# The 2026 Oscars (celebrating films of 2025) - nominations, predictions, discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [January 22, 2026, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926 "2026-01-22T15:11:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/241 "2026-03-16T21:10:01Z")
And Penn was upset the Oscars wouldn’t let Zelensky speak at the Oscars. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/242 "2026-03-16T21:24:48Z")
BTW I Googled and various websites mentioned the poor sound. The announcer, Matt Berry, was almost impossible to hear and Barbra Streisand’s presentation was bungled because of this. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/243 "2026-03-16T21:31:47Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > BTW I Googled and various websites mentioned the poor sound. The announcer, Matt Berry, was almost impossible to hear and Barbra Streisand’s presentation was bungled because of this The worst Oscars in terms of television production. I’ve never seen anything blown so badly. They literally hire a hilarious and famous announcer and then we can’t hear him. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/244 "2026-03-16T21:41:02Z")
The guy has won 3 Oscars - as many as any other male. I will withdraw any suggestion that his acting was not “good,” and will only observe that it was not to my taste. I don’t really know much about SP one way or any other. If I were one of the other nominees, I can imagine it kinda torquing me that it went to someone who (apparently) has indicated that he doesn’t really want it. No big deal, tho. I went to the other room to read not long after. Not meaning to yuck anyone’s yum. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/245 "2026-03-16T21:45:40Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > If I were one of the other nominees, I can imagine it kinda torquing me that it went to someone who (apparently) has indicated that he doesn’t really want it. There are bigger disgraces for an actor than losing to Sean Penn (like losing to Roberto Benigni; I’m surprised Ian McKellen and Nick Nolte didn’t decide to just quit acting after that.) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/246 "2026-03-16T21:46:36Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > If I were one of the other nominees, I can imagine it kinda torquing me that it went to someone who (apparently) has indicated that he doesn’t really want it. I would think the opposite. I’d want to know I was voted Best Actor, not Best Actor Except For All The Actors Who Had Better Performances But Didn’t Want To Come. There’d always be a question. Like when Mary Lou Retton won the Olympics, except that the Soviets didn’t compete. There’ll always be an asterisk next to her name. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/247 "2026-03-16T22:20:38Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Especially Reiner. His death was horrendous, and he directed several significant movies. But a horrendous death after leaving Conan’s home didn’t seem to warrant the lengthy encomium. I think it did. Rob Reiner was not only a significant contributor to cinema, he was also an articulate political activist in support of great causes. Whenever I picture Rob Reiner, I see him with his signature good-natured smile. He was a great human being and his death was a great loss. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/248 "2026-03-16T22:35:22Z")
The fact Wahlberg did _exactly_ what Nanjiani did - just announce one winner, and waiting for their moment to be over and starting over - does suggest they were told what to do in advance. It would make sense to just tell EVERY presenter what to do in case of a tie once they’re ready to present. Same effect, no loss of opsec. When Hepburn and Streisand tied for Best Actress they were called up at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2026, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/249 "2026-03-16T23:03:05Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It would make sense to just tell EVERY presenter what to do in case of a tie once they’re ready to present. Same effect, no loss of opsec. Yeah, that makes sense. **Plan A:** Tell them at the briefing half of them don’t attend and include it in the written instructions. _Opens the envelope._ "I see two names. It’s a tie between X and Y. There’s a procedure, something about who comes up. I think…_looks desperately offstage for instructions. Meanwhile both named teams start up the aisle_ **Plan B** Tell them _all_ just before they go onstage to present. Overloading their internal plan for how they are going to proceed and causing more or less random chaos in there reactions, but with more stuttering and probably occasionally when there is _not_ a tie. “Well, folks, there may be a tie, but we know what to do.” _Opens envelope, reads one name. Audience is confused and not sure what to do, maybe hold applause until a second name is called?_ **Plan C** Just tell the ones that have an envelope with a tie, which is the _only_ time this information is useful, and which the envelope creators know, so its not like they need a special process to find out which envelopes, in fact, have a tie result. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/250 "2026-03-17T01:10:31Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I don’t really know much about SP one way or any other. If I were one of the other nominees, I can imagine it kinda torquing me that it went to someone who (apparently) has indicated that he doesn’t really want it. Not to belabor the point, but just because he didn’t show up to the _ceremony_ does not necessarily mean that he doesn’t want the _award_. You are (apparently) imputing that feeling onto him. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/251 "2026-03-17T01:15:31Z")
The New York Times noted that Sean Penn won a BAFTA and an Actor’s Award from the Screen Actors Guild for his role in One Battle After Another and skipped those ceremonies as well. The Times said, “His long history with activism has been fortified by his celebrity and propelled by his discomfort with the attention that comes with it.” Given where he chose to be instead (supporting the people of Ukraine), I can’t get too excited about criticizing him. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/252 "2026-03-17T01:58:45Z")
And even if he doesn’t want it, the award is to the “best actor” not “the most grateful” or “the one who wants it most”, whether he wants it or not is irrelevant, unless he has expressly affirmed that he will be offended by it, and even then just as a courtesy. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/253 "2026-03-17T02:50:49Z")
Yeah saying that Sean Penn shouldn’t have won because he wasn’t there is a truly bizarre viewpoint. Especially since the votes are counted way before the ceremony, so what you can’t be eligible unless you guarantee you’ll be there? Come on now. And there have been _many_ winners who were not there. Hell, remember the year when they changed the order of awards to end with Best Actor instead of Best Picture, thinking it’d be a big tribute to Chadwick Boseman, and then Anthony Hopkins won and he wasn’t there to accept it!? They literally ended the show with “I accept this on his behalf, good night!” ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/254 "2026-03-17T04:08:45Z")
I wanted Delroy Lindo or Stellan Skarsgard to win just because I like them as actors. And how many more chances are they going to get? Note: I didn’t see any of the films nominated for Best PIcture. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/255 "2026-03-17T14:49:29Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > And even if he doesn’t want it, the award is to the “best actor” not “the most grateful” or “the one who wants it most”, whether he wants it or not is irrelevant, unless he has expressly affirmed that he will be offended by it, and even then just as a courtesy George C. Scott was vocal about his complete disdain for the Oscars, and not only did not attend but said he would not accept any award. They give him an Oscar (for Patton) anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/256 "2026-03-17T15:01:28Z")
In case anyone is wondering where that Oscar statue lives now, it’s at the George C. Marshall Foundation in Virginia: [Marshall and the Oscars - The George C. Marshall Foundation](https://www.marshallfoundation.org/articles-and-features/marshall-oscars/) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/257 "2026-03-17T19:01:27Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > George C. Scott was vocal about his complete disdain for the Oscars, and not only did not attend but said he would not accept any award. They give him an Oscar (for Patton) anyway. What was his deal? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/258 "2026-03-17T19:04:01Z")
As was stated in the previous link, " George C. Scott famously rejected his best actor Oscar for _Patton_ , stating at the time: “…it is degrading to have actors in competition with each other…in a public display of contrived suspense.”" ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/259 "2026-03-17T19:04:30Z")
We never did see if he showed up to accept his Oscar for _Man Getting Hit by Football_. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2026, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926/260 "2026-03-17T19:30:22Z")
IIRC, when the presenter (Goldie Hawn?) opened the envelope, she said “And the winner is …. uh oh!….George C Scott for Patton”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2026-oscars-celebrating-films-of-2025-nominations-predictions-discussion/1026926.md?page=14)