Malcolm X in Lee’s unconventional portrait of the slain civil rights leader. But when Oscar night rolled around, Washington was left empty-handed. Instead, Al Pacino took the gold for his performance as a blind man in Scent of a Woman. The controversial decision continues to draw arguments even 30 years after the awards were officially handed out.
Debate rages on about Pacino’s controversial 1992 win over Washington, and Lee knows exactly where he falls in that argument, telling The Realest Podcast Ever that Washington’s loss was “egregious” while going on to explain how the Academy sometimes es over worthy nominees to reward people they previously snubbed. Using a basketball metaphor, he worked to make the reasons behind Malcolm X's lack of recognition evident. Check out his quote below, which completely explains his argument:
But one of the most egregious things I think was Denzel not winning for Malcolm X. We're all sports fans right? Let me ask you, what is a makeup call in basketball? … Now here's the thing. The Academy also has, in some instances, does a makeup call, as the referees do. Al Pacino got nominated for Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather. [He finally wins for Scent of a Woman]
After describing his disagreement with the Academy's decision, Lee explained that he believed that the Academy made up for Washington’s Malcolm X loss by giving him the Oscar for Training Day:
So Denzel comes up, Malcolm X, and before one of the great great actors ever, Al Pacino, the South Bronx. Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Godfather I and II. All right, we jerked Al around. Scent of a Woman, boom. Denzel, you already won it for Glory. You’ll come around. So he comes back, Training Day, he wins. One of the great, great actors. So that’s an example of a makeup call.
What This Means For Washington, Pacino & The Oscars
Pacino & Washington Both Have Valid Complaints Against The Academy
Lee is not alone in his belief that the Academy sometimes rights its wrongs by giving stars belated awards in years when they might not be the most deserving nominees. As Lee points out, Pacino won nothing for his legendary performances in the 1970s classics Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather, and The Godfather Part II. His eventual winning movie, Scent of a Woman, is not on par with those films. Making matters worse, it now strikes a problematic note with Pacino’s performance as an angry sight-impaired man. The chart below showcases the various nominees for 1992's Best Actor:
1992 Nominees For Best Actor Oscar |
Movie |
Al Pacino |
Scent of a Woman |
Robert Downey Jr. |
Chaplin |
Clint Eastwood |
Unforgiven |
Stephen Rea |
The Crying Game |
Denzel Washington |
Malcolm X |
It was outrageous that Pacino failed to win even one Oscar during his glory days in the 1970s. Giving him a delayed prize for Scent of a Woman may have righted that particular wrong in the eyes of the Academy, but that does not truly make up for his lack of recognition early in his career. Tragically, the move only created a new wrong by snubbing Washington. Washington’s later Oscar-winning performance in Training Day is legendary, but arguably not on the same level as his powerful work in Malcolm X. By fixing one snub, the Academy created another.
The Academy Awards Have A History Of Snubs
Beloved Movies Have Been Completely Ignored
Malcolm X was overlooked at the Oscars, but it did, at least, receive some recognition. It was offered nominations for Best Actor and Best Costume Design, which was disappointing, but at least it allowed acknowledgment. Other classic movies, including The Shining (1980) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), completely failed to receive anything at the Oscars. The snubs had various reasons, as The Shining was receiving Razzie nominations and Hollywood's internal politics hurt the 1966 Spaghetti Western. Still, these lackluster award recognitions are shocking today.
10 Biggest Oscar Snubs Of The 2010s
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Many international movies are also generally ignored at the Oscars, as they have historically struggled to stand up against domestic Hollywood releases. That ties into the idea that the voters typically overlook non-traditional movies in favor of their own domestic preferences. Even discounting Lee's idea that the snub happened because of a "make-up call," the concept of a pre-existing Academy bias is possible. Ahead of the 2025 awards season, these discussions are likely to continue as new stars make their way to the coveted ceremony.
Our Take On Lee’s Criticism Of The Academy
Lee Seems To Have A Personal Grudge Against The Oscars
Lee has long been a vocal critic of the Academy. That does not come as a surprise, given the number of times his films have been overlooked during the awards season. His grudge against Oscar voters may have seemed justified in 1992 when Malcolm X received only two nominations. Being snubbed for Best Picture was not a disgrace for Malcolm X, but it created controversy for the Oscars themselves. History repeated itself when, in 2019, Green Book defeated Lee’s BlackKklansman for Best Picture, prompting Lee to express his outrage during the ceremony.
It may have been many voters’ opinion that Pacino’s Scent of a Woman performance outshone Washington’s work in Malcolm X.
The Academy has often been accused of racism, and many of those accusations are indeed warranted. Perhaps racism played a part in Malcolm X going winless on Oscar night, but even if it did, there is still a sour grapes aspect to Lee’s Academy criticisms. Awards are subjective after all, and it may have been many voters’ opinion that Pacino’s Scent of a Woman performance outshone Washington’s work in Malcolm X. History has nevertheless rendered its verdict, proclaiming Washington the “real” winner of Best Actor in 1992, a decision Lee is fully onboard with.
Source: Realest Podcast Ever
Malcolm X is a biographical film directed by Spike Lee, depicting the life of the influential African American leader and civil rights activist. Starring Denzel Washington in the titular role, the film chronicles Malcolm X's journey from his troubled youth to his rise as a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam and his subsequent transformation after a pilgrimage to Mecca. The film captures the complexities and evolution of Malcolm X’s beliefs and activism.
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