Nominations for the Golden Globes have long bountifully marked the opening act of awards season, as a raucous prelude to the Oscars. Which is great, because as the nominees for 2025 are announced, the giddy excitement is accompanied by a controversy, with some of the year’s finest performances and productions missing from the running. Here’s a rundown of five egregious omissions that have left fans and pundits reeling.
1) Clarence Maclin for Sing Sing
Outstanding Supporting Performance Winner: CLARENCE MACLIN in SING SING #TheGothams2024 pic.twitter.com/KgQWAMXV1Z
— The Gotham Film & Media Institute (@weare_thegotham) December 3, 2024
Widely heralded was Clarence Maclin’s breakout performance in Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing, which many believed would earn him a Best Supporting Actor nomination. But the Golden Globes went instead with established industry names such as Kieran Culkin and Edward Norton, the sort of solid but less impactful performances. In a further heartbreak, Sing Sing, one of the year’s best films, missed out on a nomination in the Best Motion Picture—Drama category. While Colman Domingo’s brilliant lead performance in the film earned him a Best Actor nomination, it’s sparse consolation for a movie and cast that deserves a lot more credit
2) Saoirse Ronan for The Outrun and Blitz
Saoirse Ronan snubbed for her ‘Blitz’ & “The Outrun” performances at Golden Globes. pic.twitter.com/YeuHzqENq9
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) December 9, 2024
With star turns in Nora Fingscheidt’s gripping addiction drama The Outrun and Steve McQueen’s World War II epic Blitz, Saoirse Ronan seemed set for a double nomination this year. Amazingly, the Irish actress, a four-time nominee and former winner for Lady Bird, wasn’t included on the list at all. Although her absence is a surprise, it will be hard to keep Ronan out of the awards spotlight for long.
3) No nimations for Industry
Everyone is collateral.
Season 3 of the HBO Original Series #INDUSTRY premieres August 11. Catch up on Seasons 1 and 2 now on @StreamOnMax. pic.twitter.com/A3f63dwNwg
— HBO (@HBO) July 24, 2024
Industry season 3 upped the ante with jaw-dropping drama and breakout performances that had its cast hailed among the best on TV this year. Yes, they ignored it entirely at the Golden Globes, which nominated such esteemed fare as The Diplomat in the Best Drama Series category. The snubbing was particularly baffling given breakout star Marisa Abela’s career-defining turn, and Sagar Radia’s equally magnetic portrayal of the traumatized Rishi. The Globes’ preference for higher-profile contenders such as Harrison Ford in Shrinking and Diego Luna in La Máquina seemed like a missed chance to shine some light on some of the year’s most exciting talent.
4) Danielle Deadwyler in The Piano Lesson
The Piano Lesson, based on the Pulitzer Prize winning play by August Wilson, is in select theaters this November and on @Netflix November 22. pic.twitter.com/38L54TZGkx
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) August 21, 2024
Danielle Deadwyler’s riveting performance in Malcolm Washington’s adaptation of The Piano Lesson was ignored in the Best Supporting Actress category for contenders such as Selena Gomez’s Emilia Pérez and Margaret Qualley’s The Substance. Even critics and fans who didn’t jump on the train at the start consider Deadwyler’s portrayal one of the year’s most powerful performances. Though The Piano Lesson isn’t beloved by all, it’s still baffling for a talent who deserved a salute not to get it.
5) Marianne Jean-Baptiste in “Hard Truths”
Now watching Hard Truths 🩷🎥 #LFF2024 pic.twitter.com/b1oxgq9Skm
— Cassandra 🎬🧜🏻♀️ (@TheMovieMermaid) October 14, 2024
The most glaring oversight, perhaps, was Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who gave a towering performance in Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths. The British actress has dominated many a prestigious awards show, from the British Independent Film Awards to the New York Film Critics Circle Awards. But she was snubbed in Best Actress — Drama, losing to more established Hollywood names. For many, the lack of Jean-Baptiste in any of the four acting nominations undermines the integrity of the nominations, as his work is widely regarded as one of the most galvanizing performances of the year.
The Golden Globes have long been famous for their erratic picks, but the snubs this year have prompted viewers to wonder how the show works. These choices are not the only ones that matter during awards season — from overlooked performances to neglected cases, all show that this period is as much about politics as it is about artistry. Whether these overlooked contenders will get redemption at the Oscars remains to be seen, but right now the absence of these talents is a big oversight. Stay tuned to Flash Sports, for everything entertainment and sports.
