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Five Biggest Snubs of the 2011 Oscar Nominees

Even before Tom Sherak and Mo’Nique had begun to announce the Oscar nominees, we knew that The King’s Speech would garner an impressive number of nominations.

We knew that not just because of the film’s notable awards traction thus far, but also because of how the Academy works. This prestigious group usually throws its support behind several films in particular, resulting in some buzzed-about films and performances getting left behind, or "snubbed."

This year was no exception. In fact, this year was huge in the snub department. Here’s the Player Affinity rundown of the top five nomination snubs. 

5. No Original Screenplay nomination for Black Swan

With all of the critical attention and nominations from both the British Academy and Writers Guild of America, this seemed like a no-brainer.

Even in the midst of the buzz, though, a few people called this snub. Some argued that the film was more of a "director's film," while others insisted that it was all about Natalie Portman's staggering performance as a mentally unstable ballerina. People in both camps were skeptical of this film's luck here, and such skepticism was apparently warranted.



 4. Category fraud for Hailee Steinfeld’s performance in True Grit

The Academy nominated her, yes, but as a Supporting Actress. When was the last time that a supporting performance provided the heart of the story, hogged nearly all of the screen time, and served as the main protagonist? 

Various critics groups bit the bait and threw her into their respective supporting lineups. She even won a few prizes on her way to becoming an Oscar nominee, but the British Academy didn't stand for it. Those voters opted to rightfully nominate her as a Leading Actress. Buzz about some Oscar voters marking her for a Lead Actress nomination on their respective ballots was a hot eleventh-hour topic.

Steinfeld could actually end up winning this race, but her placement reeks of ageism no less for it.

3. No Original Song nomination for Diane Warren's "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" from Burlesque

More often than not, the Academy will find room in its Original Song category to nominate at least one song from a musical. Some thought that this would be it. Not only that, many expected Diane Warren to win an overdue Oscar here for this power ballad performed by Cher. She took the Golden Globe and some critics awards, but perhaps her style is too dated for the music branch to embrace her as it once did.
 

2. No Documentary Feature nomination for Waiting for “Superman”

This film had the emotional theme and precursor kudos that usually signal “front-runner.” In fact, this was at the top of quite a few prediction lists for this category. Alas, the Academy went with the bigger critical hits like Exit Through the Gift Shop and Inside Job.


1. No Director nomination for Christopher Nolan (Inception)

If you've looked at the nomination list and/or kept up with Oscar-related tweets on Twitter, this snub immediately stings, as it's easily the biggest shocker of them all.

But what exactly is so surprising about this omission? Well, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association nominated him. The Broadcast Film Critics Association nominated him. The British Academy nominated him.

The Directors Guild of America also bestowed Nolan with a mention, giving him his third nomination there. He even picked up some critics awards. But the directors branch of the Academy gave him the cold shoulder again.

How do you feel about these snubs? Do any others omissions strike you as noteworthy? 

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