Oscar Nominations 2022 Snubs and Surprises: Lady Gaga, 'Drive My Car' and More

Amid another extended and pandemic-altered awards season, the nominations for the 94th Annual Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday, recognizing the biggest and best films of the year. 

While frontrunners like Nicole Kidman, Will Smith, Ariana DeBose and Kodi Smit-McPhee were all accounted for when the nominations were read, there were plenty of snubs and surprises among this year's nominees, including a near shutout for House of Gucci, a surprising Dune snub, a breakthrough foreign film and several historic moments.

Below, we break down the biggest shockers and omissions for the 94th Academy Awards.

SNUB: Lady Gaga misses out on another Best Actress nod.

Alas, the "Father, Son, House of Gucci" weren't enough to bring Gaga another acting nod at the Oscars, despite her compelling performance as the complicated couture queen Patrizia Reggiani. In fact, despite early hype, House of Gucci ended up with only one nomination, for Makeup and Hairstyling.

SURPRISE: Drive My Car breaks through in the major categories. 

After a big win at the Golden Globes, the Japanese drama -- directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi and based on Haruki Murakami's short story of the same name -- was expected to be a contender in Best International Feature Film. However, Drive My Car broke through in a big way, scoring additional nods for Hamaguchi in Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as a Best Picture nomination.

SNUB: Denis Villeneuve blanked from Best Director.

Unfortunately, Drive My Car's breakthrough categories meant someone was getting bumped, and in Best Director that was Villeneuve, who inexplicably lost out on recognition for Dune, despite the epic adaptation earning nods in 10 other categories, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography and more.

SURPRISE: Kenneth Branagh makes Oscars history.

In telling the story of his childhood in Ireland through the joyful and tumultuous Belfast, Branagh earned a special distinction in Oscars history, becoming the first person to earn nominations in seven different categories over the course of his career. For Belfast, Branagh is nominated for Best Picture as a producer, as well as for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. He has previously earned nominations in Best Actor for Henry V, Best Supporting Actor for My Week With Marilyn, Best Live Action Short Film for Swan Song and Best Adapted Screenplay for his 1996 adaptation of Hamlet.

SNUB: "Just Look Up" left out of Best Original Song.

Granted, the category is stacked and star-studded, with songs like Beyonce's "Be Alive" and Billie Eilish's "No Time to Die," plus an Encanto hit and the perenially-nominated Diane Warren. However, it just feels like a missed opportunity not to have Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi at the Oscars -- especially given that Don't Look Up earned plenty of recognition in other categories.

SURPRISE: Flee earns three.

While not entirely a surprise given the film's acclaim, the animated Danish film Flee -- which tells the story of an Afghani refugee escaping to Denmark -- did make Oscars history as it was nominated in three different categories: Best Animated Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature and Best International Feature Film.

The 2022 Oscars air live on Sunday, March 27 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC. In the meantime, stay tuned to ETonline.com for complete Oscars coverage and check out highlights from last year's ceremony in the video below.

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