The 2026 Actor Awards nominations dropped, and the snubs are sending shockwaves through Hollywood’s awards season.
Cynthia Erivo’s absence from the supporting actress lineup for “Wicked: For Good” marks her second major miss this season, casting doubt on what once seemed like a guaranteed Oscar nomination.
Wagner Moura, fresh off his Cannes win for “The Secret Agent,” also failed to secure a nomination despite being considered an Oscar frontrunner.
Perhaps most surprisingly, every single foreign-language film and performance was completely shut out of the 2026 races in what many are calling the most shocking development of all.
Erivo’s Oscar Path Suddenly Uncertain
Erivo’s snub stings particularly hard given her previous success with the first “Wicked” film. Her portrayal of Elphaba earned both Oscar and SAG nominations last year, making her sequel performance seem like a lock for recognition.
Instead, she’s now been overlooked by both the Critics Choice Awards and the Actor Awards for “Wicked: For Good.” While she did earn a Golden Globe nomination for Sunday’s ceremony—which she won’t attend—the momentum has clearly shifted.
Her co-star Ariana Grande fared better, landing a supporting actress nomination from the Actor Awards voting body. The contrast between the two performers’ trajectories this season couldn’t be more stark.
Moura Remains Contender Despite Snub
Wagner Moura’s exclusion from the Actor Awards might seem devastating at first glance, but industry insiders aren’t writing him off yet.
The Brazilian actor’s performance in “The Secret Agent” earned him best actor honors at Cannes, one of cinema’s most prestigious festivals. He’s also secured nominations from both the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, plus a win from the influential New York Film Critics Circle.
The explanation for his Actor Awards snub likely lies in voter demographics. The SAG-AFTRA voting body skews far more domestic compared to the Academy’s actors branch, which has a significantly more international makeup.
Star-Studded “Jay Kelly” Completely Overlooked
Adam Sandler’s absence from the supporting actor race represents his first major miss of the season. The comedian had previously landed nominations in the best supporting actor categories at both the Globes and Critics Choice Awards.
But “Jay Kelly” didn’t just lose Sandler—the film was virtually erased from the nominations entirely. George Clooney, the movie’s leading man, was also snubbed. Even the star-studded ensemble cast failed to secure recognition in the main ensemble category.
Other Notable Film Snubs
The surprises didn’t stop there. Dwayne Johnson’s dramatic turn in “The Smashing Machine” failed to resonate with voters, marking another blow to the action star’s awards season aspirations.
“Sentimental Value” saw its entire acclaimed cast overlooked, including:
- Renate Reinsve
- Stellan Skarsgard
- Elle Fanning
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas
The complete shutout of foreign-language films represents a particularly troubling trend for an industry that’s been pushing for greater international recognition and diversity in storytelling.
Television’s Surprising Omissions
The television categories delivered their own share of head-scratchers. “The Last of Us” secured a stunt ensemble nomination but saw both its actors and cast overlooked entirely—a bizarre split that left fans confused.
Sterling K. Brown earned an acting nomination for “Paradise,” yet the ensemble didn’t make the cut. Similarly, Adam Brody from “Nobody Wants This” received individual recognition while co-star Kristen Bell and the rest of the cast were snubbed.
Perhaps most puzzling? “The Bear” landed a comedy ensemble nomination, but Jeremy Allen White—the show’s breakout star—was individually overlooked.
Understanding Actor Awards Voting Power
The Actor Awards nominations come from committees of 2,000 SAG-AFTRA members—one dedicated to television and another to film. These committees determine who makes the final ballot.
Once nominations are set, the full voting body of 22,000 SAG-AFTRA members determines the winners. This makes it the largest voting organization in Hollywood.
For context, the entire Academy that votes on the Oscars consists of only 11,000 members—exactly half the size of the Actor Awards voting pool.
What These Snubs Mean for Oscar Race
The Actor Awards have historically served as a reliable predictor of Oscar success, particularly in acting categories. The overlap between SAG-AFTRA membership and Academy voters creates a strong correlation between the two ceremonies.
However, the more international composition of the Academy’s actors branch means performances like Moura’s in “The Secret Agent” still have a legitimate shot at Oscar recognition despite missing here.
Erivo’s situation looks more precarious. Missing both Critics Choice and Actor Awards nominations suggests a broader cooling on her “Wicked: For Good” performance, even if Golden Globes voters still showed support.
With Oscar nominations arriving later this month, these snubs create both anxiety and opportunity. Some contenders will need to overcome momentum loss, while others who did secure Actor Awards nominations just saw their paths to Oscar glory become significantly clearer.
The complete foreign-language shutout remains the most concerning development, potentially signaling a step backward for international cinema’s hard-won recognition in mainstream American awards.