It has been a remarkable four decades since Amy Madigan last found herself in contention for an Academy Award. Now, at the age of 75, the esteemed actress is once again receiving Oscars recognition, securing a nomination for her performance in last year's chilling horror film, Weapons. This nod arrives more than forty years after her first Academy Award nomination for the 1985 drama Twice in a Lifetime, marking an extraordinary and unexpected career milestone.
A Stunning Surprise for a Veteran Actress
The news of her nomination came as a profound surprise to Madigan herself. Shortly after the Oscar nominations were unveiled on Thursday, she confessed to People magazine, 'I'm just kind of stunned by the whole journey that I've been on.' She elaborated, expressing her gratitude, 'This is just kind of another piece of it that I was not expecting, but I'm just very happy and gratified and it's just a reflection on the film Weapons and how people are responding to it. So that — nothing is a better feeling than that.'
Woken by Wonderful News
Madigan revealed that she had been advised by the Weapons publicity team to keep her phone switched on, just in case the coveted nomination came through. 'So I was woken up in a very unusual, surreal, pleasant way,' she told the publication with a laugh. Her nomination stands as the sole Oscar acknowledgment for Weapons this awards season, highlighting the significant impact of her portrayal.
Critical Acclaim and a Viral Character
Madigan's performance as the antagonistic witch Aunt Gladys has already garnered substantial critical praise and audience adoration. She previously won the Best Supporting Actress trophy at the 31st annual Critics Choice Awards and also earned nominations at the upcoming Actor Awards and the recent Golden Globes. At the Critics Choice ceremony, she appeared genuinely shocked by the win, despite the film's pop culture resonance and the viral popularity of Aunt Gladys.
'I really wasn't expecting all of this,' she told the audience. 'I thought people would like the movie and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys. It is crazy.' Madigan humorously noted the character's broad impact, stating, 'I get makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she's a "sex icon," which I didn't go too deep into that one.' During her acceptance speech, she thanked Warner Bros, the cast and crew, and gave a special shout-out to the fans who discovered her through Gladys.
The Broader Oscar Landscape and Notable Snubs
The 2026 Oscar nominations, announced on Thursday morning, saw Ryan Coogler's film Sinners make Academy Awards history by earning a record-breaking 16 nominations, including Best Picture. The Best Picture category is rounded out by nine other films: Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, and Train Dreams.
However, the announcement was not without controversy and surprise. There was significant fan backlash over Ariana Grande's snub in the Actress in a Supporting Role category for Wicked: For Good, especially as she had been nominated the previous year for the first Wicked film. Perhaps even more shocking was the complete shut-out of Wicked: For Good from all nominations, including those for co-star Cynthia Erivo for Best Actress, Best Picture, and Best Original Song.
In the Actress in a Supporting Role category, Madigan finds herself nominated alongside Elle Fanning for Sentimental Value, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners, and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another. Other notable snubs included Gwyneth Paltrow for Marty Supreme in the same category, and Paul Mescal, Adam Sandler, and Jesse Plemons in the Actor in a Supporting Role field.
Directorial and Technical Excellence
The Best Director category features a lineup of modern cinematic greats: Chloé Zhao for Hamnet, Josh Safdie for Marty Supreme, Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value, and Ryan Coogler for Sinners. A new award for Best Casting was introduced this year, with nominees including Nina Gold for Hamnet and Francine Maisler for Sinners.
Best Animated Feature Film nods went to Arco, Elio, KPop Demon Hunters, Little Amelie Or the Character Of Rain, and Zootopia 2. The full list of nominations across all categories underscores a diverse and competitive year for cinema, from international features to technical achievements in sound, visual effects, and costume design.
A Triumphant Return
For Amy Madigan, this Oscar nomination represents more than just individual recognition; it is a testament to a enduring career and the powerful connection an actor can forge with an audience, even after decades. Her journey from Twice in a Lifetime to the horror realms of Weapons showcases her versatility and lasting appeal in an ever-evolving industry. As the awards season progresses, all eyes will be on whether this veteran actress can clinch the ultimate prize, capping off a stunning return to the Oscars stage.
