Why Did Wes Anderson Skip The Oscars 2024? ‘Henry Sugar’ Director Snubs Oscars Despite Win

By Meghan O'Keefe @megsokay
Published March 10, 2024
Updated March 10, 2024

Where to Stream:

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Powered by Reelgood

More On:

Oscars 2024

After a storied career spanning from Bottle Rocket to Asteroid City, beloved auteur Wes Anderson finally took home an Oscar for his live action short film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. The only problem? He wasn’t actually at the 2024 Academy Awards to pick up the hardware. Presenters Issa Rae and Ramy Youssef accepted the Oscar on Wes Anderson’s behalf, setting off a firestorm of confusion online as to why the winner was a no-show. Was he under the weather? Hard at work on something new? Or, as some Oscar watchers opined on Twitter, aka X, was he simply salty over the fact that his feature length film from last year, Asteroid City, was snubbed?!?

Even Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel made a joke over Anderson’s no-show. Kimmel quipped, “The reason Wes couldn’t be here tonight is he’s at home making a diorama made of corduroy.” CORDUROY! Get it, because Anderson is known for his twee style.

So what is the real reason Wes Anderson didn’t show up to collect his first Oscar? Could it simply be that after so many nominations, so few wins, and so little love for Asteroid City, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar director simply didn’t want to bother with showing up for the Academy? That was the theory buzzing on social media!

“WES ANDERSON ISN’T HERE TO ACCEPT HIS FIRST OSCAR???” writer Zoë Rose Bryant shared with a gif that relayed shock.

Journalist Louis Peitzman quipped: “Wes Anderson not picking up his first Oscar. I know he’s as pissed about Asteroid City as we are.”

Critic David Ehrlich jested, “Wes Anderson not showing up to accept his first Oscar vs. Diane Warren showing up to lose all 15 of hers. both legendary behavior.”

And journalist and film critic Daniel Howat pointed out that “Wes Anderson is the first person to win Best Live Action Short AFTER being nominated for Best Director.”

Best Live Action Short is indeed a category that usually opens the doors for up-and-coming writers, directors, and filmmakers to move on to the big leagues. So it actually is possible that Anderson — who had hitherto been nominated six times before, for his work on The Royal Tenenbaums, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kindgom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

So maybe Anderson felt so slighted by the Academy’s past snubs he sat this year’s ceremony out. Or maybe he simply came down with the flu or had something more important to do.

As it happens…that’s exactly what, er, happened.

Shortly after the conclusion of this year’s Oscars ceremony, EW confirmed that Wes Anderson skipped this year’s event because he literally starting production on his next project early Monday morning.

So no bad feelings or conspiracies. The man simply cannot be stopped!