It still feels disappointing how Zac Efron’s sports thriller film The Iron Claw took home zero nominations at this year’s Oscar Awards. Highly praised by critics and well-received by fans, the movie had everything to make it to the prestigious event. Unfortunately, it only had the Oscar buzz.
Portraying Kevin Von Erich, Efron does not really feel affected by the result of the Oscars, and neither does the movie’s director. Both of them are grateful for the opportunity, and the audience’s positive reception was their main prize.
Zac Efron Reacts To The Iron Claw Oscar Snub
Speaking with GamesRadar+, director Sean Durkin addressed The Iron Claw’s Oscar snub, particularly receiving zero nominations despite it being critically acclaimed and commercially successful.
“It’s not why you do it, but it is disappointing when you have such a great performance [like Zac’s]. But, look, the film has been out in the States for a month, and it’s just done so well, and audiences are responding to it. The box office has been great. That’s what it’s about – it’s about connecting with people, and it’s doing that.”
Zac Efron also managed to give his sentiment regarding the snub, but the High School Musical star was more focused on the effect of the movie on everyone who has seen it.
“That’s the real takeaway, man: the people that are responding to it. [I’m] just incredibly grateful for that and proud of it, proud of the achievement.”
He explained via Digital Spy how people created a viral trend where they talk about The Iron Claw and the film’s profound effect on them.
“There’s a trend where after the film, people are filming their responses, where they’re emotional, or I’ve seen some candid ones of groups of guys coming out of the theatre and just hugging each other. Those are really powerful, that says everything.”
The Iron Claw joins the league of deserving movies snubbed by the Oscars for mysterious reasons. On the bright side, the film gets its own streaming release. As per When to Stream, it debuts on Max this May 10, 2024.
Why The Oscars Ignored The Iron Claw
Since many fans have been wondering why The Iron Claw missed out on the opportunity to bag awards at the Oscars, a post from Entertainment Weekly might have explained the reason.
“The Oscars has a history of only celebrating movies that come out before the awards ‘dead zone’ of the months at the end of the eligibility window, a.k.a. the end of the calendar year. The Iron Claw’s Texas premiere happened in November, and opened in theaters in December, which means it was doomed before it even entered the ring.”
Academy voters have probably decided on the winners before The Iron Claw hit the cinemas so it was largely because of the schedule that minimized its chances of getting nominated. There were so many great films that came out in 2023, and it’s a pity that Efron’s movie got outshone by the rest of them.
Meanwhile, The Iron Claw is available to purchase digitally from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
