Meryl Streep "Shocked" That Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks Were Among Oscars Snubs

August: Osage County star expresses her disbelief over who didn't get an Academy Award nomination this year while talking to Ellen DeGeneres

By Peter Gicas Jan 17, 2014 2:59 PMTags
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Meryl Streep admits she truly didn't expect to hear her name when the Oscar nominations were read on Thursday, Jan. 16.

This, despite the fact that she had received nothing but critical praise for her performance in August: Osage County. (Not to mention, she's Meryl Streep.)

On Monday's The Ellen DeGeneres Show (taped Thursday, Jan. 16), the three-time Academy Award winner talks about earning her record 18th nomination.

"How did you find out? Were you waiting by the phone?" host Ellen DeGeneres asks.

"No. I was dead asleep. Late," Streep reveals. "Because I didn't think I had a chance."

The actress continues, "You know, you read the papers and...they say, 'Oh, she doesn't have a chance.' Because I'm so old news, you know."

DeGeneres immediately replies, "That is crazy. There is no such thing as talent being old news. Your talent is...it doesn't get old."

Later, when Streep's competition in the Best Actress category is brought up—Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench and Sandra Bullock—the 64-year-old star takes a moment to express her disbelief at who didn't receive a nomination.

"There was so many performances this year that were great," she says. "I'm thinking of my friend, Emma Thompson, who wasn't nominated. I was really shocked. And I wrote her a long, heartfelt email saying, you know, how bad I felt, and she wrote back and said good."

When DeGeneres brings up Tom Hanks not getting a nod for Captain Phillips, Streep notes, "I know. A lot of surprises and injustices."

So, will Streep walk away with her fourth statuette? We'll see when the 86th Annual Academy Awards airs March 2, with DeGeneres serving as host.