The nominations for the 94th Academy Awards were released Tuesday, and now Hollywood is abuzz with those that did get nominated as well as those who did not. Every year, there are always individuals who people say got “snubbed” or those who they believe deserved a nomination and did not get one.

While for many, it is common knowledge that the Academy often picks favorites with actors and directors and many others, for some who don’t stay up as much on the Hollywood inside, it may not so much be a known fact. This year is unlike any other in that many individuals did not receive nominations that did outstanding jobs in their positions.

One of the largest focuses this year was Lady Gaga’s portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani in “House of Gucci.” Although the film did not find the critical acclaim that many thought it would, Gaga’s performance was found by almost all to be a fantastic representation of the individual Reggiani was. In fact, to prepare for the film, Gaga stated that she studied real-life footage of Reggiani to get her accent and mannerisms, and many have stated that Gaga’s accent sounds almost exactly like Reggiani did in her life.

For acting, Leonardo Dicaprio in “Don’t Look Up” also shocked many people. “Don’t Look Up” garnered four nominations for the Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Many thought Dicaprio might be a shoo-in for another nomination since he portrayed his role with what many felt was a strong sense of reality and fear that those in a similar position would have portrayed.

Bradley Cooper was another individual who was thought to have been an obvious choice for his supporting role in “Licorice Pizza.” However, his role in the film had short screen time, and in a competitive category, it would have been difficult to break in.

In the directing category, Denis Villeneuve as the director of “Dune,” did not gain a nomination. Although “Dune” as a film picked up ten nominations, Villeneuve did not get nominated for his film direction. The film did amazing at the box office and had a release on HBO Max at the same time, and the creation of the universe was complex and nuanced. 

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” was a film that performed amazingly at the box office but only ended up walking away with one nomination for the awards in the category of Best Visual Effects. Though Marvel films don’t often get a ton of love from the Academy, considering the attention from audiences, many thought it deserved more.

“Don’t Look Up” also gained another snub in what some believed was a song that should have been nominated for Best Original Song from Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi. While the song “Just Look Up” — which is sung by Grande in the film portraying the character Riley Bina, a similar superstar character to Grande in real life — is silly, it also portrays a sense of reality and, according to director Adam McKay, she even improvised some of the lines.

In the editing category, “Belfast,” a film directed by Kenneth Branagh, did not get nominated, although it did pick up seven nominations for other categories. However, this surprised many individuals due to the flow and cutting of the film that many thought was perfect for its story.

Awards season always offers those who love film and casual viewers alike a chance to talk about their favorite pieces of art that came out over the past year. Although not everyone may get a nomination every time, it is always interesting to see the opinions floating around and the differences of what people think.