Leonardo DiCaprio Speaks Out After OBAA Overlooked by Oscars: She Was the Heart of the Movie
Leonardo DiCaprio is breaking his silence after One Battle After Another scored a stunning 13 Oscar nominations, spotlighting nods for Best Picture, Director Paul Thomas Anderson, and standout performances by DiCaprio himself, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, and Benicio Del Toro. Amid the accolades, DiCaprio calls out a surprising Oscars snub, insisting, “She carried this film.”
Well, it finally happened—Oscar nomination season rolled through, and Paul Thomas Anderson's film One Battle After Another managed to rake in a whopping 13 nominations. That's a banner year for just about any movie, but if you think that means the Academy played it totally fair, well, not quite. There is one gigantic, weird gap in the ballot, and people are talking about it.
The Nom List: Impressive, but... Wait, Where's Chase Infiniti?
Here's the rundown on One Battle After Another's Oscar shortlist—it's basically the kind of awards haul studios dream about:
- Best Picture
- Best Director and Adapted Screenplay (both for Paul Thomas Anderson)
- Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio)
- Best Supporting Actress (Teyana Taylor)
- Best Supporting Actor (Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro)
But one name you won't see? Chase Infiniti, who—let's be honest—people just assumed would be a lock for Best Actress. Not only was it her first big feature role (she’s a fresh face), but her Golden Globe nod AND the online buzz made this snub a head-scratcher. She played Willa, one of those rare debut performances that actually lives up to the hype. Instead, she gets to watch the ceremony from the audience… or, you know, her couch.
What DiCaprio Thinks—and He’s Not Subtle About It
Leonardo DiCaprio talked to Deadline and, for once, didn’t stick to the polite, PR-friendly lines actors sometimes give. He straight up called Infiniti 'the heart and soul' of the entire movie, pointing out how wild it is that she carried the film on her first try. For DiCaprio, Infiniti’s leadership, intensity, and flat-out commitment to the role were what made the movie click—which is pretty high praise, coming from a guy who’s shared the screen with, well, everybody.
That’s as close to 'the Academy messed up' as you’re going to get from Leo.
He also made it pretty clear that the rest of the cast and Anderson himself knocked it out of the park, throwing in a classic DiCaprio appreciation for being part of an ensemble where, as he put it, he got to work with a bunch of names he’d admired for years. Oh, and point made: DiCaprio rarely sounds this genuinely hyped about a project. Something about this movie stuck with him.
The Nuts & Bolts: Who Else Is In, and How Is It Doing?
Anderson wrote and directed the film, with a supporting cast that included Regina Hall, Alana Haim, Wood Harris, D.W. Moffett, John Hoogenakker, and a few more industry staples for good measure. Rotten Tomatoes has One Battle After Another sitting at a mighty 94% Certified Fresh from 431 critics, so we’re not just talking industry self-congratulation—the critics genuinely liked it. The film also scooped up four major Golden Globes, including Best Picture (Musical or Comedy) and Best Director, so there’s no shortage of love… unless, apparently, you’re Chase Infiniti.
So, Why the Snub?
If you’re wondering why the Academy decided to leave Infiniti on the sideline, join the club—there’s no official explanation, just the usual speculation about how voting blocks and campaigning work behind the scenes (which, let’s be honest, is usually just as confusing as the movies themselves).
Bottom line: One Battle After Another gets its big Oscar moment, but the most talked-about piece might not be the gold statues—it’s who’s missing from the nominee list. Not that DiCaprio is worried. If his take is anything to go by, we’ll be seeing a lot more of Chase Infiniti… no matter how this year's Oscars turn out.