Oscar 2022 Nominations Bring Surprises, Snubs

The Power of the Dog just became an Oscar powerhouse. The Netflix drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst is leading the 2022 Academy Awards with 12 nominations, which were announced Tuesday morning.

Both Cumberbatch and Dunst scored nods, along with costars Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee and director Jane Campion, who becomes the first woman to be nominated twice for best director, 28 years after her first nomination.

The nominations include a few unexpected surprises, including Drive My Car breaking free of the best international feature category to also score a spot in best picture. Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley also has a surprise best picture nod, despite losing steam in recent weeks.

Speaking of losing steam, many wondered if Spencer star Kristen Stewart's performance as Princess Diana would be recognized after she missed out on nominations from the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the BAFTAs, but she’s included in Oscar’s best actress category. Also scoring a surprise nomination in that category is Jessica Chastain for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Other stronger-than-predicted showings include Being the Ricardos and King Richard.

But it wasn’t all good news for the prospective nominees. Lady Gaga was snubbed for her role in House of Gucci, Caitríona Balfe (Belfast) and Ruth Negga (Passing) went from sure-things to shut outs, Quebec’s Denis Villeneuve failed to score a best director nod (though his Dune landed in best picture and best screenplay), and longshot hopefuls Simon Rex (Red Rocket), Ben Affleck (The Tender Bar) and Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza) didn't make the cut.

The 94th Academy Awards will air live March 27 on ABC (the host has yet to be announced). See the full list of nominees below:

Best Picture

Belfast
CODA
Don't Look Up
Drive My Car
Dune
King Richard
Licorice Pizza
Nightmare Alley
The Power of the Dog
West Side Story

Best Director

Kenneth Branagh, Belfast
Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car
Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Steven Spielberg, West Side Story

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
Penelope Cruz, Parallel Mothers
Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
Andrew Garfield
Will Smith, King Richard
Denzel Washington

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter
Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
Judi Dench, Belfast
Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
Troy Kotsur, CODA
Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog
J.K. Simmons, Being the Ricardos
Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog