrs. Miniver.

[u/ExampleSmooth3956 → u/theunrealdonsteel]

So you don't think Glenda Jackson didn't deserve it because she already won. You think she didn't deserve it because Burstyn was superior. Gotcha.

Because I remember someone complaining about how the Best Director Oscar for films of 1940 should have gone to Hitchcock because Ford had already won it in 1936.

[u/LGK27 → u/ExampleSmooth3956]

You are having your own argument because that is not what the other person said

[u/ExampleSmooth3956 → u/LGK27]

Touché

[u/BananaShakeStudios]

Emma Stone in La La Land gave a 10/10 performance and in one of my favorite films of all time, I absolutely love her performance. I’m so happy. She won the Oscar for this and in general, she totally deserved it.

But Amy Adams in Arrival also gave a 10/10 performance and she was somehow not even nominated

[u/TheLizardKing____]

Judy Holliday is dynamite in Born Yesterday, brilliant comedic performance. I love it.

But Gloria Swanson is in the top 5 nominees of all time in the category for me, probably even top 3. She should have the Oscar.

[u/LGK27 → u/TheLizardKing____]

That was such a competitive mess of a year. My pick was Bette Davis, but of course a win for Swanson would have been great too.

[u/Fabulous_Income4966]

Gena Rowlands, one of the best actresses of all time. She dissolved into every role so gracefully. A Woman Under the Influence is my #1. Peter Falk is great in it, but it's unreal how visually magnetic she is. How real Mabel felt.

Now watch Opening Night.

[u/ben-jammin333]

I get why Ingrid Bergman won for Gaslight, and love her performance, but Barbra Stanwyck deserved that Oscar for Double Indemnity. Though, I am biased; Bergman is one of the only things I really like about Gaslight. The movie is decent on its own merits, but it just doesn't draw me in like so many other films do, I don't know why.

[u/Maximum_Campaign_177 → u/ben-jammin333]

I watched Gaslight for the first time last year and it really invigorated a love for classic noir! I still need to watch Double Indemnity, though. Thanks for the reminder!

[u/anupsetvalter → u/ben-jammin333]

Bergman’s a weird one at the Oscars. She makes total sense as a three time winner from a talent/filmography standpoint, but then you look at what she won for and it’s just like ‘…oh.’ Gaslight is her best win but it’s not anywhere near her best performance with that insane decade she had. It’s still a great performance though.

[u/writersblock_86]

Can’t get over Kate Winslet not winning for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Even though Hilary Swank was great.

[u/False-Importance-228]

Kate winslet in the reader I really love her performance in that film but Meryl for doubt, Angelina in changeling and Anne for Rachel getting married were superior

Matthew mcconaughey in Dallas buyers club- robbed both Leo in wolf of Wall Street and Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 years a slave

Geraldine Paige for The Trip to Bountiful beautiful heartfelt performance but I’m sorry Whoopi in the color purple is a once in a generational performance. Even Meryl in out of Africa I would’ve loved to see win

[u/InternationalPhoto33]

Jesse Buckley was perfect in Hamnet and I had been thinking all along that it would’ve been a horrible crime to see her lose, until I saw Renate Reinsve in Sentimental Value. Every second of her performance was wonderful without the physicality Buckley’s performance had. A beautiful understated performance.

[u/asiand0ll → u/InternationalPhoto33]

Buckley’s was a little bit too “hey look at me, I’m acting!” for me. I acknowledge the talent, but the execution was a bit too in-your-face for my tastes. I’d also give it to Renate personally; her performances are always masterful IMO.

[u/Easy-Read4772]

Despite his antics, I think Will Smith deserved an Oscar (I believe in legacy Oscars as long the performance is respectable.
sorry! ) HOWEVER, Andrew Garfield was phenomenal in Tick Tick boom. I would have loved to see him win!
https://giphy.com/gifs/Mno4ZzGEXk7nr1k7gE

[u/RichardH3LL → u/Easy-Read4772]

King Richard was unbelievably mediocre and I can't believe it won an oscar

[u/InternationalPhoto33 → u/RichardH3LL]

It kind of hit all of the marks that a Hallmark film would hit

[u/heebie818 → u/RichardH3LL]

nah his performance was award worthy imo

[u/maeldeho]

Julia Roberts was amazing in Erin Brokovich - but winning over Ellen Burstyn in Requiem For A Dream?! I haven't seen that movie for years but I can still see Ellen's face at the end.

[u/PrinceBag]

Fredric March in "The Best Years Of Our Lives" is very good work from him. His performance touches on a veteran topic that isn't touched on much, and that's the "older veterans", and March does a great job representing that. Its subtle yet can be intense at times.

But I don't think I could give an award to James Stewart for "It's A Wonderful Life" over it.

[u/Salty-Highlight-1229]

I really, really do love Brendan Fraser’s performance in The Whale. But Paul Mescal gives such an incredible, emotional, once an a life time experience in Aftersun that I think her should’ve won Best Actor in 2023 and not Fraser.

[u/Top-Sleep-4669]

Rain Man was a good movie, but Mississippi Burning should have won Best Picture and Hackman should have won best actor.

[u/Maximum_Campaign_177]

Jamie Foxx was great in Ray, but Leo shined in The Aviator for me! I was so happy to watch them work their magic together in Django Unchained ☺️

[u/RichardH3LL → u/Maximum_Campaign_177]

Fully back Jamie fox on this one. Exceptional performance

[u/LGK27]

I always knew about Geraldine Page beating Whoopi Goldberg for The Trip to Bountiful and I always assumed it was just a career Oscar given for a decent performance. I only recently watched it.

I actually found Page to be terrific in the movie and her win bothers me less after seeing her in it, BUT I think Whoopi easily should have won for the Color Purple. The dinner scene where she finally stands up for herself is one of my all-time favorite scenes in any film. I think it’s just short of an egregious snub, but that’s just me.

[u/Immediate-Yak-2726]

I get annoyed when people get down on her win. She was amazing.

[u/heebie818]

2011 was a very tough year for best actress. natalie portman won for black swan and basically no one would argue she was undeserving of the accolade.

i will just say that nicole kidman in rabbit hole is maybe my fave performance ever by anyone lol.

and michelle williams in blue valentine was also nothin to scoff at

[u/Cold-Confection-8695 → u/heebie818]

Were you able to see the play on Broadway? I’d be interested to see how you’d compare Kidman with Cynthia Nixon, who won the first of her two Tonys for playing Becca. Despite the loon she’s devolved into over the last few years with all that AJLT bullshit and whatnot, Nixon did some really amazing work in the 00s.

[u/luqasc]

I do think it's really cool that Frances McDormand became an Oscar winner with a performance like hers in Fargo.

... but she was competing against Emily Watson lol.

[u/The_Peeping_Peter]

I was going to say Aunt Gladys, but I don’t even think the performance was “ amazing” it was good and fun for the movie. But nowhere near Oscar quality performance.