The glitz and glamour of the biggest night in film are upon us, and with it, the age-old tradition of celebrating triumphs and acknowledging defeats. While many stars are poised to walk away with coveted trophies, the reality of awards season is that not every nominee’s arduous campaign culminates in a Hollywood ending. For those who don’t take home a statue, the pressure to master the art of the “gracious loser face” is immense.
This iconic expression, immortalised by Rachel Green in the beloved sitcom Friends, has been a staple of televised awards ceremonies since their inception. As Rachel sagely advised Joey in “The One With Joey’s Award,” the ability to look disappointed yet genuinely happy for a colleague’s win is a delicate balancing act. It’s a fine art, and over the years, nominees have displayed a spectrum of reactions, from the epitome of sportsmanship to moments that have left audiences and fellow nominees alike raising an eyebrow. Let’s delve into some of the most memorable – and sometimes shocking – responses to awards losses throughout history.
Mastering the Art of Grace (or Not)
The lead-up to any major awards ceremony is a whirlwind of premieres, interviews, and campaigning. Nominees invest significant time and energy, hoping to hear their name called. When that doesn’t happen, the pressure to maintain composure is immense, especially with cameras trained on every reaction.
Sabrina Carpenter: The Six-Time Nominee Left Empty-Handed
At the 2026 Grammy Awards, singer Sabrina Carpenter found herself in the unenviable position of being nominated in six categories but walking away with nothing. Despite the initial excitement of multiple nods, the evening concluded without a single win for the pop star. This experience drew comparisons to other female artists who have faced similar “clean sweep” losses at the Grammys in recent years.
- Ariana Grande’s 2020 Loss: In 2020, Ariana Grande also suffered a significant Grammy snub, going 0-5 despite her critically acclaimed and commercially successful album Thank U, Next. She was notably overlooked for “Album of the Year,” a win that went to Billie Eilish. Ironically, Eilish herself acknowledged during her acceptance speech that she believed Grande was “robbed.” Grande’s graceful response, a simple shake of the head and a blown kiss to Eilish, showcased her support for a fellow artist.
- Billie Eilish’s 2025 Turn: In a twist of fate, Billie Eilish experienced a strikingly similar losing streak at the 2025 Grammy Awards, failing to secure a win in any of her seven nominated categories.
Throughout their disappointing nights, both Carpenter and Grande, despite their evident disappointment as the ceremonies progressed, maintained a respectful demeanour, applauding each winner as they were announced.
Miley Cyrus: A “Shady” Response to Loss
In stark contrast to Carpenter’s quiet grace, Miley Cyrus’s reaction to losing the Best Pop Vocal Album award at the 2026 Grammy Awards was interpreted by many fans as decidedly “shady.” As Lady Gaga’s Mayhem was announced as the winner, Cyrus was seen rubbing her hands together instead of applauding and appeared to roll her eyes. She also remained seated while others around her stood to honour Gaga’s win.
A popular fan theory suggests that Cyrus’s subdued reaction wasn’t solely due to her loss, but perhaps due to the presence of Andrew Watt, who worked on Gaga’s winning album and had previously collaborated with Cyrus. Rumours of a past romantic relationship between Cyrus and Watt have circulated, though neither has confirmed them.
Angela Bassett: The Scathing Stink-Eye
The 2023 Oscars delivered one of the most talked-about reactions to an awards loss when Angela Bassett was surprisingly passed over for Best Supporting Actress for her powerful performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Her response, a look of profound disappointment that radiated across the theatre, was the antithesis of the “gracious loser face.”
Bassett remained stone-faced and offered no applause as Jamie Lee Curtis accepted the award. In the aftermath, Bassett revealed she felt “deserving” of the Oscar and believed she had every right to express her disappointment. She described feeling “gobsmacked” by the result and found the expectation to hide her honest reaction surprising. The win itself sparked considerable debate, with many viewers feeling that women of colour had been overlooked in the category, especially as Curtis was the only white nominee. Notably, Curtis’s co-star Stephanie Hsu, who was also nominated, was seen enthusiastically cheering her on.
Meryl Streep: A Beacon of Grace
Breaking up the trend of less-than-enthusiastic reactions, Meryl Streep offered a beautiful example of sportsmanship at the 1988 Oscars. Nominated for her role in Ironweed, she graciously applauded Cher, who took home the Best Actress award for her unforgettable performance in Moonstruck.
In a touching moment, Cher used her acceptance speech to acknowledge Streep by her birth name, “Mary Louise Streep,” expressing her disbelief at being nominated alongside someone she had made her first film with. Streep responded with a beaming smile and a blown kiss, a perfect display of mutual respect.
Denzel Washington: The Lingering Bitterness
Denzel Washington, nominated for his role in The Hurricane at the 2000 Oscars, admitted to feeling “bitter” after losing to Kevin Spacey. He recalled a “wave of shock” at the announcement and confessed that the defeat sent him into a 15-year “spiral.”
Washington described the feeling of the room turning to look at him with pity. He admitted to drinking that night and confessed to Esquire that the following years were a “pity party,” leading him to resent the Academy so much that he stopped watching nominated films altogether.
Sylvester Stallone: A Multifaceted Loss
Sylvester Stallone’s Oscar journey has been marked by both anticipation and disappointment. Prior to the 1977 ceremony, excitement was high for Rocky, with 10 nominations. However, a significant blow came when Stallone lost Best Actor. The public initially attributed his subdued mood to the loss, but it was later revealed that his mother had refused to attend unless her hairdresser also received a front-row seat, a familial snub that left him feeling “empty and abandoned.”
The more explosive reaction, however, came from his brother, Frank Stallone, after Sylvester lost the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Creed in 2016. Frank launched a furious Twitter tirade, calling the Academy’s decision “total Hollywood bullsh–” and questioning the winner, Mark Rylance, with the dismissive “Mark who?” He even suggested Rylance should have been “embarrassed” to win over his brother. Sylvester eventually intervened, posting on Instagram that his brother was simply being “emotional and protective.”
Bradley Cooper: The Meme-Worthy Disappointment
Bradley Cooper’s intense campaign for Best Actor at the 2024 Oscars ended in disappointment when Cillian Murphy took home the award for Oppenheimer. Cameras captured Cooper’s visible struggle to conceal his reaction, a moment that quickly became a viral meme. Despite his film Maestro receiving seven nominations, it ultimately left the ceremony empty-handed, highlighting the often-brutal nature of the “awards show bait” phenomenon.
Kanye West: A History of Outbursts
Kanye West, now known mononymously as Ye, has a well-documented history of contentious awards show reactions. His first notable outburst occurred at the 2004 American Music Awards when he lost Best New Artist to Gretchen Wilson. West stormed out of the building, later declaring to reporters that he was “definitely robbed.”
- 2006 MTV European Music Awards: Just two years later, a pattern began to emerge. West famously stormed the stage at the 2006 EMAs after losing Best Video to Justice and Simian, arguing that his Touch the Sky video deserved the win.
- 2009 MTV Video Music Awards: The most infamous incident, however, occurred at the 2009 VMAs. When Taylor Swift won Best Female Video, a visibly intoxicated West interrupted her acceptance speech, snatching the microphone and proclaiming that Beyoncé’s video was “one of the best of all time.” This moment was so significant that even then-US President Barack Obama was caught on a “hot mic” referring to West as a “jackass.”
Samuel L. Jackson: The Unfiltered “Sh–“
Perhaps the most candid and unforgettable reaction to an awards loss comes from the legendary Samuel L. Jackson. At the 1995 Oscars, Jackson was a strong contender for Best Supporting Actor for his iconic role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction. When veteran actor Martin Landau was announced as the winner for Ed Wood, the cameras caught Jackson’s immediate, unedited response. Instead of a polite smile or applause, Jackson’s lips clearly formed the word “Sh–!” This raw display remains the gold standard for unfiltered reactions, a far cry from the carefully constructed “gracious loser face.”
