'Weapons' Best Performance Also Broke a Surprising 55-Year-Old Oscar Record

4 weeks ago 14

Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys in the kitchen in 'Weapons'

Published Mar 7, 2026, 9:11 AM EST

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The nominations for the Academy Awards always throw up lots of intrigue and surprises. This year, there have been perhaps fewer shocks than in previous years. One of the biggest surprises in recent years, however, has been the Academy beginning to truly embrace horror in its awards. While Zach Cregger's horror masterpiece, Weapons, only received one nomination for Amy Madigan's fantastic performance as Aunt Gladys, it's a role that seems like it could actually walk away with the award. Not only is this a thoroughly deserved recognition for Madigan, who makes the most of her short screen time in Weapons, but it marks a fascinating piece of history that reflects Madigan's longevity and range as a performer throughout the last 4 decades.

Amy Madigan's Nomination For 'Weapons' Makes Oscars History For an Actress

Any time a record is broken, it makes headlines, yet Madigan's record has gone somewhat under the radar, especially since it took 40 years to make happen. In short, Madigan's nomination for her role as Aunt Gladys, the terrifying witch in Weapons, marks the longest period of time between Oscar nominations for an actress. Madigan's first nomination for Best Supporting Actress came at the 1986 Oscars, for her role as Sunny in Twice in a Lifetime, a film in which Gene Hackman's Harry divorces his wife, Sunny's mom, and marries a new love, and Sunny serves as the film's moral compass.

Madigan overtook the previous actress to hold this record, Helen Hayes, who was nominated first in 1932 for The Sins of Madelon Claudet and again in 1971 for Airport, both for Best Supporting Actress, marking a 39-year gap. Overall, the largest gap between nominations goes to Judd Hirsch, with 42 years between Ordinary People in 1980 and The Fabelmans in 2022, continuing the trend of these nomination gaps coming in the supporting categories. On all three occasions, Madigan, Hayes, and Hirsch, these gaps shouldn't represent flukes, but the longevity and yet underrated nature of these creatives' careers. They are always respected and working, and it pays off in time.

Amy Madigan's Two Nominations in 'Twice in a Lifetime' and 'Weapons' Reflect Her Versatility

Amy Madigan has thoroughly deserved both nominations, and the way they contrast each other shows just how much range Madigan has showcased over her career. In Twice in a Lifetime, her character is constantly having to be different things to different people, from a mother to a daughter to a sister, and this leads to her holding people, like Hackman's Harry, to account in confrontational and assertive scenes that allow her to show her strong presence on screen. In contrast, her character in Weapons is far more withheld. Her intimidation as the witch kidnapping children and possessing Alex's (Cary Christopher) parents is subtle, using shifts in her tone and facial expression to create different atmospheres. To Alex, she is cold and ruthless, openly showing her nefarious intentions, whereas her overly polite nature and wide grin to Benedict Wong's Marcus similarly create a sense of unease, but through the subtext of what the audience knows versus what the characters know about her.

Despite having limited screen time, each scene reveals a different, manipulative side to the character. Despite these two performances being 40 years apart, Madigan shows how she can accomplish incredibly different tasks as an actor. She can carry a film's themes and morality, as she does in Twice in a Lifetime, yet she can also leave a memorable impression on the audience with only a handful of scenes, making them fear her rather than respect her.

It would be rather surprising if Madigan were to win for Best Supporting Actress at this year's Academy Awards, since many would assume that Teyana Taylor is the favorite for her explosive performance in One Battle After Another, a film the Academy clearly sees as one of the best of the year with its slew of 13 nominations, only beaten by Sinners' record-breaking 16. However, no one can take away the history Madigan has made in securing this nomination. Her performance as Aunt Gladys not only marks a milestone in the Academy Awards, but is easily one of the most deserving nominations on the list, made even more impressive by how much she can do with such little.

Weapons is available to stream on HBO Max in the U.S.