--- title: Oscar Nominations 2016: The Biggest Surprises description: The 2016 Oscar nominations included several unexpected nominees, from "Spotlight's" Rachel McAdams to "Room" director Lenny Adbamson canonical: https://time.com/4180779/oscar-nomination-surprises-2016/ author: Eliza Berman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-01-14T19:41:44.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:00:35.743Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: The 10 Biggest Oscar Nomination Surprises og:description: The 2016 Oscar nominations included several unexpected nominees, from "Spotlight's" Rachel McAdams to "Room" director Lenny Adbamson og:url: https://time.com/4180779/oscar-nomination-surprises-2016/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The 10 Biggest Oscar Nomination Surprises twitter:description: The 2016 Oscar nominations included several unexpected nominees, from "Spotlight's" Rachel McAdams to "Room" director Lenny Adbamson twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # The 10 Biggest Oscar Nomination Surprises > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with Ally. Ally is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: July 2026. ## Ally: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Ally is a digital financial services company offering online-only banking, including checking and savings accounts, through Ally.com and its mobile apps. Launched in 2009 as an original disruptor in financial services, Ally was built to challenge outdated banking norms with a simpler, more convenient way to bank. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account.  by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. Jan 14, 2016 7:41 PM UTC  by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. Jan 14, 2016 7:41 PM UTC The 2016 [Oscar nominations](http://time.com/4178963/oscar-nominations-2016/) were announced Thursday morning, with many nominees’ names ringing bells first rung when the [Golden Globe](http://time.com/4144233/2016-golden-globes-nominees/) and [SAG](http://time.com/4142722/2016-sag-award-nominations/) nominations were announced back in December. But there were more than a few surprises in the mix to keep things interesting come showtime on Feb. 28. _Read next:_ [_The 13 Biggest Oscar Nomination Snubs_](http://time.com/4180778/oscar-nomination-2016-snubs/) ### _Mad Max: Fury Road_  Mad Max: Fury Road. Warner Bros. Pictures If someone told us six months ago that _Mad Max_ would end up with 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, we might not have believed them. And even after accumulating great momentum in the lead-up to the Academy Awards, it’s still somewhat unexpected to see the blockbuster action flick get so much love—second only to _The Revenant_’s 12 nods. **Read more:** [**Why It Matters That Mad Max Was Named Best Movie by the National Board of Review**](http://time.com/4131668/mad-max-national-board-of-review/) ### _Star Wars: The Force Awakens_  Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Lucasfilm Ltd. Though _Star Wars_ was one of the most discussed movies of 2015, its name came up most in terms of [box office records](http://time.com/4170698/star-wars-the-force-awakens-domestic-box-office-record/) and bouts of nostalgia. But Episode VII picked up five nominations, mostly in the technical categories. **Read more:** [**This Video Shows Why Star Wars Is So Special**](http://time.com/4144531/star-wars-video-oscar-boyson/) ### Rachel McAdams  Rachel McAdams is seen on Jan. 11, 2016 in Los Angeles. Tibrina Hobson—Getty Images Most of the attention for _Spotlight_’s acting has gone to its entire ensemble, as well as to Mark Ruffalo, who also got an Oscar nod for Supporting Actor. McAdams’ inclusion in the Supporting Actress field is a welcome nomination for a movie with acting so good across the board, it was hard to know who to shine the spotlight on. **Read more:** [**Rachel McAdams Has Always Wanted to Play Unlikable Women**](http://time.com/3960976/rachel-mcadams-interview-true-detective/) ### Tom Hardy  Tom Hardy is seen on Dec. 16, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif. Steve Granitz—Getty Images The bulk of the attention for _The Revenant_ has gone to star [Leonardo DiCaprio](http://time.com/4174724/golden-globes-leonardo-dicaprio-revenant/) (who received a Best Actor nod) and director Alejandro González Iñárritu (who was nominated, as well). So Hardy’s name on the list of Best Supporting Actor nominees was a somewhat surprising addition to the movie’s impressive awards haul this year. **Read more:** [**The True Story Behind** **_The Revenant_** **, as Told in 1939**](http://time.com/4171001/revenant-1939-true-story/) ### Adam McKay  Adam McKay is seen on Jan. 9, 2016 in Los Angeles. Mike Windle—Getty Images Though _The Big Short_ was nominated for a Golden Globe and received [positive reviews](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the%5Fbig%5Fshort/), less attention has been paid to director Adam McKay, whose transition to more serious (though still funny) fare is notable given his previous work on comedies like _Anchorman_ and _Step Brothers._ **Read more:** [**What to Know About the Housing Bubble Before You See** **_The Big Short_**](http://time.com/4139899/the-big-short-market-explained/) ### Lenny Abrahamson  Lenny Abrahamson is seen on Jan. 5, 2016 in New York City. Mike Pont—Getty Images It’s not altogether surprising to see Abrahamson among the field of Best Director nominees given that he directed _Room_ all the way to a Best Picture nomination. But his name has been conspicuously absent from the discussion of likely nominees, with many assuming veteran directors Ridley Scott or Quentin Tarantino would land a nod instead. **Read more:** [**_Room_** **Writer Emma Donoghue: ‘This Is Not a Horrifying Film**](http://time.com/4080232/room-movie-brie-larson-emma-donoghue/)**’** ### John Williams  John Williams is seen on Dec. 14, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif. Todd Williamson—Getty Images Williams is the most famous film score composer alive today, with five Oscars and a whopping 44 additional nominations in his pocket—make that 45 after today. But the announcement of his name for Best Original Score Thursday morning was unexpected, as _Star Wars_’ score received less attention than other aspects of its filmmaking. **Read more:** [**_Star Wars_** **Composer John Williams to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award**](http://time.com/4067746/star-wars-composer-john-william-receive-honor/) ### _Boy and the World_ and _When Marnie Was There_  When Marnie Was There. Studio Ghibli Two of the contenders for Best Animated Feature came as a surprise, with distributor GKIDS’ flicks _Boy and the World_ and _When Marnie Was There_ edging out more commercial fare like _The Good Dinosaur_ and _The Peanuts Movie._ ### “Til It Happens to You”  Lady Gaga is seen during the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mark Davis—Getty Images Lady Gaga’s song about surviving rape received as much attention as the documentary film for which she wrote it, a documentary about campus sexual assault called _The Hunting Ground_. It’s nice to see an emotional song that weighs in on an important conversation included among Oscar’s honorees for Best Original Song. **Read more:** [**Lady Gaga on Being Raped at 19: It Changed Who I Was Completely**](http://time.com/4146663/lady-gaga-rape-timestalks/) ### “Manta Ray”  "Manta Ray" by J. Ralph + Antony. Rumor Mill Records Another nominee for Best Original Song, “Manta Ray,” comes from a documentary, _Racing Extinction_, about endangered species and mass extinction. It’s a fresh alternative to a song widely expected to receive a nod, Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again” from _Furious 7_. 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