Oscars 2025: Two Oscar voters didn’t choose Ralph Fiennes for ‘Conclave’ over a nonexistent win

Oscar voters reveal baffling decision-making, overlooking Ralph Fiennes for Best Actor due to mistaken belief he had already won.

Oscar voting has long been shrouded in mystery, but anonymous ballots sometimes reveal surprising—and baffling—decision-making. A recent Variety report uncovered a striking example: two Academy voters admitted they didn’t select Ralph Fiennes for Best Actor in Conclave because they believed he had “already won” an Oscar. The only problem was that he hasn’t.

Widely regarded as one of the most talented actors of his generation, the English actor has been nominated twice before — once for Schindler’s List (1993) and again for The English Patient (1996) — but has never taken home the golden statuette. In Conclave, he plays a cardinal grappling with a crisis of faith during a papal election, a performance that recently earned him a SAG Ensemble win and an Oscar nomination.

One voter, upon being corrected by Variety, reacted with shock: “Oh sh*t!” However, both individuals still stood by their choice, despite having no issue selecting Adrien Brody for The Brutalist, even though Brody actually has won an Oscar for The Pianist (2002).

The revelation sheds a bit of light on just how arbitrary Oscar voting has come to be percieved as. While Fiennes was expected to be a strong contender, the Best Actor race has narrowed to a tight battle between Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) and Brody, leaving Fiennes as a distant third. Having made history as the youngest recipient of the SAG Best Actor award, Chalamet faces stiff competition from Brody to claim the title as the youngest Academy Award winner for Best Actor, who interestingly still holds the record as the youngest-ever Best Actor winner at the Oscars.

Despite the oversight, Fiennes’ career continues to command respect. He remains one of Hollywood’s most formidable talents — one who, as this year’s Oscar race proves, is still waiting for his well-earned Academy Award.