Queerfailed to get Daniel Craig an Academy Award nomination, which is a shame given that the film was Craig’s best opportunity yet to earn an Oscar. Daniel Craig was already an impressive actor before he took on the role of James Bond, but his take on the iconic super spy turned him into a bonafide star. However, it’s the roles he’s subsequently taken that have been the most exciting to watch, asDaniel Craig’s best movieshave tested his acting skills across a number of different genres and tones.
This was definitely the case withQueer, which saw Craig tackle a fictionalized version of William S. Burroughs. A lonely and lovelorn gay man in 1950s Mexico, Craig’s Lee was a vulnerable and affecting performance that had netted him plenty of accolades. It even seemed to put him in the race for a Best Actor Oscar. However, Craig wasn’t among thenominations for the 97th Academy Awards. It’s a shame too, because Craig’s performance was worthy of that distinction.
Queer Was Daniel Craig’s Best-Ever Chance At An Oscars Nomination
Daniel Craig Should Have Earned An Oscar Nomination For His Performance As William Lee
Daniel Craig’s lead performance inQueerwas a career highlightand seemed like a perfect fit for an Academy Award nomination — which makes his snub at the Oscars all the more surprising. Craig has delivered plenty of impressive performances over the years, from his suave but damaged take on James Bond to his deceptively hilarious performances in films likeLogan LuckyandKnives Out. He’s also proven himself adept at dramatic fare, withQueerbeing perhaps his most awards-worthy performance. William Lee is a charming but troubled man, a hopeless romantic who is also a needy and ultimately sad person.
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It’s a film that lives and dies on Craig’s performance, and Craig does a great job elevating the strong material into something genuinely mesmerizing. Craig received lots of accolades for his performance, including nominations from the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. While a victory in the category was going to be tough given the strength of his competition, it seemed likely that Craig would at least earn his first Academy Award nomination forQueer— at least until the nominations were announced and it was revealed that he had been snubbed.
Why Was Daniel Craig Snubbed At The Oscars 2025?
QueerWas Shut Out Entirely At The Academy Awards
Queerfailed to make an impression at the Academy Awards entirely, with the film receiving no nominations. Given the pedigree of the competition, it’s possible thatQueerwas overshadowed by other films. The purposefully trippy approach to the story potentially failed to resonate with voters. Craig had received accolades and award nominations for his performance, but other actors like Adrian Brody have been picking up steam in the award conversation, which may have drawn attention away from the former James Bond star.
It’s possible thatQueersimply didn’t connect with the Academy voters on multiple levels, and Craig’s potential nomination was a causality of that trend.
There’s also the fact thatQueer’s snub plays into two other larger trends among the 97th Academy Award nominations. Despite directing two impressive films with critical accolades in 2024, Luca Guadagnino’sQueerandChallengerswere both completely shut out of the Oscar conversation. Both of those movies were also overtly sexual with lustful performances, something that also saw Nicole Kidman’sBabygirlcompletely ignored as well. It’s possible thatQueersimply didn’t connect with the Academy voters on multiple levels, and Craig’s potential nomination was a causality of that trend.
Daniel Craig Will Hopefully Continue This Career Path Despite Queer’s Snub
Daniel Craig Should Keep Embracing Challenging Films LikeQueer
Daniel Craig is great inQueer, which makes his lack of an Academy Award nomination for the performance all the most frustrating. Craig brings his natural charm to the role but filters it through a character who can’t help but be awkward and earnest. William Lee is a lonely figure, someone who wants other people in his life but has trouble not pushing them away. After years of Craig being locked into his suave leading man role as James Bond,he’s been increasingly flexing his creative muscles as an actor.Queermight be the best example of his potential yet.
Daniel Craig’s talent and craft mean that the actor will likely get an Academy Award nomination sooner or later.Queerwould have been a good role to do that with, even if the stiff competition would have made victory difficult. Still, even after the disappointment of not seeing Craig earn the nomination,Queerproves that Craig can expand himself as an actor and find new layers to explore. Ideally, the actor will continue to push himself in this way and potentially find a similarly challenging role that can potentially earn him the Oscar nomination thatQueercouldn’t get.
Queer
Cast
Queer chronicles the life of American expat William Lee in 1950s Mexico City. His solitary existence changes with the arrival of Eugene Allerton, a young student, sparking a profound connection and altering Lee’s interactions within a small American community.
