Just a few short months ago, the entertainment world couldn’t get enough of Ryan Gosling. We all lauded his badassery in Drive. We praised his A-list star-making performances in The Ides of March and Crazy, Stupid, Love. He broke up street fights in New York, inspired countless Tumblrs and memes, became an Internet feminist icon, and even publicly stood up to McDonald’s for its alleged mistreatment of hens. Hens!
Thanks to stellar reviews and the fandom surrounding Gosling, the actor seemed like a lock for a nomination for nearly every awards show. Especially since the awards shows like the Oscars have historically rewarded actors experiencing pop culture moments (see: Sandra Bullock). And in 2011, nobody’s moment was bigger than Gosling’s.
But then something crazy (and, as some of you might think, stupid) happened. Gosling, the Marlon Brando of Cornwall, Ontario, didn’t win in either of his two Golden Globe categories, was completely snubbed by this morning’s Oscar nominations (as well as the Screen Actors Guild Awards and, lo and behold, the People’s Choice Awards), and even lost the title of Sexiest Man Alive (to Bradley “Skinny Tie” Cooper). So what gives?!
His performances in Drive, Ides, and Love were often the most critically lauded parts of those movies – surely voters of the awards show persuasion could show just a little love for a former mouseketeer? Gosling did manage to pull 18 acting nominations over the course of this year – an honor, no doubt – but still no Oscar. In the high school hierarchy of Hollywood, that’s like getting asked to prom by the A/V club but rejected by every major cheerleader outlet in the greater Los Angeles area.
I’ve come up with three possible explanations. One, Gosling is young, and he’s got plenty of time throughout his career to win awards. (The Academy loves to honor experience.) Two, the Academy loves more mature, artsy oeuvres; even if Gosling offered some of the best performances of the year, he’s still thought of as a youthful sensation, and the Oscars, despite craving a younger audience, just doesn’t do heartthrobs. Three, it’s just that simple: There is no explanation. Sometimes the cookie crumbles in the most unfortunate of ways, and Ryan Gosling was on the receiving end of that gross, burnt part that didn’t get any chocolate chips.
2012 will no doubt be a big year for the A-list actor after a bittersweet, snub-filled start. Still, at the very least, give the guy a freakin’ Blockbuster Entertainment Award or something.
Read more:
Oscars snub Michael Fassbender, more: Which omission hurts the most?
