Actor and Actress Oscar Snubs for 2010

On February 2, 2010, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced its nominees for the Oscars, the most coveted award in entertainment. Amid, the various categories for Best Director, Film and Sound Mixing, came the announcements regarding the actor and actress awards. For the more hundreds of independent and studio offerings that entertained us over the past 12 months, many fans were disappointed that their favorites received Academy snubs and not Academy nods. Here is a list of actors and actresses who were overlooked this year by the Academy.

In the Best Actor Does Not Go to....

When the Academy announced its best actor nomination for the 82^nd Academy Awards, there were few surprises. The nominees are as follows:

Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart;

George Clooney in Up in the Air;

Colin Firth in A Single Man;

Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in Invictus; and

Jeremy Renner in Hurt Locker.

While the likes of Freeman are no strangers to the Oscar statute, there are some notable performances from the past year that did not receive recognition. Consider Michael Stuhlberg in A Serious Man. Stuhlberg offered a wonderful performance in the Coen Brothers' film about frustration and faith. And, let's not forget about Matt Damon. Not in Invictus, but in The Informant. While the film was a bit of a departure from Damon's other blockbuster roles, it showed his skill as an actor and instinctive comic timing. While Tobey MacGuire may be my favorite Spiderman, he showed he was Oscar worthy in Brothers. And, let's not forget, Sam Rockwell. He's come a long way since Galaxy Quest with his performance in Moon. And, it's a shame that actor's who provide voices cannot get nominated, because Ed Asner (Up) and Sam Worthington (Avatar) would also be deserving.

And the Best Actress Does Not Go to....

For this 82^nd Academy Awards, there is a great deal of excitement. There were several standout performances: The Best Actress nominees include:

Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side;

Meryl Streep in Julie and Julia;

Helen Mirren in The Last Station;

Carey Mulligan in An Education; and

Gabourey Sidibe in Precious.

Despite box office buzz, there were a number of great performances from actresses this year. One such performance came from Sairose Ronan in The Lovely Bones. This young Irish girl will be one to watch in the future. Her portrayal of Susie Salmon was touching and memorable. And, what about Marion Cotillard in Nine! While more of a major supporting role, Cotillard's role was powerfully sad and impressive.

In the Best Supporting Actor Does Not Go to....

In 2010, the Academy whittled its favorites in the Best Supporting Actor category to the following:

Matt Damon in Invictus

Woody Harrelson in The Messenger

Christopher Plummer in the Last Station

Stanley Tucci in the Lovely Bones

Christoph Waltz in Inglorious Basterds

While many might have gone to see Me and Orson Welles for teen heartthrob Zac Efron, it was Christian McKay as Orson Welles who stole the show and clearly deserved some recognition from the Academy. And for those of us who love sci-fi, we hate to see our favorites dismissed by the Academy. Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto should be acknowledged for their parts in brilliant Star Trek retooling by J.J. Abrams!

In the Best Supporting Actress Won't Go to ....

While the announcement for Best Actor and Actress seems to get more attention, the Academy's picks for Best Supporting Actress roles were just as intriguing. The picks are as follows:

Penelope Cruz in Nine;

Vera Farmiga in Up In the Air;

Maggie Glyhenhall in Crazy Heart;

Anna Kendrick in Up In the Air; and

Mon'ique in Precious.

However, there were other notables for this category. Consider Julianne Moore. Her performances are bankable! Along with Colin Firth, in A Single Man, she delivered a stellar performance. Also consider Rosamund Pike, in An Education. While Carey Mulligan has gained a great deal of attention, Pike's brilliant performance should not be overlooked. Diane Kruger in her role as a seductive spy in Inglorius Basterds was as worthy of recognition as Christoph Waltz. And, even though Mon'ique's portrayal was gripping, Mariah Carey's performance was also deserving some noticed.

With each Oscar season, there is always speculation on who will win or deserves to win. While there are some surprises this year such as Brad Pitt, Daniel Day Lewis and Julia Roberts not being nominated, there are also refreshing newcomers and debate about how certain talented actors and actresses get overlooked. For those talented thespians who entertain us each year with stellar work, we hope there is solace to the talent men and women of Hollywood that the public believes that they are Oscar worthy.