The Oscar nominations for 2026 were announced on January 22, 2026 and like every year, debates have filled the air. Hollywood actor Natalie Portman has voiced her criticism for the Academy for once again snubbing women directors this year.
During the Sundance Film Festival that took place two days after the nominations were announced, Natalie spoke to the press and made her feelings clear.
The Sundance Film Festival took place on January 24, 2026. During a press conference, actor Natalie Portman had something to say about the way the Academy Awards once again overlooked films directed by women, as male directors and their work dominated the nomination.
The actor said that the selection process is biased and consistently excludes female directors despite the great work that they do.
Chinese filmmaker Chloé Zhao is the only woman whose film, Hamnet dominated the nominations with eight nominations including Best Director, Best Picture and Best Actress. Acknowledging this inclusion, Natalie said that while this achievement is huge, it is the only female-directed movie that made the cut, making it seem almost performative.
She went on to talk about the deep-seated sexism and gender bias that exists in the Hollywood film industry, right from the bottom to the top. However, it is not as if women do not put out good films, the problem is that they are deliberately snubbed year after year.
Natalie named a few female-directed movies that could have been included, such as Hedda, Sorry Baby, Left-Handed Girl and The Testament of Ann Lee.
Natalie Portman has always been an advocate for women in the film industry. In 2020, she wore a Dior gown to the Oscars which had the names of all the female directors embroidered, who she felt were snubbed.
Natalie is an actor par excellence and has been fighting the important fight on behalf of all women in filmmaking who are still struggling for a seat at the table in 2026.
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