Why Jeff Goldblum’s Snubbed ‘The Fly’ Performance Deserved Oscar Gold

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Jeff Goldblum initially rose to fame with the 1983 comedy-drama film “The Big Chill,” where he portrayed a journalist reconnecting with his college companions after the death of a fellow friend. His subsequent roles in movies like “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai” and “Into the Night” solidified Goldblum’s reputation as an eclectic, unconventional actor who refuses to be pigeonholed.

In the 1986 movie “The Fly”, Goldblum demonstrated exceptional talent as a captivating leading man in drama, delivering an outstanding performance. His character, Seth Brundle, is a brilliant yet eccentric scientist who tragically fuses with a housefly after an experiment backfires. Similar to John Hurt’s emotionally impactful portrayal of the Elephant Man in the 1980 film, Goldblum manages to make audiences empathize with Seth, as his grotesque transformation evokes feelings of both disgust and compassion.

As a passionate movie buff, I can’t help but reflect on the time when “The Fly” graced our cinema screens, a film that left an indelible mark on many. Critics hailed Goldblum’s performance as one worthy of an Academy Award, and rightly so. Yet, unlike Hurt, Goldblum was snubbed by the Academy for his exceptional work in “The Fly.” This omission, which is widely considered one of the most egregious oversights in Academy history, remains a sore point among film enthusiasts like myself.

Jeff Goldblum’s Performance in ‘The Fly’ Is an Amazing Combination of Acting and Makeup

In the film titled “The Fly“, the protagonist, Seth Brundle, is presented as a scientist who has innovated a teleportation device capable of transferring inanimate items from one pair of telepods. After successfully transporting a baboon using this device, an unfortunate incident occurs when Seth decides to teleport himself, unknowingly allowing a housefly to join him inside the pod. This leads to a terrifying transformation where Seth eventually mutates into a human-insect hybrid.

One striking feature of Goldblum’s acting in the movie The Fly is his ability to keep Seth’s unique character traits from being obscured by the complex makeup effects. Before Seth experiences physical changes like losing fingernails or shedding skin, his transformation is predominantly shown through alterations in his personality, as he progressively loses empathy and rationality. The initial signs of his monstrous metamorphosis, marked by the emergence of hairy growths on his back, are closely linked to Seth’s deteriorating emotional condition, as he becomes more unstable and anxious.

As a movie enthusiast, the heart-wrenching transformation that Seth undergoes in the film is intensely impactful due to Goldblum’s remarkable portrayal. His performance skillfully paints Seth as a solitary, empathetic man who gradually acknowledges his metamorphosis into something inhuman, thus accepting an untimely fate. This tragic realization eventually evolves into a form of mercy.

‘The Fly’ Is a Tragic Love Story

Via an engaging portrayal by Jeff Goldblum, The Fly transforms into a chilling horror tale and a heartfelt love story, where Goldblum’s character, the brilliant yet socially awkward scientist Seth Brundle, discovers genuine affection in the science journalist Ronnie, played by Geena Davis. However, their love is tragically cut short by destiny and his unchecked ambition. One of the movie’s most poignant moments occurs when Seth implores Ronnie to keep her distance from him, fearing that he can no longer hold back his monstrous instincts.

In hindsight, this particular scene holds extra emotional weight since Jeff Goldblum and Davis married in 1987 off-screen. Furthermore, Seth’s prediction to Ronnie about her pregnancy prevents her from revealing it to Seth, who is unaware that she carries a child destined to inherit his “Brundlefly” genetic traits. When Ronnie’s pregnancy comes to light, the foresight of Seth’s warning becomes evident as he devises an extreme plan to merge Ronnie, himself, and their unborn baby into one being, which he sees as the final remnant of his humanness.

Goldblum and ‘The Fly’ Paved the Way for Demi Moore’s Oscar Nomination

Approximately four decades after its debut, the movie “The Fly” – a loose adaptation of the 1958 film with the same title – is often hailed as one of the best horror films ever produced. Notably, it has served as inspiration for numerous modern horror productions, particularly the 2024 release “The Substance”. In this film, Demi Moore’s character, Elisabeth Sparkle, draws heavily from Jeff Goldblum’s transformation in “The Fly”, as she resorts to illegal drugs to transform into a younger version of herself, portrayed by Margaret Qualley. However, the transformation process results in unforeseen consequences.

Similar to the progressive and agonizing change seen in Jeff Goldblum’s character in The Fly, the transformation of Sissy Spacek’s character in The Substance develops gradually, lending a sense of organic authenticity and technical credibility to her metamorphosis. Furthermore, not unlike The Fly, The Substance was recognized with an Academy Award nomination for its makeup effects. However, what sets The Substance apart is that it also garnered four additional nominations, one of which was a Best Actress nod for Sissy Spacek herself.

Moore’s nomination underscores Goldblum’s undervalued acting, which carries a greater impact compared to the performances of the five actors who were nominated before Goldblum for the 1987 Academy Awards. In this ceremony, Paul Newman took home the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in The Color of Money, which was relatively less impressive compared to Goldblum’s role in The Fly, which can be rented on Prime Video and Apple TV.

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2025-04-14 03:02