32 Iconic Actors Who Shockingly Have Never Won an Oscar

Many renowned and exceptional actors and actresses haven’t received competitive Acting Oscars, despite delivering performances that should have earned them this prestigious award. Some names on this list might surprise you because they truly deserve the recognition of winning an acting Oscar. A few of these stars have received honorary Oscars or won in other categories such as directing or acting, but none have been awarded the most coveted one – the acting Oscar. Here is a list of actors and actresses who haven’t won an Oscar for their performances.

Glenn Close

As a devoted admirer of cinema, it’s hard not to notice the glaring omission: Glenn Close, a truly great actor, has somehow never taken home an Oscar. For years, her captivating performances on the silver screen have left audiences spellbound, and yet, that coveted statue remains out of her reach. She’s amassed numerous Tonys, Emmys, and Golden Globe awards, testament to her exceptional talent. Yet, despite being nominated a staggering eight times in either the Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress categories, she has yet to secure that elusive victory.

Tom Cruise

Among all actors on Earth, none surpasses Tom Cruise in terms of movie stardom. People might not typically anticipate Cruise to be recognized for his action roles, such as those in the Mission: Impossible series (although, his daring stunts in these films certainly deserve recognition). However, Cruise has delivered Oscar-caliber performances in movies like Rain Man, Jerry Maguire, Born on the Fourth of July, and Magnolia. He’s been nominated for four Oscars, but he hasn’t won one yet.

Angela Bassett

1994 saw me, a cinema devotee, witnessing Angela Bassett’s extraordinary, metamorphic portrayal of Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got to Do with It.” Though Holly Hunter’s triumph for “The Piano” is undeniably impressive, it’s hard not to question why Bassett didn’t emerge victorious that year. Regrettably, despite her recognition by the Academy in 2024, Bassett remains an Oscar-less talent in competitive categories.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp has faced a great deal of negative publicity in recent times, which might affect his potential to secure an Academy Award in the future. However, it’s astonishing that he hasn’t received even a single Oscar yet, given his numerous nominations and exceptional acting roles. Remarkably, despite three Oscar nominations and countless other outstanding performances, Depp, famously known for his role in Pirates Of The Caribbean, remains an Academy Award-less actor to date.

Sigourney Weaver

It’s surprising that Sigourney Weaver hasn’t received an Oscar nomination since the 1980s, despite her outstanding performances in blockbusters like Avatar and Aliens. Yet, she continues to strive for the coveted award.

Bradley Cooper

As a film aficionado, I can’t help but sense Bradley Cooper’s palpable yearning for an Oscar, and it’s entirely relatable given his exceptional talent. A member of a generation graced with remarkable actors, Cooper has been nominated five times in the acting category (and another seven times across various categories), yet hasn’t secured that coveted statuette…yet. However, his day will undoubtedly come.

Annette Bening

Annette Bening has earned five Oscar nominations but hasn’t taken home the statue yet, which is surprising given her impressive career on screen spanning decades. Her latest nod came in 2023 for her exceptional work in the film “Nyad“. Despite these accolades, she remains without an Oscar win.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey initially gained fame through his outrageous comedies such as “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” and “The Mask”, performances that some might say don’t receive enough recognition from the Academy. However, it’s important to note that his more serious roles, like in “Man on the Moon” and “The Truman Show”, are equally deserving of Oscar awards. Despite receiving multiple Golden Globe nominations and wins, Carrey, who gave an exceptional performance in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, has never been nominated for an Oscar.

Amy Adams

Initially, when Amy Adams was first given an Academy Award nomination in 2005 for her remarkable role in the film “Junebug“, it would have been a safe bet that she would eventually win an Oscar during her career. However, as we stand here over two decades later, despite receiving five additional nominations, Adams remains without an Oscar to her name.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has portrayed various characters and appeared in numerous types of films, ranging from blockbuster franchises like Star Wars and the MCU to independent productions such as Pulp Fiction and Do The Right Thing. In Hollywood, he’s shown incredible versatility, with the exception of winning a competitive Oscar – surprisingly, he’s only been nominated once. However, in 2021, the Academy recognized his impressive career accomplishments by honoring him for his body of work.

Scarlett Johansson

2020 saw Scarlett Johansson receiving nominations in two categories: Best Actress for “Marriage Story” and Best Supporting Actress for “Jojo Rabbit”. However, she didn’t win either of these awards that year. Notably, those were her only nominations to date, despite her illustrious career.

Laurence Fishburne

Ever since his debut film role at the tender age of 16 in “Apocalypse Now,” Lawrence Fishburne has consistently delivered performances worthy of awards recognition. One notable point on this list is that despite being nominated just once, for “What’s Love Got to Do with It” in 1994, he hasn’t yet won an award. Despite roles like Furious Styles in “Boyz n The Hood,” Professor Phipps in “Higher Learning,” and many others, he remains without a win to his credit.

Hugh Jackman

Although Hugh Jackman is widely recognized for his role as Wolverine currently, it’s worth noting that his diverse acting career has been overlooked by the Academy. He’s accumulated numerous accolades, including three of the prestigious EGOT awards, yet he remains without an Oscar, often referred to as the “O.

Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams has received five Academy Award nominations since her groundbreaking performance in the 2005 film “Brokeback Mountain,” but she hasn’t taken home the award yet. It seems inevitable that she will eventually win, doesn’t it?

Saoirse Ronan

At the tender age of 13, Saoirse Ronan earned her first Oscar nomination for her exceptional performance in the film Atonement. Since then, the talented actress who plays the lead in Lady Bird has been nominated for three more awards but hasn’t managed to take home one yet. It seems only a matter of time before Ronan claims an Oscar, as she consistently delivers outstanding performances in every role she takes on.

Matt Damon

One of the top movie stars globally without a winning acting Oscar is Matt Damon. His last nomination for acting came in 2015 with “The Martian,” but he has already won an Oscar for Best Screenplay, specifically for “Good Will Hunting.” However, an acting award remains unclaimed by him.

Salma Hayek

Although Salma Hayek delivered an exceptional performance in the movie “Frida” in 2003, she didn’t manage to win an Oscar due to tough competition (Nicole Kidman took home the award for “The Hours”). To this day, that is her sole Oscar nomination. It’s unfortunate.

Willem Dafoe

Despite a four-decade-long career as one of Hollywood’s most dependable actors, Willem Dafoe remains Oscar-less. It’s puzzling because each role he plays seems worthy of recognition, and despite receiving nominations for roles like Platoon, he hasn’t won an Academy Award to date.

Carey Mulligan

In 2009, Carey Mulligan was nominated for an Oscar for her role in “An Education,” and she has been nominated again a couple of times since then, most recently for “Promising Young Woman” in 2021 and “Maestro” in 2024. Despite some tough competition, at least one of her performances must have been deserving of an Oscar nomination.

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo has consistently given outstanding performances throughout his career, earning him four nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Remarkably, he was not nominated for his exceptional work in the film “Dark Waters”, a role that some consider his finest yet. It’s truly puzzling.

Michelle Pfeiffer

Michelle Pfeiffer garnered her first Oscar nod in 1988 for “Dangerous Liaisons” and followed it up with two more for “The Fabulous Baker Boys” in 1989 and “Love Field” in 1992. Since then, however, she has yet to secure another nomination, despite her exceptional talent that deserves recognition among the top actresses of her generation. This oversight certainly needs to be addressed, as it seems illogical.

Ralph Fiennes

From 1996, when he was recognized for his role in “The English Patient”, to 2025 with his nomination for “Conclave”, the exceptional Ralph Fiennes had not once received an Academy Award nomination, despite numerous opportunities showcasing his award-worthy talent.

Naomi Watts

Naomi Watts has earned two nominations without securing a victory thus far, which lands her on this list. She was first recognized in 2004 for her work in “21 Grams,” and again in 2013 with “The Impossible.” Despite her talent, she hasn’t yet won an award. However, given her impressive skillset, it seems only a matter of time before she takes home one.

Ryan Gosling

For quite some time now, Ryan Gosling has consistently delivered exceptional performances that leave many people surprised not to see his name on the list. It seems almost inevitable that he should have won an Oscar by now, doesn’t it? If not for his roles in “Barbie” or “Half Nelson,” then surely for “La La Land.” Unfortunately, despite his nominations, he hasn’t yet received the award.

Alfre Woodard

Alfre Woodard received her initial (and so far only) Oscar nomination in 1983 for the film “Cross Creek”. It would be quite irrational to believe that she wouldn’t earn another one after over four decades, given her exceptional performances in movies like “12 Years A Slave” and numerous others. However, she has yet to receive another nomination.

Warren Beatty

Warren Beatty was undeniably the most prominent film actor during the late ’70s and ’80s, but despite numerous successful films, he has yet to receive an Oscar as a Best Actor. However, he did secure an Academy Award for Best Director in 1982, thanks to his work on Reds. Interestingly, despite his iconic portrayal of Dick Tracy, Beatty was not even nominated for that role. This is logical as he wasn’t actually up for a nomination in that instance.

Laura Linney

Throughout her distinguished acting career spanning many years, Laura Linney has garnered numerous award nominations. She has triumphantly claimed several Emmys and Golden Globes, yet she remains without an Oscar statuette from the Academy. Despite being nominated three times – for the films “You Can Count on Me” (2000), “Kinsey” (2004), and “The Savages” (2007) – she has not won any of these contests. Moreover, Linney’s acting career has yet to be recognized with a Best Picture award.

Ed Harris

Despite being widely recognized as one of the finest character actors from the past five decades, Ed Harris has never received an Oscar. Interestingly, he’s been nominated three times for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in “Apollo 13,” “The Truman Show,” and “The Hours,” and once for Best Actor for “Pollock.” However, despite these nominations, he has yet to win an Oscar. Strangely, Harris also hasn’t won any Emmy Awards out of three nominations. On a positive note, he has been awarded two Golden Globes.

Joan Allen

Joan Allen is an actress who often goes relatively unnoticed, even though she consistently delivers outstanding performances in her roles. This may be due to her misfortune in award ceremonies, as she has been repeatedly nominated for Emmys, Golden Globes, and SAG Awards, but unfortunately hasn’t taken home a single trophy. Regrettably, despite earning three Oscar nominations – for her work in Nixon, The Crucible, and The Contender – she has yet to secure a win.

Richard Gere

Although Richard Gere has consistently brought in substantial box office returns since the 1980s, it’s astonishing that he has never been nominated for an Oscar, despite his roles in enduring films such as Pretty Woman, An Officer and a Gentleman, Primal Fear, Runaway Bride, among others. It’s hard to believe!

Isabelle Huppert

It may not come as a shock that French actress Isabelle Huppert hasn’t yet claimed an Oscar, given that the winners typically hail from English-speaking films. However, it’s essential to note that Huppert is among the most honored actresses in France, having been recognized 16 times (with two wins) for the César Award, which is equivalent to the Academy Awards in her home country. In 2016, she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in “Elle,” although Emma Stone (in “La La Land”) ultimately took home the prize that year.

Paul Dano

It appears inevitable that Paul Dano may eventually receive an Oscar, given his consistently outstanding performances. From movie to movie, he truly excels. His impressive roles in films like “There Will Be Blood” and “Love & Mercy” are just a few examples on a growing list of stellar performances. As with others on this list, it’s hard to believe that he hasn’t yet been nominated for an Oscar.

2025-01-29 00:38