Ryan Coogler turned down an invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2016, shortly after directing Creed. He recently explained that he did so because he was uncomfortable, not because he was angry with Oscar voters. In an interview with the New York Times, the director of Black Panther and Sinners said that judging movies is stressful for him because he is “not good at judging things” and would rather make movies than give out awards.
Coogler said that his busy schedule of directing projects, union work, and film school leaves little time for other things like voting in the Academy. He prefers the “blue-collar” work of crew members on set to the glitz and glamor of the industry. He doesn’t have to worry about picking winners even when there are no stakes. In the past, the Oscars have made mistakes, like not giving Black Panther a Best Director nomination even though it was nominated for Best Picture. However, he says that his choice was not based on anger.
Coogler’s movies, like Fruitvale Station, Creed, and Marvel’s Black Panther, have been nominated for many awards. Now, with Sinners, he could be a first-time Best Director nominee at the 2026 Oscars. His work with Michael B. Jordan is still getting a lot of attention for awards, which shows that he cares more about telling stories than getting awards. Even though he was invited to Creed’s success party, where only Sylvester Stallone was nominated, Coogler puts the creative process first.
