Fans of Ariana Grande have expressed outrage after the singer was overlooked for a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 2026 Oscars for her role as Glinda in Wicked: For Good. The blockbuster sequel, directed by Jon M. Chu, failed to receive a single Academy Award nomination, despite having been widely tipped for recognition.
The nominations, announced on Thursday morning by actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman, saw Grande's name absent from the Best Supporting Actress category. Instead, the nominees were Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value, Amy Madigan for Weapons, Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners, and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another.
Social media swiftly filled with surprise and disappointment from fans questioning the Academy's decision to overlook both Grande's performance and the film as a whole. Wicked: For Good, released in November, has grossed $524 million (£392m) worldwide as of January 20, and had performed strongly at the box office.
The snub stands in contrast to the predecessor's awards success. The first Wicked film earned 10 Oscar nominations last year, including Best Picture, Best Costume Design and Best Film Editing, with Grande nominated for Best Supporting Actress and co-star Cynthia Erivo for Best Actress. Neither won, with Zoe Saldaña and Mikey Madison taking those honours at the 2025 ceremony.
Grande has received recognition elsewhere, including a Critics' Choice Awards nomination this month, while she and Erivo were both nominated at the Golden Globe Awards. Other notable omissions this year included Paul Mescal for Hamnet, Regina Hall for One Battle After Another, and Miles Caton for Sinners. The latter film emerged as the most nominated of the year with a record 16 nods, surpassing the previous joint record held by All About Eve, Titanic and La La Land.
