Iconic actor gets first Oscar nomination and fans are shocked

An iconic actor who’s starred in a wide range of acclaimed movies and TV shows received his first Oscar nomination for the 2024 Academy Awards – and while fans are happy about it, they’re shocked it’s taken this long. 

Each year, the Oscars’ baffling decisions are just as talked about as the nominees themselves. It’s only been hours since the 2024 nominees were announced, and already there’s busy discussion about a number of glaring snubs – notably, Barbie’s Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig aren’t in the running for Best Actress and Best Director, respectively.

This tradition goes back decades, as evidenced by the fact that legendary horror auteur Alfred Hitchcock never once won an Academy Award. Equally as eyebrow-raising is the fact that not once did the late, great genius Stanley Kubrick receive an Oscar for his directing or screenwriting efforts. 

Actors have faced similar snubs over the years, one of the most talked about being Leonardo DiCaprio, which changed in 2016 when he won Best Actor for The Revenant. Now, another major performer has received his first nomination, and it’s left fans shocked. 

Iconic actor gets first Oscar nomination and fans are shocked

Cillian Murphy has been nominated for the Best Actor award at the 2024 Oscars thanks to his impeccable performance in Oppenheimer – and while the news has been received with plenty of praise, there are just as many fans who are shocked this is his first time.

Especially when you consider his filmography – Murphy has appeared in the likes of Inception, Dunkirk, and 28 Days Later, but he’s never made the cut when it comes to the Academy Awards. 

In response to an X post announcing Murphy’s first-ever nomination, one fan asked: “What do you mean 1st????” Another said, “His first?! Damn I thought he would’ve been nominated a few times by now.”

“It is surprising that it is his first time getting nominated for Oscars,” added a third, while a fourth chimed in, “As much as he’s been meme’d on this app I thought he already won an Oscar.”

A majority of the comments make the same joke – that it’ll be his “first win” too, suggesting he’s a shoo-in for the trophy. Murphy is competing against Bradley Cooper (Maestro), Colman Domingo (Rustin), Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers), and Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction).

“There’s no competition,” said one commenter, while a second described his nomination as “a well-deserved recognition for his outstanding contributions to the world of cinema.” A third added, “Goat is going to take his first Oscar trophy for sure.”

You can find the 2024 Oscar nominations and our winner predictions here, and the biggest snubs here.