People Are Shocked To Learn How Long Tom Hanks Went Between Oscar Nominations

Tom Hanks: you know him, you love him.

The nice-guy actor recently received the Cecil B. DeMille Award, due to his “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment,” at the Golden Globes, and he’ll be a fixture at the Academy Awards next month, too, having been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Even as the Oscars make the same mistakes year after year, at least we can all agree: Tom Hanks playing Mr. Rogers is a good thing. It’s his first nomination in that category, but sixth overall.

Hanks was nominated for Best Actor for Big, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, and Cast Away, winning for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. Two things jump out there: Hanks hasn’t won an Oscar since going back-to-back in 1994 and 1995; and before A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, he hasn’t been up for any Oscar since Cast Away. That movie came out in 2000! Russell Crowe won for Gladiator! Point is, it’s been awhile (“It’s Been Awhile” came out the same month as those Oscars) since Hanks — who could have been nominated for Catch Me If You Can, Bridge of Spies, or Sully — was up for an Academy Award, and people this morning were surprised to learn this.

https://twitter.com/kateyrich/status/1216713716282032128

He’s not the only one in the category to go decades (!) between nominations, either.

https://twitter.com/ScottFeinberg/status/1216726124249485312

It’s almost if the universe is telling us something:

You think Hanks had it rough? Guess how long it’s been since two women were nominated for Best Director!