Remembering Donald Sutherland in ‘Ordinary People’

This episode serves as a perfect example of this season’s theme, They Didn’t Win For That?! Or even better (however you look at it), how ludicrous it was that Donald Sutherland was never nominated, let alone for his challenging performance in Ordinary People. So Nick and Sophia are here to break down the film and get to the bottom of why the Academy never went for his adaptable, understated craftsmanship. At the top, they honor his filmography and list some of his best roles and partnerships. Then, in discussing the movie, they share some of their favorite scenes, detailing all of the masterful performances— however uncomfortable or infuriating they may be. Lastly, they answer creative listener questions to pinpoint their favorite Sutherland scene in the film, debate if category confusion led to his nomination snub, and restructure the categories to account for blatant category fraud (38:00). Watch Ordinary People on Max now and let us know what you think! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @oscarwildpodFollow Nick @sauerkraut27Follow Sophia @sophia_cimMusic: “The Greatest Adventure” by Jonathan Adamich