Who Really Deserved the Oscar? Morningside Students Sound Off

Gabriel Schreck – As awards season wrapped up in Hollywood with the Oscars taking place earlier this month, students at Morningside University had their own say in who they believe should have taken home the acting honors.

In a campus-wide poll conducted by Campus Media, students voted on their picks for this year’s top Oscar categories, offering a look into how Morningside’s choices compare to the official Academy Awards results.

For Best Actor, students overwhelmingly backed Michael B. Jordan for his role in Sinners, winning the campus vote by a margin of 31 votes, with Timothée Chalamet finishing as the runner-up for his role in Marty Supreme. This vote aligns with the academy’s choice as well, with Jordan taking home his first-ever Oscar at this year’s ceremony. 

The Best Actress competition was a much tighter race. Emma Stone secured the win by just nine votes for her role in Bugonia, narrowly edging out Kate Hudson for her role in Song Sung Blue. This win differs from the results at this year’s ceremony, with Jessie Buckley taking home the Oscar for her commanding role in Hamnet.

In the supporting categories, the races were even closer. Jacob Elordi claimed Best Supporting Actor by only five votes for his role in Frankenstein over Delroy Lindo, who came in second for his role in Sinners. Wunmi Mosaku took Best Supporting Actress for her role in Sinners with a razor-thin four-vote lead against Elle Fanning, who came in second for her performance in Sentimental Value. These choices, once again, differ from the academy’s choices this year, with Sean Penn winning best supporting actor for his role in One Battle After Another, and Amy Madigan winning best supporting actress for her role in Weapons. 

When it came to Best Picture, however, students showed a clearer consensus. Sinners emerged as Morningside’s top film, winning by 16 votes over F1, which came in second. Although at the Oscars ceremony this year, One Battle After Another took home the highest honor of Best Picture. 

While the official Oscar winners may differ, Morningside’s results reflect the unique tastes and perspectives of its student body. The differences highlight how audience preferences on campus can contrast with those of industry professionals, offering a fresh perspective on what defines an “award-winning” performance.

Morningside’s Results

Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan

Best Actress: Emma Stone

Best Supporting Actor: Jacob Elordi

Best Supporting Actress: Wunmi Mosaku

Best Picture: Sinners

Oscar’s Results

Best Actor – Michael B. Jordan

Best Actress – Jessie Buckley

Best Supporting Actor – Sean Penn

Best Supporting Actress – Amy Madigan

Best Picture: One Battle After Another