Who doesn’t love a happy ending? The kind that leaves you feeling lighter than air after a movie ends, and the credits begin to roll. They may not always be appropriate for every movie, but it’s par for the course when it comes to lighthearted entertainment. When a movie gives an audience everything they want and finishes with a crowd-pleasing ending, it’s about as pure an example of cinematic magic in effect.

Crowd-pleasing endings come in all shapes and sizes: they can encompass small moral victories or gigantic triumphs in the face of evil. They come in superhero blockbusters, animated classics, and romantic comedies — all that they really have in common is how they’ll leave you smiling and satisfied. These are the greatest crowd-pleasing movie endings of all time, standing the test of time because of the joy they bring.

‘Jaws’ (1975)

Image via Universal Pictures

Peter Benchley’s novel Jaws ends with the shark succumbing to its wounds and dying alongside the obsessive shark hunter Quint in a manner similar to Moby Dick. Thematic similarities might work in a novel, but there’s simply no way that a slow death to the apex predator would have been even remotely satisfying for a film. Director Steven Spielberg decided on something far more explosive for his iconic adaptation. It’s completely implausible and illogical, as was once proven by Mythbusters, but it is incredibly crowd-pleasing.

With police chief Brody (Roy Scheider) left alone to face off against the great white shark that’s been terrorizing his sleepy New England resort town, he arms himself with a rifle and climbs atop the quickly sinking wreckage of Quint’s boat. He aims at the oxygen tank wedged in the shark’s mouth and, with a well-placed shot, turns it into a bloody chum. After a pause for applause as the remains of the shark sink to the bottom of the ocean, Brody swims off into the sunset with marine biologist Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), who also gets to survive in the film, whereas his novel counterpart perished. Jaws is the original blockbuster with an ending that’s befitting that title.

‘Star Wars’ (1977)

Image via Lucasfilm

Jaws walked (or swam) so Star Wars could run. If Spielberg’s horror classic started the blockbuster trend, George Lucas’ space opera codified it. With a narrative that pulls from adventure serials with a classic hero’s journey structure, it’s appropriate that the film ends triumphantly. It’s an emotionally satisfying ending that gives closure to the film while leaving the door open just a crack for future installments to follow. It’s a classic cliffhanger that doesn’t overtly telegraph itself, and more franchises should take notes on how to leave a dangling plot thread that can be satisfyingly followed through on.

After the climactic destruction of the Death Star, which leaves the Rebel Alliance victorious, the evil Empire wounded, and Darth Vader spinning out into the vast expanse of space, the film quickly wraps up with an award ceremony. The principal characters, minus one seriously overlooked Wookiee, get their due reward, and the future looks bright as the film ends and John Williams‘ soaring score takes over. Even if there had never been any sequels, and Vader’s fate was left forever unanswered, this ending would still be just as pleasing.

‘Iron Man’ (2008)

Image via Marvel Studios

In its early days, the MCU included a remarkably consistent series of blockbusters that provided a solid decade of entertainment. That all started with the relatively small Iron Man, which ends with a defiant declaration that flew in the face of superhero cinema conventions. Secret identities were a staple of the genre, and moments of unmasking were always treated as major plot points with massive consequences. With Iron Man, Marvel decided to change all that in a very satisfying way.

Robert Downey Jr.’s iconic portrayal of Tony Stark is defined by his charisma, wit, and narcissism. He’s far from the tortured protagonists bearing the weight of their responsibilities like the contemporary portrayals of Spider-Man and Batman. Tony wants the glory and the admiration, and he won’t hide in the shadows. So when he takes the podium at a press conference to deliver what is expected to be a clever cover story, he defies expectations and proudly declares, “I am Iron Man,” sending chills down the spine of every comic book fan.

‘Back to the Future’ (1985)

Image via Universal Pictures

What seemed like a setup for a sequel then, and most definitely would be now, was never intended as such in the final moments of Back to the Future. The film was written as a stand-alone story, and its denouement was never meant as anything more than a fun suggestion that the characters’ adventures would continue beyond the frame. Of course, sequels were eventually produced, and thankfully, that fun suggestion became the basis for a very fun follow-up, but even if it hadn’t, the ending would still be incredibly crowd-pleasing.

After returning home to 1985 after successfully rekindling his parents’ teenage romance, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) finds his home has exponentially improved. He’s all set to take his brand-new truck on a trip to the lake with his girlfriend when Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) returns with an impassioned plea to come with him to help save their future children. They all pile into the Delorean, and the iconic time-traveling car takes flight. It’s a wonderful coda for the sci-fi comedy that perfectly epitomizes its status as a feel-good classic.

‘Coco’ (2017)

Image via Pixar Animation Studios

Pixar knows its way around a great ending. Whether it’s The Incredibles masking up to do battle, Remy prepping for the dinner rush in Ratatouille, or Marlin finally letting go and sending Nemo off on his own, the studio can simultaneously tug at our heartstrings and give us goosebumps. Any number of their endings would be fitting to include here, but there’s something so perfect and emotionally satisfying about the ending to Coco.

After jerking the tears from our eyes as Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) helps Mamá Coco (Ana Ofelia MurguÍa) remember through the power of their family’s music, the film cuts to one year later to warm our hearts. Music has been brought back into Miguel’s family, and they celebrate and remember their dearly departed family members, now including Mamá Coco, who is reunited with her long-lost father in the afterlife. It’s a beautiful ending that fills the frame with color, music and love.

‘The Lion King’ (1994)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Before Pixar became part of the House of Mouse, Disney had already perfected the crowd-pleasing happy ending in their long list of animated classics. Pick any one of their princess films, and you’re guaranteed to feel better by the end of it. However, if there’s one Disney classic that stands out, it’s the 1994 classic The Lion King, with its full-circle ending.

The iconic animated film is predicated on the circle of life. It makes that literal as it ends its story where it began, with the young cub Simba growing to become the king after reclaiming his throne. As any ’90s parent who got dragged to theaters for multiple viewings of the film can attest, it’s hard not to get a little choked up as the music swells and the chorus sings. The Lion King is a crowning achievement for Disney, and it more than earns its crowd-pleasing ending.

‘When Harry Met Sally…’ (1989)

Image via Columbia Pictures

Romantic movies are basically designed to have crowd-pleasing endings, since they almost all inevitably lead to their protagonists getting together. While there’s a certain satisfaction in those bittersweet endings in movies like Casablanca, nothing beats the joy of true love winning; case in point, Rob Reiner’s ultimate crowd pleaser, When Harry Met Sally… Loud declarations of love may be a cliché of the genre, but there’s no doubting their effectiveness, and few films do it better than this one.

After years of chance encounters, missed opportunities and genuine connections, the two titular characters spend New Year’s Eve separated, any potential relationship seemingly dead in the water. That’s when Harry (Billy Crystal) decides to show up at a party and tell Sally (Meg Ryan) exactly how he feels. Romantic comedy endings are the ultimate source of optimism, conveniently ending at an emotional apex before reality can intrude, but there’s something so comforting and satisfying about them regardless. When Harry Met Sally… is a classic of the genre and does that ending better than any other.

‘Rocky’ (1976)

Image via United Artists

Edging out the feel-good vibes of romantic endings is the energizing triumph that comes from a gritty sports drama. Everyone loves to watch a scrappy underdog snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, which makes it all the more surprising that the most crowd-pleasing sports ending is one where the underdog technically loses. Rocky ends with the titular boxer being defeated by Apollo Creed in a split decision. It’s a moral victory for the character, made all the more potent by how it mirrored the hard-fought battle that it took for Sylvester Stallone to get the movie made.

Rocky Balboa (Stallone) is a small-time boxer in Philadelphia who gets a shot at glory when heavyweight champion Creed (Carl Weathers) selects him as his next opponent. The journey to the ring is filled with all the tropes that would become staples of the franchise, and the fight itself is a brutalizing effort between two men refusing to go down. The result itself is immaterial as Rocky proves he can go the distance with the champ and reconciles with his love, Adrian (Talia Shire), in an ending that had crowds cheering on and off the screen.

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946)

Image via Paramount Pictures

It’s the ultimate crowd-pleasing ending. Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life has become such a totemic film in pop culture that most people will know its final moments without ever having watched another frame of it. Forget that the plot never shows the villain facing justice or receiving any comeuppance; it’s enough to know that his bitter, lonely existence will never match that of the protagonist. Capra’s career is filled with common man heroes and the strength of communities, and It’s a Wonderful Life is the purest example of both.

George Bailey (James Stewart) is a small-town guy with big dreams. He’s made plans to get out and see the world, but those plans are consistently put on hold as George selflessly puts the needs of others over his own. When he reaches his breaking point over a stolen sum of money that will destroy his savings and loan, he considers ending his life before an angel named Clarence (Henry Travers) intervenes. George is shown the effect he’s had on his town and the people in it, and then the generosity of those in his life as they come together to raise the money for George. He’s saved, and Clarence gets his wings in this wonderful ending.

‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994)

Image via Columbia Pictures

Frank Darabont’s directorial debut, The Shawshank Redemption, which he adapted from a Stephen King novella, is predicated on hope and redemption. Its story of incarcerated men is certainly not without some of the ugliness inherent to prison films, but its journey ultimately arrives at one of the most satisfying and euphoric endings of any film ever made. It’s what helped the film earn multiple Oscar nominations as well as ensure its enduring cinematic legacy.

After serving almost two decades in Shawshank, wrongly convicted prisoner Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) enacts his methodical escape plan, crawling his way to freedom with a bank account filled with the warden’s illicit money. The next year, when his best friend Red (Morgan Freeman) is paroled and finds himself struggling after years of institutionalization, he finds a letter from Andy telling him to visit him in Zihuatenejo. The two reunite in one of the most jubilant displays of salvation ever committed to film. The most hardened of hearts will find it difficult not to soften during The Shawshank Redemption’s all-time greatest crowd-pleasing ending.

Joshua Jackson
Breaks Silence On James Van Der Beek’s Death

Published
March 10, 2026
6:20 AM PDT

Zack Snyder is primarily known for visual bombast — the sort of over-the-top imagery that at least looks striking even if there’s not always a ton of weight behind it. So it’s fairly surprising, especially in retrospect, that the most memorable scene from his breakout movie is iconic because of a performance decision and not just because of striking imagery. In fact, it’s so memorable and iconic that you might have already guessed that we’re referring to “This is Sparta!” from 2006’s 300.

300 was just Snyder’s second feature film (after the surprisingly good Dawn of the Dead remake), and it was the guarantor that later got him Watchmen, which later led to Man of Steel and his divisive take of the DC Comics movie universe. For a powerfully silly film about a community of fascist eugenicists (with the movie itself having some uncomfortably offensive modern undertones), 300 was a huge hit: It made over $450 million worldwide off of a reported $65 million budget, and a good chunk of those millions probably came from audience members who just wanted to see “This is Sparta!” happen on the big screen (making it an obvious framework for the future success of “Release the Kraken.”)

What Is the Iconic Quote From ‘300’?​​​​​​​

Image via Warner Bros. 

Everyone remembers it and everyone can likely recite it from memory: The Persian King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) has mobilized his armies to take over the world, with a messenger (Peter Mensah) arriving in the Greek city-state of Sparta to give them a heads-up and an opportunity to submit to Xerxes’ rule in advance. He also takes a moment to insult Sparta’s queen, played by Lena Headey (an early breakout role for her, foreshadowing her future career as a regal woman in fantasy stories).

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Sparta’s King Leonidas (Gerard Butler, in what is still likely his most definitive role) rejects the messenger’s proposal and gathers a group of soldiers to kill him. Baffled, the messenger insists that Leonidas’ behavior is “madness” and implores him to think of his next words carefully, giving Snyder a chance to melodramatically drag out the scene, and Leonidas eventually responds (all together now): “Madness? This is Sparta!” And then he kicks the guy into a nearby bottomless pit.

What Else Happens in Zack Snyder’s ‘300’?

Image via Warner Bros. 

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Not much else strictly “happens” in 300, though there are a few other scenes with big, dramatic speeches and a few exciting battle sequences. Having been spurned by the Spartans, Xerxes prepares to invade but is met by the largest group of soldiers Leonidas was able to muster without the support of Sparta’s entire government — which ends up being just 300 warriors. What follows is the famous historical event known as the Battle of Thermopylae, but the real version had fewer magic ninjas, giants, and weaponized rhinoceroses.

But that’s okay, because the conceit of 300 is that we are witnessing a fantastical version of the story as told by David Wenham’s Dilios. It’s not supposed to be a depiction of what literally happened, even considering the in-universe events, it’s supposed to be a more heroic dramatization so Dilios can drum up support from the rest of Greece. That means it’s all sort of filtered through Snyder’s over-the-top sensibilities and then filtered through his over-the-top sensibilities again, creating a fascinating distillation of all the stuff Snyder is interested in.

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Release Date

March 9, 2007

Runtime

117 minutes

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Director

Zack Snyder

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Writers

Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, Michael B. Gordon

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Social media is buzzing after Blueface’s girlfriend, Nevaeh Akira, shared a heartfelt post about the rapper on her Instagram Story. In her message, Nevaeh praised Blueface‘s dedication as a partner and father, prompting a mix of reactions from fans and followers.

Related: In Bliss! Nevaeh Akira Shares Precious Clip Of Blueface Cradling Her Growing Baby Bump (VIDEO)

Nevaeh Akira Shares Emotional Tribute To Blueface

In her Instagram story, Nevaeh opened up about how grateful she is for Blueface, whose real name is Johnathan Michael Porter, and the role he plays in her life and their family. She wrote:

“I’m blessed to have John as my son’s bonus father and our unborn baby’s father. I’m highly satisfied with how he treats us and never neglects us. He doesn’t neglect my feelings as well; he reassures me and gives me the love I deserve. I’ll forever choose him in every lifetime. He’s not perfect, but he takes accountability and tries his best to make up for anything that makes me uncomfortable. I love everything about him. The whole world could say f*** him, but I’ll be right there to give him the love he deserves because he’s one in a million to me.”

Her message comes just days after Blueface claimed on social media that the child he shares with Chrisean Rock is not his biological son.

Social Media Reacts

Social media users had plenty to say about Naveah’s post. While some supported it, many felt they had seen this storyline before.

Instagram user @mehganjames wrote, “I wonder what her zodiac sign is”

Another Instagram user @__xomaddiee wrote, “cool sis… he actually might like you”

While Instagram user @taylorsadem wrote, “Highly satisfied” is crazy… is this a review? 😂”

Instagram user @shelightskin wrote, “You see how he acts towards other women and his kids and think you different is insane”

Another Instagram user @ooohhh.nana wrote, “Girl he was just with Jaidyn”

While Instagram user @hillary_finley wrote, “This sounds like a door dash review.”

Instagram user @kaiandkalebsmom wrote, “Wow! Somebody should screenshot these posts and have them ready to put back out there when this relationship goes left”

Another Instagram user @ahnnasimone wrote, “He wrote this out word for word and made her post this 🙄.”

While Instagram user @lyons_love_02 wrote, “if only he can love you the way you love him, would be great.”

Blueface And Nevaeh Announce Their Baby’s Gender

Adding to the excitement, Blueface and Nevaeh revealed during a March 1 Twitch livestream that they are expecting their first child together—a boy. The couple revealed the gender with blue poppers after a countdown, despite technical difficulties during the stream.

The duo also revealed the name of their unborn son: Solar Porter. Fans quickly took to social media to react to the news, further fueling conversations about the couple’s relationship and upcoming addition to their family.

Related: Chrisean Rock Responds To Blueface’s Paternity Claims & Calls Him Out For Publicly Disrespecting Her Son (PHOTOS)

What started as a cute link-up with Tabitha Brown’s model daughter, Choyce Brown, and influencer Janae Sims, also known as “Auntie Nae,” has turned into much more. The two were first spotted together, and their link up soon turned into a hard launch of their relationship. However, things quickly spiraled into chaos after Choyce’s ex, YD, decided to speak out online.

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Choyce Brown And Auntie Nae Pop Out Together In New Photos

On February 23, Auntie Nae and Choyce Brown teamed up on TikTok, hitting a lil dance to ‘Da Problem Solva’ by Thirteendegrees. Nae captioned the post, “We hit that @ChoyceBrown,” as comments quickly flooded in with fans loving seeing the duo hang out.

Janae’s twin sister and fellow influencer, Jayla Henry, entered the chat, writing, “I’m starting a rumor,” sending the internet into frenzy. Folks quickly began creating think pieces, speculating that the duo might actually be more than friends after the playful comment.

Three days later, the duo popped out again with another video, keeping the rumors swirling and fans continuing their speculation. This time, Auntie Nae posted, “POV: being on a boat in Miami while rumors swirl about us,” dancing alongside Choyce.

Her caption read “@Jayla Henry come to the front immediately,” as Jayla returned to comments, doubling down on her rumor, she wrote, “And yet… the rumor has not been denied,” which only added more fuel to speculation online.

By this point, the internet was already shipping the two ladies, simply waiting for some type of confirmation. Many left punny comments like “Someone said you made the right Choyce” and “This ain’t rumor, it’s a Choyce.”

Amid the buzz, Auntie Nae also celebrated hitting one million followers on TikTok and shared a bouquet of flowers. She wrote, “@choycebrown are you serious?! thank you,” with Choyce replying back saying, “Happy 1 mil!!!” to her.

Entering the new month, Auntie Nae returned to vlogging, and this time, Choyce made a quick appearance within the video. Supporters went into detective mode after noticing Choyce’s phone wallpaper appeared to show her kissing Nae in the background.

Responding to the chatter, Choyce jokingly wrote, “Why is y’all in my phoneeeeeuhhhhhhh?” as fans kept reacting online.

Soon after, the two popped out again, seemingly confirming their relationship with a thread of photos posted online. Auntie Nae captioned her post “Finally,” while Choyce’s mom, Tabitha Brown, entered comments, writing, “Y’all ain’t grown.” Auntie Nae also took to TikTok, sharing how happy she was, with her twin Jayla responding in comments, “As you should be.

Choyce Brown’s Ex YD Speaks Out As Choyce Claps Back And Alleges Abuse

While the two were happy to finally confirm their relationship with the world, drama was already knocking on the door. Choyce’s ex, YD, quickly reacted to the news and shared her feelings online shortly after the relationship became public.

She uploaded a video using a TikTok sound saying, “I’m trying to be cool but godddamn,” with a caption reading, “Mind you… we was in a relationship last month too.”  While YD and Choyce’s relationship was never public, YD made it clear that keeping things private was their choice at the time. She even briefly posted, then deleted, several intimate moments between the two before continuing to share how the situation affected her.

YD uploaded another video explaining that while the situation may seem funny to the internet, it was not funny to her. Despite their breakup, she expressed feeling like Choyce may have moved on too quickly after their relationship ended.

Some even took the conversation to Auntie Nae’s comment section, writing, “She was just with YD.” Auntie Nae responded, “And who she with now? She moved and that’s okay.”

Choyce’s best friend, Malik McIntyre, also entered the conversation, alleging that YD had previously abused Choyce during their relationship. YD quickly denied those allegations as the situation continued gaining attention across social media platforms and comment sections.

Choyce eventually went live to set the record straight and share her side of what allegedly happened in their relationship. She explained that things began turning sour after she refused to cover a tattoo of her ex’s name that was already on her hand.

Choyce did confirm she and YD were together, but shared she broke things off after YD allegedly slapped her. The model denied cheating and stated, “I did not cheat on that girl… I broke up with her.” She added that a week later, she met Janae and quickly felt a strong connection while they spent time together.

“She took me to Disneyland, we did the dating thing, and then decided we might as well go public,” Choyce explained.

Choyce also spoke about moving forward, sharing that Janae has made her happier than anyone she has previously dated. She clarified that the only reason she recently contacted YD was that intimate videos were reposted, and she asked her to remove them.

Social Media Reacts.

Social media users gathered across platforms to watch the drama between YD, Choyce, and Auntie Nae unfold online. Many stepped into The Shade Room Teens’ comments to share their thoughts as they quickly began taking sides. While some felt Choyce didn’t owe YD anything after their breakup, others agreed she may have moved on too fast.

Instagram @user _.miccha wrote, “Love this 😍”

Instagram user @adoremeahh, “they match each other fly so well 😍😍”

While Instagram user  @makiyadeondraaa wrote, “they don’t look like each other types t something is off!!”

Instagram user @luckyy.xili wrote, “LMAAAAOOOOOOO Choyce gonna do her so dirty”

Instagram user @4evalaaa added, “I love choyce but babyyyy I do not play about auntie nae ! be careful na!l”

While Instagram user @myaanicholee wrote, “How you get them is how you lose them”

Instagram user @trinityyerinnn wrote, “How yall mad at her ex for being mad cmon be tf real. I’d be mad af too 9 days???😂😂😂”

Instagram user @monaiashley added, “I agree with YD this time cause something is off about this nae and choyce relationship”

While Instagram user @theonlyasia22 wrote, “Who Auntie Nae feeling like ? 😂”

Instagram user @rikiyahdenise wrote, “if you dont think it was an overlap then wtf did you say anything for ?? 😂😂 she. has a right to move on regardless if it was quick or not-“

Instagram user @j.annak wrote, “If her feelings hurt she should’ve called choyce back if they was otp earlier why we need to know all this just feel spiteful.”

While Instagram user @Only _liyaa wrote, “Regardless of anything it’s never okay to post revenge nudes/p*rn. Mind you this the same girl who crashed out and went to the internet over Maddie”

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Even if he hadn’t received more attention recently after being played by Timothée Chalamet in the Oscar-nominated biopic A Complete Unknown, Bob Dylan has an outstanding influence on film history. While Dylan is obviously best known for his work as a songwriter, his work as an artist includes many different fields; he’s also an activist, a storyteller, a visual creator, and at times a creative mind behind mixed media projects. Although many artists have set records based on the number of awards they’ve received, Dylan has the distinction of having won both a competitive Academy Award and a Nobel Prize for Literature.

Dylan isn’t the only artist to receive this honor, as George Bernard Shaw also won a Nobel Prize and an Oscar, even if there is a bit more controversy surrounding his wins. Shaw won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Pygmalion, an adaptation of his own play that required few alterations to be translated to the big screen; although Shaw won the Nobel Prize for his significant achievements in writing classics like Man and Superman and Saint Joan, his legacy has been more divisive within the literary community based on his expressed pro-eugenics and anti-vaccination views. Comparatively, Dylan became the first songwriter to ever win the Nobel Prize for Literature, and won the Oscar for Best Original Song for “Things Have Changed” from the very underrated dramedy Wonder Boys.

Bob Dylan Has Both an Oscar and a Nobel Prize

Although he earned all types of trophies for his countless achievements in music, Dylan’s win for the Nobel Prize was a significant change within the organization, which had traditionally associated “literature” with novels, journalism, commentary, drama, and other works of formal writing. Musicians weren’t traditionally considered to be serious contenders for the award because an album involves additional auditory components and manipulation that are essential to the experience, and alter the context of the written word. However, Dylan’s songs are notable because they serve as standalone works of poetry that can be appreciated in their own right. Some of the best examples of how Dylan’s words can have resonance are seen in films, such as the now iconic soundtrack that he wrote for the classic Western Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid.

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It’s often that the Oscars will give trophies to underappreciated artists towards the end of their careers in recognition of their entire body of work, even if they may not have deserved it for the specific title that they won for; for example, no one would disagree that Al Pacino deserved to be an Oscar winner, even if Scent of a Woman isn’t necessarily one of his best performances. However, Dylan wrote an amazing song for Wonder Boys that continued the themes he had been working on since his 1997 record Time Out of Mind. It made sense for Dylan to write a reflective, thoughtful song about reconciling with one’s legacy, as it was released at a point in his career where he had already had a tremendous impact on popular culture.

It also wasn’t just a standalone song that was tacked onto a film for the hope of earning an Oscar, as “Things Have Changed” is the embodiment of the themes of Wonder Boys. The underrated drama from director Curtis Hanson starred Michael Douglas as Professor Grady Tripp, who grows frustrated about his inability to complete his new novel after taking on his young, bright student James Leer (Tobey Maguire) as his protégé. While it wasn’t the Oscar contender that it should have been, Wonder Boys was still nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing.

Bob Dylan Is Essential To Film History

Dylan’s Oscar win for Wonder Boys may have actually ended up boosting its popularity, as the film had initially been a box office disappointment, but managed to resurrect itself during award season thanks to the positive reviews from critics like Roger Ebert, who named it one of the best of the year. Dylan has himself contributed to the development of contemporary film, particularly through his collaborations with Martin Scorsese and other documentarians. Although it was D.A. Pennebaker who directed him in the iconic documentary Don’t Look Back, which covered his world tour, Dylan appeared in Scorsese’s classic concert film The Last Waltz, and was the subject of his non-fiction films No Direction Home: Bob Dylan and Rolling Thunder Revue: a Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese. Still, it’s ironic that Dylan, best known as a songwriter, ended up winning an Oscar before Scorsese, who earned his six years later when he earned the Best Director prize for The Departed.

The Nobel Prize earned by Dylan is a sign that prestigious institutions of American cultural assessment have evolved to acknowledge all forms of artistry as legitimate. That being said, Dylan’s writing has been so intertwined within American history that he didn’t need an official award to be acknowledged; between the use of the titular track in the Denzel Washington biopic The Hurricane and the brilliant use of “The Times They Are A-Changin’” within the opening of Zack Snyder’s Watchmen, Dylan’s music has been used to memorialize significant moments within the social, political, and cultural enrichment of America. What’s most impressive is that, despite being critical of America’s past, Dylan has not waned in popularity, as he continues to draw interest for his new albums and other projects. The fact that A Complete Unknown was a legitimate hit, especially amongst young people, would show that Dylan’s contributions have managed to resonate with a new generation.

Wonder Boys is available to rent or buy on VOD services in the U.S.

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Release Date

February 25, 2000

Runtime

117 minutes

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Director

Curtis Hanson

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Jack White
Taylor Swift, I Find It Boring To Write About My Breakups

Published
March 10, 2026
2:45 AM PDT
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Updated
March 10, 2026
5:04 AM PDT

The Academy Awards are supposed to be the pinnacle of the movie industry, but not every Hollywood superstar dreams of winning an Oscar.

Katharine Hepburn holds the all-time record for most acting wins at the Oscars, having received the Best Actress trophy four times. However, the Hollywood icon never once showed up to collect her Oscar statuette in person. (Hepburn’s one and only appearance at the Oscars occurred in 1974 to present the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to producer Lawrence Weingarten.)

“Prizes are nothing. My prize is my work,” Hepburn famously said.

While the entertainment industry continues to be enamored with awards season, some prominent modern stars — including Bradley Cooper and Amanda Seyfried — have publicly complained about the hoopla surrounding the Academy Awards.

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Nominations for the 2026 Oscars have officially been revealed, and as usual, film fans are already calling out some major surprises and snubs. Lewis Pullman and Danielle Brooks teamed up to announce the nominees for the 98th annual Academy Awards on Thursday, January 22. Sinners dominated the nominations list, with a record-breaking total of 16 […]

Keep scrolling for a look at stars who have shunned the Oscars and other awards shows.

Samuel L. Jackson

The Avengers star is one of the most accomplished actors of his generation to never win a competitive Oscar — in fact, he’s actually only been nominated once in his entire career, for Best Supporting Actor in 1995 for Pulp Fiction. (Samuel L. Jackson lost the Oscar that year to Martin Landau for Ed Wood.)

“As jaded as I wanted to be about it, you know thinking, ‘Well, I should have won an Oscar for this or should have won for that and it didn’t happen,’ once I got over it many years ago, it wasn’t a big deal for me,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2022. “I always have fun going to the Oscars. I always look forward to getting a gift basket for being a presenter. I give stuff to my relatives; my daughter and my wife would take stuff out. It’s cool … But otherwise, I was past it.”

Jackson said that he’d stopped taking Oscar nominations into consideration when choosing his roles.

“I’m not doing statue-chasing movies. You know: ‘If you do this movie, you’ll win an Oscar.’ No, thanks. I’d rather be Nick Fury [in Marvel]. Or having fun being Mace Windu [in Star Wars] with a lightsaber in my hand,” he added. “That’s the guy I chose to be and I’m fine with it. I’m satisfied because that’s who I am. I’m the guy who does the lines that people see on T-shirts.”

He continued, “There’s actors who go their whole careers and no one can quote a line they’ve said in a movie. People go to watch my movies to see how crazy I’m going to be or see how many times I say ‘motherf***er.’ Whatever gets them in the seats.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences finally recognized Jackson with an Honorary Oscar in 2021.

Seth Rogen

The comedian has four Emmy Awards, but he’s yet to receive an Oscar nomination. During a 2022 interview with Business Insider, Seth Rogen expressed confusion over why “movie people care so much if other people care what awards we give ourselves.”

“I don’t care who wins the automobile awards,” he joked. “No other industry expects everyone to care about what awards they shower upon themselves.”

Rogen argued that “people just don’t care” about who actually wins Oscars despite all of the hoopla that accompanies award season.

“Maybe they did for a while and they stopped caring. And why should they?” he asked.

Ethan Hawke

As of March 2026, Ethan Hawke has been nominated for acting Oscars five times, most recently for Best Actor at the 98th Academy Awards for his performance in Blue Moon.

Hawke told Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? in April 2024 that he took his Training Day costar Denzel Washington’s advice about winning — or losing — an Oscar.

“You don’t want an award to improve your status. You want to improve the award’s status,” Hawke recalled. “The Academy Award has more power, because Denzel has a couple. It didn’t elevate who he was.”

Cate Blanchett

The Australian actress has won two Oscars — a Best Supporting Actress Award for playing Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator in 2005 and Best Actress for 2013’s Blue Jasmine. Still, Cate Blanchett said during Variety’s “Actors on Actors” podcast that awards recognition has never influenced her decision to take on a role.

“Awards are so subjective … they’re not why you do the work,” she pointed out.

Kristen Stewart

In 2022, Kristen Stewart received her first-ever Oscar nomination for playing Princess Diana in Spencer. The Twilight star chose not to campaign for the Academy Award, explaining that she didn’t define success with awards.

“I don’t give a s***,” Stewart said on Variety’s “Award Circuit” podcast. “The Oscars are such a funny thing. There are so many incredible movies and performances that barely get seen. It definitely says something about where we’re at as a cumulative presence, like, what we’re looking at [and] what we care about.”

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix has often shared his displeasure over awards season. When his movie The Master received Oscar buzz in 2012, Phoenix told Interview Magazine that he did not “want to be part” of any campaigning.

“I don’t believe in it. It’s the worst-tasting carrot I’ve ever tasted in my whole life. I don’t want this carrot,” he insisted.

Phoenix described the awards buzz for his performance in Walk the Line as “one of the most uncomfortable periods of my life.”

“I never want to have that experience again,” he said. “I don’t know how to explain it — and it’s not like I’m in this place where I think I’m just above it — but I don’t ever want to get comfortable with that part of things.”

Amanda Seyfried

For the star of The Testament of Ann Lee, an Oscar nomination is seemingly far more important than actually winning. (Amand Seyfried received her sole Oscar nomination in 2021 for Mank. She lost the Best Supporting Actress Award to Minari’s Yuh-jung Youn that year.)

Asked if winning an Oscar was important to her, Seyfried told The New Yorker in January 2026: “No. Do you remember who won in the past 10 years? It’s not the win that’s important. It’s the nomination. It does thrust you forward. That’s a fact. Now, do I need one in a week or two or whenever? No, of course, I don’t.”

Seyfried conceded that an Oscar win could be beneficial for “every reason,” though she still felt it was not a “necessity.” She went on to compare her critically acclaimed 2025 religious drama, The Testament of Ann Lee, to her more conventional blockbuster The Housemaid.

“Every single choice I made in [The Housemaid] was as artful as the choices I made in Ann Lee,” she said. “I finally was able to marry the two in my heart and in my head, and I realized that is what I want for the rest of my career. I’m going to jump between genres as much as I can, and jump between indies and studios. So I’ve gotten this far without an Oscar. Why would I need one now?”

Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper is one of the most nominated performers in Oscar history to never actually win a statuette. (Cooper has earned 12 total nominations as an actor and filmmaker, as of January 2026.)

Back in 2020, he called awards season “utterly meaningless” while chatting with Hamilton’s Anthony Ramos for Interview Magazine.

“That awards season stuff is a real test,” he said. “It’s quite a thing to work through, and it’s completely devoid of artistic creation. It’s not why you sacrifice everything to create art, and yet you spend so much time being a part of it if you’re, in quotes, ‘lucky enough to be a part of it.’ It’s ultimately a great thing because it really does make you face ego, vanity, and insecurity. It’s very interesting and utterly meaningless.”

During a subsequent appearance on SuperSoul Conversation, Cooper suggested that the Oscars and other awards shows “play into things that have nothing to do with creative art.”

“It’s a whole other element of the business,” Cooper added. “So, it’s really reconciling its effect on you. That’s the thing I have to deal with.”

Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins is one of very few actors to have won two Best Actor Oscars throughout his career — first for The Silence of the Lambs in 1992 and then again for The Father in 2021.

However, Hopkins once dismissed award season as “kind of disgusting” when he was getting Oscar buzz for his 2012 biopic, Hitchcock.

“You know, kissing the backside of the authorities that can make or break it; I can’t stand all that,” he complained to HuffPost at the time. “I find it nauseating to watch and I think it’s disgusting to behold.”

Hopkins admitted he was embarrassed to see colleagues “groveling around and kissing the backsides of famous producers.”

“It makes me want to throw up, it really does. It’s sick-making,” he declared. “I’ve seen it so many times. I saw it fairly recently, last year. Some great producer-mogul and everyone kisses this guy’s backside. I think, ‘What are they doing? Don’t they have any self respect?’ I wanted to say, ‘F*** off.’”

Glenda Jackson

Two-time Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson joked to Entertainment Weekly in 2016 that the Oscars were more about “frocks and the whole shebang of nonsense” than artistry. The British actress did not attend the Oscars ceremony any of the four times she was nominated.

“Nowadays, it seems like the real competition is between the different award shows,” Jackson pointed out. “The Golden Globes, back in my day, if you won you were lucky to get a notice in the next day’s Los Angeles Times. Now the coverage is ludicrous.”

Pressed on whether she was underselling the importance of an Oscar, Jackson shot back: “Prove it. See, you can’t. Who won last year? Who won the year before? Does it make one scrap of difference? At the time, it does, yes. But that’s not how human beings are.”

“We enjoy the glitz of the moment, which is what it is,” she argued. “But how can you say that [Civil Rights dramas] 12 Years a Slave or Selma has caused a fundamental cultural shift? And then you have these Black guys being shot by policemen. Would that the Oscars could change the world but, I’m sorry, it just ain’t true.”

Woody Allen

The actor-turned-director has won four Oscars throughout his career but famously refused to attend the ceremony any of the times he was nominated. (Woody Allen won Best Director twice for Annie Hall and Midnight in Paris, as well as Best Original Screenplay twice for Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters.)

“I have no regard for that kind of ceremony,” Allen once said. “I just don’t think they know what they’re doing. When you see who wins those things — or who doesn’t win them — you can see how meaningless this Oscar thing is. … I know it sounds terrible, but winning that Oscar for Annie Hall didn’t mean anything to me.”

Allen appeared at the Oscars only once in 2002 to honor the resilience of New York City in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington told Jake’s Takes in 2025 that Oscars were no longer a motivating factor in his career. (He won Best Supporting Actor for Glory in 1990 and Best Actor for 2002’s Training Day, in addition to being nominated eight other times throughout his career.)

“I don’t do it for the Oscars. I really don’t care about that stuff,” Washington insisted. “You know, I’ve been at this a long time, and there are times when I won when I shouldn’t have won … and didn’t win and should have won.”

He continued, “Man gives the award. God gives the reward. I’m not that interested in Oscars. People ask, ‘Well, where do you keep it?’ I say next to the other one. I’m not bragging. I’m just telling you how I feel about it.”

“On my last day, it ain’t gonna do me a bit of good,” Washington quipped.

George C. Scott

Perhaps no actor in Hollywood history had a more contentious relationship with the Oscars than George C. Scott. He issued a press statement in 1971 to request that the Academy rescind his Best Actor nomination for Patton.

“I respectfully request that you withdraw my name from the list of nominees. My request is in no way intended to denigrate my colleagues,” he said at the time. “Furthermore, peculiar as it may seem, I mean no offense to the Academy. I simply do not wish to be involved.”

The Academy declined to remove him from contention, and Scott eventually won the Best Actor Oscar at that year’s ceremony.

Per Time, Scott still likened the Oscars to a “goddam meat parade” and insisted that he did not “want any part of it.”

The Academy nominated him again for Best Actor anyway in 1972 for The Hospital, though this time he lost out to Gene Hackman for The French Connection.

With this year’s Academy Awards nominations, Chinese filmmaker Chloé Zhao made history by becoming the second woman nominated for Best Director, contending for her historical drama, Hamnet. However, five years ago, Zhao made history by becoming the third woman to win the award for her contemplative and deeply humane 2020 drama, Nomadland. The film also walked away with the awards for Best Actress and Best Picture, winning half of its six nominations.

At the moment, the win seemed inevitable — Nomadland had been consistently picking up steam since it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Golden Lion. However, that didn’t stop some from dismissing it as one of the Academy’s more pretentious picks, an arthouse drama made for so-called film connoisseurs and not for the masses. And yet, today, Nomadland is sort of forgotten, its quiet approach drowned by the loud chaos that dominates the Oscars the following years, from slaps to multiversal movies, atomic bombs, green witches, and vampires. Five years on, time has been extremely kind to Nomadland, to the point where it might just be the movie that has best represented and captured the nature of the 2020s as a whole. In fact, its win wasn’t just inevitable; it was divine justice.

‘Nomadland’ Is a Life-Affirming Poem

Nomadland stars Frances McDormand as Fern, whose husband recently died. When she loses her job at US Gypsum after the plant shuts down in 2011, and the company town of Empire, Nevada, also closes, she sells her belongings, buys a van, and decides to begin living as a nomad. She takes seasonal jobs — at an Amazon fulfillment plant, as a camp host, at a sugar beet processing plant — and gets to know other fellow nomads along her travels.

Like Zhao’s other movies, Nomadland is quiet and contemplative, humanistic and naturalistic to a fault. Zhao tackles it with a cinéma vérité approach, more interested in revealing truth than in capturing sequences. At points, Nomadland seems more documentary than fiction, even using many non-professional actors. Zhao doesn’t concern herself with constructing a plot per se; instead, she becomes a silent observer: her camera slowly tracks Fern as she goes on long walks, works her many jobs with silent resolve, and rediscovers life, perhaps not with passion, but with determination and a desire to make the most of it.

Nomadland is perhaps the most life-affirming movie to claim Best Picture in the 21st century — perhaps of all time. Its power lies in its focus on the lives of those that society has left behind. Nomadland doesn’t romanticize the nomad experience; it’s not a PSA or a recruitment ad, but rather an ode to the everyday happenings that make up the bulk of our existence. It’s not about small lives, but the small moments that make up big lives, and every life is big. The film’s thesis is simple but no less potent: merely wanting to live and be present requires strength and courage. One doesn’t need to achieve to thrive; there’s dignity in merely being and power in enduring.

‘Nomadland’ Has Aged Incredibly Well

What makes a good Best Picture winner? Do we go for one of great staying power, like Casablanca or The Silence of the Lambs? Are we looking for a feat of filmmaking that pushes the medium’s limits and redefines genres, like It Happened One Night or Oppenheimer? Or perhaps it’s an icon, a title that becomes synonymous with cinema itself, like The Godfather or The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King? I think the answer is far easier: a good Best Picture winner captures its time and place, encapsulating twelve months of cinematic achievement, representing the concerns of the medium and, thus, society at large.

People were scared shitless in 2020. Uncertainty was the order of the day, and there was a prevalent mood of dread. Many wondered if things would ever go back to normal — whatever “normal” means, anyway. Ask anyone what they remember about 2020, and they’ll probably say something along the lines of “routine” or “continuity.” It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that 2020 didn’t quite exist, whether because we didn’t do much or because we’re so desperate to put it behind us. In that context, it makes sense that a movie like Nomadland, about the importance of everyday life and the solemnity that comes with going through another day, would resonate with Academy members and the viewers who actually watched it.

More than that, Nomadland has aged quite beautifully. Sure, it has given us its fair share of pop culture moments — going number two in buckets, this GIF, this image — but its power lies in just how well it captures the distinct time and place in which it was made. Nomadland is 2020: the good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful, unfiltered reality, warts and all. At the time, its Oscar wins seemed okay enough, a final period to the long yet seemingly inconsequential sentence that was 2020. Yet, today, Nomadland is a cinematic testament, its victories poetic justice.

The film could’ve easily made the nomads’ lifestyle seem like a gimmick, an escape, or a last resort; instead, it paints it as a choice worthy of our respect. There’s a melancholy to it, but then again, there’s a melancholy to life. Compared to its competitors, many of which have aged like milk under the sun (cough, Promising Young Woman), Zhao’s masterpiece keeps getting better, an ode to camaraderie in a world that desperately needs to remember its humanity. Nomadland doesn’t exactly echo in the annals of cinematic excellence. Instead, it whispers, its influence far more intimate yet no less powerful. It’s not the type of film that makes a brute impact, but it leaves a lasting one, a feeling that’s impossible to shake. And if that doesn’t make a great Best Picture winner, I don’t know what does.

Nomadland is available to rent or buy on VOD services.

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Release Date

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February 19, 2021

Runtime

107 minutes

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