Oscars 2019 Nominations: 13 Biggest Shocks, Snubs & Surprises

By James Hunt / January 22, 2019

10. Snub: Bradley Cooper - Best Director

Warner Bros.

A Star Is Born has been perhaps the frontrunner of this awards season, with an early start on the festival scene, but it's beginning to lose legs coming into the home straight, and nothing exemplifies that more than Bradley Cooper's shock omission from the Best Director category.

Cooper had been nominated by most of the big pre-cursors to the Oscars, including Golden Globes, BAFTAs, the Director's Guild, and multiple critics awards too, which should've ensured his name on the list here.

Instead, this feels like a big dent to A Star Is Born's chances, although it's not entirely undeserved. Cooper's directorial debut is solidly handled, but isn't anything really special in that regard, which might explain why it's been overlooked.