The Best Actress Category Also Should Have Included Greta Lee

Greta Lee was not nominated for her performance as Nora in Past Lives when the Academy Awards nominees were announced on January 23. Why? Well, that’s for the Academy to explain. Lee, the dazzling heart of Past Lives, was overlooked.

Lee joins director Celine Song in being snubbed from this year’s nominations, when they should have been included. There are two nominations in the Best Actress category that, to me, do not make sense. One being Annette Bening’s nomination for Nyad over Lee. While Bening always gives a memorable performance, Lee’s was something that sticks with you long after you’ve experienced Past Lives. The two just don’t feel comparable, and Lee not getting the nomination over Bening feels off.

Another nomination that I think could have been swapped for Lee was Carey Mulligan’s performance in Maestro. Yes, Mulligan was radiant and a central part of Maestro, but it just feels like something we’ve seen time and time again in these biopic films that barely scratch the surface of the subject’s life. Both Bening and Mulligan had previously been nominated alongside Lee, namely by the Golden Globes, but Bening was also not nominated at the Critics Choice Awards.

All of this is not a knock at the other actresses nominated instead of Greta Lee, but just highlighting the fact that she gave us one of the strongest performances this year. Maybe those voting glanced at Lee’s performance in Past Lives and simply overlooked it because she is so natural in the movie. But the Academy did nominate Past Lives for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture.

So they saw Lee’s perfect performance as Nora and nominated the film, but not her? It’s annoying and doesn’t make sense to me. Justice for Greta Lee’s performance in Past Lives—I will always love you.

(featured image: A24)