• Kirsten Dunst reposted fan reactions after Jesse Plemons was not nominated for Best Actor at the 2026 Oscars.
  • Fans and Bugonia co-star Stavros Halkias criticized the Academy’s omission online.
  • Bugonia received several nominations, including Best Picture and Emma Stone for Lead Actress, but Plemons was left out.

H2: Kirsten Dunst joins the backlash

Kirsten Dunst publicly amplified criticism of the Academy’s decision after Jesse Plemons did not receive a Best Actor nomination for his performance in Bugonia. Dunst shared posts on her Instagram story including a repost of co-star Stavros Halkias and a video calling Plemons’ work “transcendent level.” The posts have circulated widely on social media as fans react to the 2026 Oscar shortlist.

H3: What Dunst shared on Instagram

Dunst reposted an Instagram story from Bugonia actor Stavros Halkias that used a pointed-gun animation to express frustration at Plemons’ omission. She also reshared a clip from The Bluff Council that praised Plemons and said it would be a “crime” if the Academy didn’t recognize his performance. Both links were posted on Dunst’s official Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/kirstendunst/ and the original clip: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTyqL4QknGD/.

H2: The snub and Bugonia’s awards performance

Bugonia earned multiple nominations at the 2026 Oscars, including Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, and a Lead Actress nomination for Emma Stone. Despite that recognition, Jesse Plemons—who plays Teddy, a conspiracy theorist who kidnaps a pharmaceutical CEO—was not named among the Best Actor nominees.

The Academy’s Best Actor nominees this year were Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent). Fans and critics have pointed to Plemons’ layered performance in Bugonia as a major omission.

H3: Why fans are upset

Viewers praised Plemons’ turn as emotionally risky and complex, noting he balanced dark comedy and drama while keeping the audience unsure whether his character’s beliefs were delusional or prescient. Critics and fellow actors argued his work elevated Bugonia and deserved individual recognition.

H2: Plemons’ awards history and context

Jesse Plemons previously received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for The Power of the Dog (2021). This year he picked up nominations from the Golden Globes and other awards bodies for Bugonia, but the Academy voters did not include him in the final Best Actor list announced this week.

H4: Where to watch Bugonia

Bugonia is available to stream with some subscription services and remains widely discussed following its Best Picture nod and Emma Stone’s Lead Actress nomination.

H5: The conversation continues

Kirsten Dunst’s reposts have kept Jesse Plemons’ snub in the headlines as awards season moves toward the Oscars on March 15. Fans and industry figures will likely continue the debate over nominations until the ceremony. For now, social media remains a central outlet for reactions to the Academy’s choices.

Image Referance: https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/jesse-plemons-wife-kirsten-dunst-online-frustration-best-actor-snub-bugonia