Natalie Portman says Oscars snubbed female directors in 2026 nominations

At Sundance, Natalie Portman criticized the 2026 Oscar nominations for underrepresenting women directors and noted that Chloé Zhao is the only woman nominated for Best Director.

Natalie Portman spoke at the Sundance Film Festival while promoting her film The Gallerist and expressed frustration about the 2026 Oscar nominations. She told Variety that many of the best films she saw this year were made by women but did not receive awards recognition. Portman named titles such as Sorry Baby, Left-Handed Girl, Hedda and The Testament of Ann Lee as examples of films she believes were overlooked. The reporting notes that Chloé Zhao, director of Hamnet, is the only woman nominated for Best Director this year. Key points: - Portman discussed the issue while promoting The Gallerist at Sundance and spoke with Variety about the lack of female representation in awards recognition. - She said many films made by women did not receive the accolades she expected and cited several specific titles. - Chloé Zhao is reported as the only woman nominated for Best Director in the 2026 Oscar nominations. - Portman worked with director Cathy Yan on The Gallerist, which she was promoting at Sundance. - Portman’s other project, Arco, is reported as receiving a 2026 Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, and she voices a character’s mother in that film. Summary: Portman's remarks underline ongoing concerns about barriers to recognition for women filmmakers and have drawn attention to several female-directed films that were not nominated. Undetermined at this time.