If you’re a die-hard, ever-invested horror junkie like me, then you’re already familiar with the gut-wrenching feeling when a deserving performer isn’t nominated for an award for their incomparable acting in a particular project. With that said, let’s talk about Toni Collette in Hereditary. (In case you haven’t seen it, spoilers ensue. You’ve been warned.)
For some background, Collette portrays Annie Graham — an artist who quickly learns an array of sinister secrets buried within the secrecy of her recently deceased mother. Plot and score aside, Hereditary is a perfect representation of taking a performance to the next level — which Collette perfectly embodies during a particular dinner scene when she is scolding her son for being unapologetic after he accidentally killed his younger sister (and Annie’s daughter).
As someone who’s dealt with immense grief, much like plenty of others out there, Colette’s raw, visceral portrayal of grief is enough to slightly swell your eyes with tears and send a shiver down your spine. She’s angry, confused, and shocked about the sudden and unexpected death of her daughter, all while battling against her own inner demons and family secrets, along with the roaring rage felt towards her son.
Of course, her performance only increases with intensity as she finds herself becoming possessed by otherworldly forces that inhabit her home and bloodline. From there, Colette transitions into a “villain” under her possession, as she aims to torture her son Peter and find a suitable host for Paimon — an ancient deity that Annie’s mother (a coven witch) has tried to bring to Earth.
Long before Ari Aster’s directorial masterpiece terrorized a newfound generation of horror fans, the Australian actress had famously dabbled in comedies such as About a Boy and Little Miss Sunshine, which gingerly touched upon dramatic elements — but her greatest moments have definitely been in horror, including her roles in The Sixth Sense and Krampus. So when we turned our heads and suddenly witnessed Annie (Collette) sawing her neck in half with a sharp piano wire, it was clear that the gold belonged in her hands.
So, how exactly did a performance that was so unnerving and breathtaking get overlooked by the Oscars? Well, it’s an answer that I’m still searching for.
Other than small exceptions over the years, the horror genre has notably been snubbed by the Academy Awards in regards to Best Actor and Best Actress. Hell, Jamie Lee Curtis didn’t win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress until last year, and even then, it wasn’t for a horror movie — despite so many of us believing that she should have won for 1978’s Halloween.
Does the Oscars snub horror? Yes? Do I see it changing anytime soon? Probably not. But Collette not even being nominated was certainly a missed opportunity to award her impeccable performance and give horror another moment in the spotlight.
We can only hope that no matter the genre, she secures that long-awaited Oscar win. After all, she deserves it.
Published: Jul 31, 2024 02:03 pm