Carpetbagger: Missing Muppets, Forgotten Ingenues and Other Golden Globes Oversights

Merie Wallace/Fox Searchlight Pictures ..Jessica Chastain and Brad Pitt (with Tye Sheridan) in The Tree of Life. They were both overlooked for their roles in the film.

Along with Seth Rogen, a slew of other worthy stars were left off the Golden Globes tally sheet this morning. The love may be drying up for Martha Marcy May Marlene and Like Crazy, whose breakout actresses, Elizabeth Olsen and Felicity Jones, were not mentioned. Neither was Gary Oldman, for bringing George Smiley to life (again) in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Critical and arthouse favorites like the financial thriller Margin Call and Terrence Malicks Tree of Life were forgotten (though two Tree of Life stars, Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain, were nominated for the work in other films). And pity Kirsten Dunst, who turned in a possibly career-changing performance with a difficult director in Melancholia and so far has no major Stateside statuettes to show for it.

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And in the category of comedy or musical, what ha! ppened t o The Muppets? Its both, and the Bagger, at least, considers Piggy and Kermit A-list stars. Perhaps the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, giver of the Globes, just didnt get the joke of Bret McKenzies beautiful yet ridiculous songs.

The association also left off major directors like Steven Spielberg (War Horse) and Clint Eastwood (J. Edgar), both of whom it normally favors. Lower-profile names like Tate Taylor, director of The Help, one of the top nomination-getters, and Bennett Miller, who helmed Moneyball, were also no-shows. In fact, though he marshaled a legendarily difficult-to-make movie, and earned nominations for several of his stars, Mr. Miller has not been much a part of the best director conversation this season.

The most surprising snub, as far as the Bagger is concerned, is Melissa McCarthy. The Bridesmaids scene-stealer earned a nod from her colleagues in the Screen Actors Guild yesterday but got nothing from the foreign press members, though they nominated her co-star (and the movies co-writer) Kristen Wiig. Well-deserved for Ms. Wiig, but a miss for Ms. McCarthy. Remember her charming and witty Emmy acceptance speech? Academy voters would surely like to see more moments like that.

Correction: Dec. 15, 2011An earlier version of this post misstated the awards record for Kirsten Dunsts performance in Melancholia. Though she has not been honored in the United States, she won best actress at Cannes.