Half Two’s Josh Brolin Reacts to Denis Villeneuve’s Oscar Snub

The Oscars might need expanded the Greatest Image class to 10 spots, but it surely nonetheless limits the nominees in different classes to simply 5—making for a extra aggressive race, but in addition leading to inevitable snubs. At present’s Academy Awards announcement introduced plenty of glory to box-office hits Depraved and Dune: Part Two, however neither Greatest Image nominee garnered recognition for his or her administrators. That didn’t sit properly with Dune star Josh Brolin, who stepped as much as defend Denis Villeneuve.

Dune followers will recall that whereas Villeneuve did get nominations within the Greatest Image and Greatest Tailored Screenplay classes for 2022’s Dune (it misplaced each to CODA), he was additionally handed over for Greatest Director that yr. His solely Greatest Director nomination to this point got here with 2017’s Arrival (he misplaced to La La Land‘s Damien Chazelle).

Brolin, who performed Gurney Halleck within the Dune movies and likewise collaborated on a pair of elaborate art book tie-ins, took to his Instagram stories to air his response to Villeneuve’s snub. As Variety reviews, he recorded himself talking on to the digital camera: “Simply need to say congratulations to the Dune finest image nomination, to Greig Fraser for cinematography, for finest visible results, particular results, for Patrice [Vermett] for manufacturing design and for sound, I imagine.”

He continued. “Apparently, I’m going to give up performing as a result of Denis Villeneuve didn’t get nominated. That is simply how this factor works. It is not sensible to me. That’s okay. [Editor] Joe Walker, Denis Villeneuve, you deserve it. It’s a tremendous movie. I feel it was even higher than the primary one. However the individuals who have gotten accolades positive deserve it. Completely happy to be part of it. Congratulations everybody.”

That reference to “quitting performing” echoes again to an interview Brolin did with Variety in November 2024 the place he made the preliminary declaration: “If he doesn’t get nominated this yr, I’ll give up performing. It was a greater film than the primary one. After I watched it, it felt like my mind was damaged open. It’s masterful, and Denis is considered one of our grasp filmmakers. If the Academy Awards have any which means in any respect, they’ll acknowledge him.” (The commerce additionally notes that Brolin posted an identical social media message when Villeneuve was left off the Greatest Director record for the primary Dune.)

Presumably, there’ll be one other probability to reward that arduous work on Arrakis with Dune Messiah, stated to be Villeneuve’s subsequent mission. If someway Hollywood’s Oscar voters drop the ball once more, head straight to Brolin’s Instagram to commiserate.

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