Earlier this morning, the Academy Award nominations were announced. Of course, there are always actors, directors and films that get “snubbed,” but this morning there are a lot of movie fans who are upset about Delroy Lindo’s absence from the Best Actor category for his performance in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. Many even questioned if those responsible for nominating actors had seen the film.
Lindo played Paul, a Vietnam veteran returning to Vietnam with some of his fellow soldiers — a squad of Black US Army soldiers Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis) and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) — to recover a locker of gold bars that they hid in the jungle. They’re also haunted by the memory of their leader, Norman (played by Chadwick Boseman, in a role that very well could have been a Best Supporting Actor nomination), who died in Vietnam. Decades after they left Vietnam, Paul is a “MAGA” hat wearing Trump enthusiast. The film is available for streaming on Netflix.
Below, watch the film’s trailer and check out some of the disappointed reactions to the Oscar nominations on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/DamsonIdris/status/1371445060789751810
Imagine not picking Delroy Lindo in DA 5 BLOODS as one of the five best performances of the year.
— Matt Singer (@mattsinger) March 15, 2021
remove Gary Oldman and replace him with Delroy Lindo. on the Oscar noms list, but also in general.
— Gavia Baker-Whitelaw (@Hello_Tailor) March 15, 2021
Will absolutely never understand this season for almost entirely overlooking Delroy Lindo.
— Chris Feil (@chrisvfeil) March 15, 2021
No DA 5 BLOODS, Spike Lee and and Delroy Lindo. #OscarNoms pic.twitter.com/Ey5Niq1uGw
— Patrick Verona (@MasterTarantino) March 15, 2021
Delroy Lindo’s performance in the Da 5 Bloods is as good as and in a number of cases better than the Best Actor winners of the past decade at least.
— Richard Newby (@RICHARDLNEWBY) March 15, 2021
So great I felt scorched by his performance. Sorry, I’m still not over this egregious snub.
Some really encouraging nominations for this year’s Oscars, though I’ll admit I’m gutted for Delroy Lindo.
— Hari Sethi (@Hari_Sethi) March 15, 2021
Still shaken by his performance in Da 5 Bloods. pic.twitter.com/ihxoHIxag9
Delroy Lindo’s performance in the Da 5 Bloods is everything, but the #Oscars still don’t care about Black people! pic.twitter.com/gaF01Ji5DW
— Film Daze (@filmdaze) March 15, 2021
Delroy Lindo did not give us this magnificent GIF for you to not nominate him, Oscars... pic.twitter.com/WNCcOe44v2
— Amon Warmann (@amonwarmann) March 15, 2021
Da Five Bloods and Delroy Lindo deserved Oscar nominations.
— Brian Koppelman (@briankoppelman) March 15, 2021
i'm still mad delroy lindo hasn't been getting nominations did the academy even watch da 5 bloods
— holli (@fllenangeIs) March 15, 2021
i will avenge delroy lindo pic.twitter.com/t6htpsdjTm
— yaya (@ylburrell) March 15, 2021
Da 5 Bloods was such an important film this year. Spike Lee and Delroy Lindo gave us such a powerful story at a time when it was crucial to listen.
— Mallory Winkler (@MalloryWinkler) March 15, 2021
Don’t let the Oscars minimize this incredible film! pic.twitter.com/idzX6E7V0n
Listen, I have already come to accept that the excellence of Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods will just be understood by the critics and fans of the film alone. #OscarNoms
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) March 15, 2021
Delroy Lindo gave one of the best performances I have ever seen, ever, in DA 5 BLOODS, so of course, all awards bodies are...ignoring him
— Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) March 8, 2021
Delroy Lindo has been robbed this awards season.
— Hanna Ines Flint (@HannaFlint) March 9, 2021
No Delroy Lindo? pic.twitter.com/M7hQBQs0iU
— Oscilloscope Laboratories (@OscopeLabs) March 15, 2021
The snubs for this film will live in infamy. Especially Delroy Lindo’s towering performance https://t.co/dG07xD9Cl6
— Brandon Powell (@Arnian) March 15, 2021