During a recent episode of her podcast Good Hang, Amy Poehler openly expressed frustration with the Academy Awards for consistently failing to honor comedic performances adequately. Joined by Benedict Cumberbatch, Poehler shifted the conversation from their co-star Olivia Colman to address the glaring gap in recognition for comedy at the Oscars. She highlighted how dramatic roles tend to dominate the event, leaving comedians overlooked year after year.
The Limited Recognition of Comedy at the Academy Awards
Poehler’s concerns reflect a long-standing issue: despite the expansion of the Best Picture category from five nominees to ten, comedies rarely receive nominations or wins in the most prestigious categories. Instead, the Oscars often favor biographical films, intense dramas, or blockbuster hits. While several films with comedic elements have earned significant accolades in recent years, these tend to blend humor with more serious themes rather than represent straightforward comedy.
For instance, the 2025 Best Picture and Best Director winner Anora featured substantial comic moments early on, but its darker tone dominated. In 2024, Emma Stone won Best Actress for her role in Poor Things, a film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who previously guided Olivia Colman to a Best Actress win in the comedic-drama The Favourite. Meanwhile, Everything Everywhere All at Once swept seven Oscars in 2023, standing out as an unconventional blend of zany humor and emotional depth.
What Kind of Comedy the Oscars Typically Recognize
Despite these exceptions, Amy Poehler’s critique targets a different breed of comedy, one more focused on rapid-fire jokes and lighthearted performance styles typical of her own work and that of many fellow comedians. Most comedies acknowledged at the Oscars tend to mix humor with drama or emotion, which means pure comedic acting remains marginal. Performances mixing laughter and gravity, like those from Michelle Yeoh or other celebrated actors, are more commonly rewarded than performances driven solely by humor.
Nominees for pure comedic roles are scarce but do exist. Examples include Ryan Gosling’s 2024 nomination for his role in the lighthearted blockbuster Barbie and Melissa McCarthy’s supporting nomination for 2011’s Bridesmaids. Yet, these instances remain outliers, with most comedic recognition confined to supporting roles or screenplay categories rather than major acting honors.
Benedict Cumberbatch Acknowledges the Challenges of Comedy
Benedict Cumberbatch echoed Poehler’s sentiments, emphasizing the difficulty of accomplishing effective comedy. Having received Academy nods for dramatic roles himself, he appreciated the unique skill set required for comic acting.
“I think it’s very hard to pull off both physical comedy and really sharp and sarcastic wit,”
Poehler said.
“Both of those things are hard to do well.”
“Yeah, I think if you can do that, you can do anything,”
Cumberbatch responded, describing his upbringing with actor parents who often performed exaggerated farces.
“I grew up with two parents, both actors, my mom in particular doing, you know, sort of end-of-the-pier kind of … farces to the point where I was like ‘Mom, you’ve got to do something else now.’”
“Having grown up with that kind of humor,”
he added,
“If you can do comedy, is my point, you can do anything. I really do believe that, and I’m not just saying that.”
“Of course,”
Poehler replied.
“You don’t have to tell me, babe!”
Implications for Comedy’s Place at the Oscars
Amy Poehler’s outspoken stance draws attention to comedy’s ongoing struggle for equitable recognition within the Academy. Her remarks, alongside Cumberbatch’s agreement, suggest that comedy requires distinct talents that often go undervalued in a landscape dominated by dramatic storytelling. This may prompt future conversations within the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) about how to better highlight comedic excellence.
As Hollywood evolves, increased awareness of comedy’s complexities could encourage the Oscars to broaden their appreciation, potentially opening doors for more diverse types of performances to be celebrated. For now, performers like Poehler remain vocal advocates for comedy’s rightful place in the spotlight.
