It's remarkable that Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t receive an Oscar nomination or win for what I consider a truly exceptional portrayal of Louis Bloom. It leads me to question how much influence behind-the-scenes maneuvering has on awards, rather than recognizing genuine talent. Or perhaps some nominations and wins are essentially acknowledgements—either because an actor has consistently delivered strong performances without ever being honored (like Henry Fonda for "On Golden Pond") or the dedication invested in a role somehow elevates it to Oscar material (as with Leo DiCaprio’s work in “The Revenant”). Gyllenhaal completely embodies his character, transforming into a predatory and relentlessly driven individual who prioritizes results above all else—someone exploiting the basest aspects of human nature, our inherent desire to witness suffering. He doesn't acknowledge any fault in his actions or methods. I’ve rarely encountered such a convincing depiction of a sociopath on screen. Among numerous memorable scenes, one particularly striking moment occurs before a storm, when he tells an employee, "Maybe my problem isn't that I don't understand people, but that I don't like them." The fact that his performance was disregarded for an Oscar is difficult to comprehend and seems more indicative of Hollywood’s internal workings than anything else. According to IMDb, he received nominations from nearly every other entertainment award except the Academy Awards. It’s possible that his interpretation of Lou Bloom was simply too effective, and confronting this work felt like a mirror held up to Hollywood itself—a reflection they didn't want to acknowledge.

Source on TMDB