Oscars 2024: Surprises, Upsets, and Unexpected Victories

The 2024 Oscars saw an unexpected twist as Emma Stone, star of “Poor Things,” took home the Best Actress award over Lily Gladstone from “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Despite a tight race throughout the awards season, with both actresses earning acclaim and precursor awards, many pundits had predicted Gladstone to clinch the win, especially after her SAG Award victory over Stone. However, Stone’s triumph at the BAFTA Awards added to the unpredictability of the outcome.

Gladstone’s loss mirrored a trend of SAG Award winners missing out on the Oscar, joining esteemed actors like Denzel Washington, Idris Elba, Chadwick Boseman, and Viola Davis in experiencing this disappointment. Following the ceremony, “Killers” director Martin Scorsese was seen offering consolation and support to Gladstone.

The disappointments continued for “Killers of the Flower Moon” as it failed to secure any of its ten nominations, despite high expectations. Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” which garnered seven nominations, also left empty-handed, with hopes particularly high for success in makeup and hairstyling, a category won by “Poor Things.”

“Poor Things” surprised further by clinching victories in Best Costume Design and Production Design, categories where “Barbie” was anticipated to shine. Despite earlier speculation that “Barbie” could be a dark horse for Best Picture or an adapted screenplay win for director Greta Gerwig, the film fell short in most of its nominated categories, concluding its awards season on a disappointing note.

In the animated feature category, Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” emerged as the unexpected winner over the favored “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Despite the latter’s impressive precursor awards, including top honors at the Annie Awards and the Producers Guild Awards, “The Boy and the Heron” secured victory, similar to Emma Stone’s win, with success at the BAFTAs adding to its accolades.