When Jon M. Chu’s Wicked first arrived in 2024, the Oscars couldn’t get enough of it. The colourful Oz prequel earned 10 nominations and turned Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande into serious awards contenders. But cut to next year, after Wicked: For Good hit theatres in 2025, the film ended up with zero Oscar nods in 2026. 

In fact, even Grande and Erivo were largely ignored by the Academy Award committee in receiving nominations for their respective performances. Naturally, this left fans confused and disappointed in how the sequel to an Academy favourite ended up completely ignored. Well, it seems anonymous voters revealed the absurd reason behind this snub. 

The table contains basic details on Wicked: For Good:

MovieWicked: For Good (2025)DirectorJon M. ChuCastAriana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Colman Domingo, Michelle YeohRotten Tomatoes Score (so far)66%Runtime2h 17m

Anonymous Voters Cite Red Flags That Led to Ariana Grande’s Snub

Despite strong buzz and a Golden Globe nomination, as Ariana Grande’s Oscar chances fell apart, anonymous voters sat for an interview with News Nation, where they revealed the real reason behind this snub. According to the voters, they didn’t think Wicked: For Good was good enough. 

While the chemistry between Grande and Cynthia Erivo was praised, the committee felt the film wasted it by keeping the two stars apart for most of the runtime, weakening the emotional impact. But then again, it wasn’t just the movie that turned voters off. The film’s promotional tour became a major talking point. 

One voter mentioned,

The movie wasn’t that great. The two have amazing on-screen chemistry but spent most of the movie apart. 

Another added, 

I was also just completely turned off by their promotional performances. They creeped a lot of people out and in their rush to feel authentic, came off as cosplaying.

Basically, the intense bond between Grande and Erivo raised eyebrows and made people uneasy. Some felt Erivo’s protective behavior toward Grande during interviews crossed into awkward territory. Which is why one voter bluntly claimed the snub was a way to avoid reliving that uncomfortable press cycle.

The movie wasn’t that good and (Erivo and Grande) sucked the air out of any red carpet they were on — and no one wanted to go through that again. Think of it this way: We were protecting Ariana from her anxiety — and Cynthia from having to intervene. Again. 

But obviously, these bizarre reasons raised concerns among fans who highlighted how the Academy Award committee is supposed to judge a film based on its story and performance, not based on press tours. 

Fans React With Mixed Emotions to Wicked: For Good’s Oscar Snub

The alleged reasons stated by anonymous voters behind the Oscar snub quickly sparked debate online. While some fans agreed with the criticism, saying the press tour felt strange and distracting, others appeared infuriated. Some of them mentioned that the promotional campaign overshadowed the film itself. 

Ariana Grande in Wicked: For Good | image credits: Universal Pictures

They even tried to justify that perhaps the press tours made it harder for voters to focus on the performances rather than the off-screen behavior. However, most people seemed enraged by the Academy’s decision. They argued that judging actors based on press appearances rather than their on-screen work sets a dangerous example.

In fact, netizens even pointed out that award shows should focus on performances, direction, and storytelling, not on how celebrities behave during interviews or red carpet events. Meanwhile, for Ariana Grande’s supporters, the snub obviously felt unfair, who noted her growth as an actor, and insisted she deserved recognition regardless of Oscar politics. 

Bwhahahahaha, I don’t blame them. pic.twitter.com/RpdvBNjfc5— barbzcafe☕🍷🍵🍸🍹🥂🥤🦄🎀👑💧 (@Yoniem5) January 25, 2026

We don’t care about Cynthia— Melanie stallion (@TheeStali0n) January 25, 2026

Saw it coming from a mile away. They simply did THEE most during the promo. pic.twitter.com/4CdduLGigT— TyrantRidah (@MissHangman) January 25, 2026

you’re literally appointed to vote for what’s within the movie and their acting. it shouldn’t be based on wicked premiers and what they’re doing. total bs. never vote again.— kenny (@eternalkenn) January 25, 2026

aren’t we suppose to be voting for movies based on the character performances in the movie and how the movie is perceived not based on who actually plays them and what they do afterwards? idiotic oscar voters— lee☀️IS SEEING ARIANA (@leemissesariana) January 25, 2026

these voter should be kicked out! this has nothing to do with acting!— darianabrande (@darianabrande) January 25, 2026

But what’s done is done. Despite previously scoring 10 nominations, the 2026 Oscars proved to be a heartbreaking time for Grande and Erivo. 

Do you think the alleged reasons stated by the anonymous voters could have played a role in ruling out Ariana Grande’s Wicked: For Good? Let us know in the comments. 

Wicked: For Good is available for rent or buy on Apple TV, Prime Video. 
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire