'Song Sung Blue' and 4 Other Movies That Somehow Became Oscar Darlings Overnight
These nominations remain controversial.
The announcement of the Oscar nominations is not without its share of controversy and surprise every year. But sometimes, the Academy surpasses expectations by including movies that no one expected to be included – certainly not alongside these nominees.
This year, the main newsmaker was the drama Song Sung Blue, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, which managed to snag a Best Actress nomination.
Song Sung Blue is not alone in its "miraculous" transformation from underdog to Oscar darling, though.
1. 'Song Sung Blue', 2025
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
The 2026 Oscars' Best Actress nominations are among the strangest in the awards' history. Rather than recognizing Jennifer Lawrence's performance in Die My Love, Eva Victor's in Sorry, Baby, or Amanda Seyfried's in The Last Testament of Ann Lee, the Academy nominated Kate Hudson.
While Hudson certainly deserves recognition, she certainly does not deserve it for her role in the cliched musical. Yes, Hudson sings well, but her performance clearly falls short of Oscar caliber.
This upbeat story about two musicians would have been a much more logical choice for the Golden Globes' comedy nominations. Hudson has no chance of winning – the Best Actress statuette will likely go to Jessie Buckley for her role in Hamnet.
2. 'Creed', 2015
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Starring Michael B. Jordan, the Creed trilogy is one of the best Hollywood reboots of an iconic franchise. Ryan Coogler reimagined the Rocky universe created by Sylvester Stallone, adapting the story for modern audiences.
He also helped Stallone return to Hollywood stardom – in Creed, the action star once again played the legendary Rocky Balboa.
The return of the iconic character delighted audiences and Academy Award winners alike. Stallone received his second Oscar nomination and entered the awards race as a true underdog.
Even Stallone's most devoted fans understood that he was nominated solely on merit for the world's top film award. Michael B. Jordan should have been given the chance to compete for the award.
3. 'Nyad', 2023
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
Does anyone even remember the Diana Nyad biopic? The story of the real-life athlete who swam from Florida to Cuba became the basis for Netflix's Oscar bait.
Directed in the style of a commercial, the movie boasted decent dramatic performances from Jodie Foster and Annette Bening – both actresses were ultimately nominated for Oscars.
Clearly, the Academy had no intention of awarding them golden statues – good performances in a mediocre film don't merit such recognition. However, Netflix's bosses were pleased because every Oscar nomination for their original content adds to the streaming service's appeal.
4. 'Being the Ricardos', 2021
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68%
Aaron Sorkin is a great screenwriter but a mediocre director. This makes the Academy's love for his movies seem a bit odd. In 2026, few will remember what Being the Ricardos was about.
Yet the biopic about the creation of the legendary sitcom I Love Lucy received three key Academy Award nominations. Javier Bardem, Nicole Kidman, and J.K. Simmons left the 2022 Oscars empty-handed.
Furthermore, the premiere of Being the Ricardos was marred by a minor scandal – Sorkin was criticized for casting the Spanish actor Bardem as the Cuban-American musician Desi Arnaz.
5. 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', 2022
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
The death of actor Chadwick Boseman was a true tragedy. However, his early death is not a reason to shower weak blockbusters with Oscar nominations.
In Boseman's memory, the Academy nominated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, not only for technical awards, but also for Best Supporting Actress.
With all due respect to Angela Bassett, it's a crime against logic to put her in the same league as Jamie Lee Curtis for Everything Everywhere All at Once and Kerry Condon for Banshees of Inisherin.
