The 2026 Oscar nominations were officially announced on January 22, and all of Hollywood is talking about Sinners‘ impressive 16 nominations, which sets the record for a single movie. What’s come as even more of a surprise is the fact that Delroy Lindo received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in the film as Delta Slim. The recognition is well-deserved, given his impeccable performance in the Ryan Coogler movie, and it marks his first-ever nomination from the Academy.
As much as I find myself celebrating Lindo’s honor, I can’t help but be reminded that his talent should have been recognized long before this year. He is an incredible actor with an extensive 50-year resume on the big screen. From his performance in Malcolm X to Crooklyn to The Harder They Fall, Lindo has shown he is a quiet force in the movie business. Which brings me to my point. There was one movie role in particular that actually should have earned Lindo his first Oscar nomination back in 2021.
Did Delroy Lindo Deserve an Oscar Nomination for ‘Da 5 Bloods’?
Back in 2020, when the world was trying to ease its way back into “normalcy” following the COVID-19 pandemic, Netflix released Da 5 Bloods. The war drama from legendary writer and director Spike Lee follows the story of four Vietnam War veterans who return to the Asian country in search of the remains of their fallen commander and a secret treasure. The trek is anything but easy, as chaos ensues thanks to new enemies and the unwelcoming terrain.
In Da 5 Bloods, Lindo portrays a veteran named Paul, who has a cantankerous relationship with his son (played by Jonathan Majors), a bad case of PTSD, and a secret that he’s been holding onto for decades. The complexities of Paul make him a captivating character to watch develop as the plot unfolds, and Lindo does a great job seeing to it that you are never bored by Paul and always changing your mind on how you feel about him.
Lindo’s work earned him Best Actor nominations from the Black Reel Awards, the Chicago Film Critics Association, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, and the list goes on. Sadly, Lindo received no Academy Award nominations for his portrayal in Da 5 Bloods. And it almost feels criminal.
Who were the Oscar Best Actor Nominees in 2021?
To be clear, I’m not saying that the Best Actor nominees for the 2021 Oscars were undeserving. I’m simply saying Delroy at least earned a spot in the category. In case you were wondering, here were the nominees for Best Actor that year:
- Anthony Hopkins – The Father
- Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
- Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
- Gary Oldman – Mank
- Steven Yeun – Minari
With all that being said, judge for yourself and watch Da 5 Bloods on Netflix right now. Additionally, tune into the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 15, to see if Lindo will take home a statue as he’ll compete this year against:
- Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
- Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein
- Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
- Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value
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