25 Hollywood Stars Who’ve Shockingly Never Won An Oscar
25. Jake Gyllenhaal
With brooding brilliance in ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ Jake Gyllenhaal earned his first and only Oscar nod — Supporting Actor. Since then, ‘Nightcrawler,’ ‘Prisoners,’ and ‘Stronger’ have proven he’s in a league of his own. Yet... silence. One of the most quietly devastating Oscar oversights of our time.
24. Timothée Chalamet
Timothée Chalamet is one of the most in-demand actors right now. He wowed us in ‘Call Me By Your Name’ and stunned again as Bob Dylan in ‘A Complete Unknown.’ With two Best Actor nominations before 30, Timmy is clearly on track for eventual Oscar gold. But as of now? He’s a fashion icon with a very impressive but empty awards shelf.
23. Sylvester Stallone
He wrote and starred in ‘Rocky,' arguably the greatest underdog story ever. Nominated for both Best Actor and Screenplay in 1977, Stallone was overpowered by the competition. Nearly 40 years later, his emotional return in ‘Creed’ earned him a Supporting Actor nom, and another snub. Sly’s legacy is set in stone, but his Academy recognition still MIA.
22. Naomi Watts
After her breakout role in 'Mulholland Drive, Naomi Watts proved she could break your heart in under two hours with her performance in ‘21 Grams’ and ‘The Impossible’. And while critics raved, the Oscars looked elsewhere. A gross oversight, indeed.
21. Toni Collette
She should have been nominated for ‘Hereditary.’ Her performance was nothing short of a full-on psychological demolition, but the Academy ignored it. Her only Oscar nomination came from ‘The Sixth Sense’ in 1999 for Supporting Actress. Despite years of consistently stellar work in indie dramas and mind-bending thrillers, Collette remains without even the golden nod she deserves.
20. Mark Ruffalo
He’s racked up four Supporting Actor nominations—‘The Kids Are All Right,’ ’Foxcatcher,’ ‘Spotlight,’and ‘Poor Things.’ But, he never walked out with the trophy. Maybe it’s because Ruffalo disappears into his roles too well. Either way, the MCU’s hulking figure deserves more than applause from his seat.
19. Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett had a breakthrough in ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’ and an emotional gut-punch in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.’ While she was passed over both times, she was finally given an honorary Oscar in 2024. Still, that win should’ve come decades ago.
18. Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey has never even been nominated for an Oscar despite groundbreaking performances in ‘The Truman Show and ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.’ He’s got Golden Globes and a legendary career, but for some reason, the Academy just doesn’t see the genius behind the goofball.
17. Annette Bening
Annette Bening has been nominated four times for ‘The Grifters,’ ‘American Beauty,’ ‘Being Julia,' and ‘The Kids Are All Right,’ but has never had the good fortune of winning despite her massive talent. Known for her steely charm and razor-sharp delivery, Bening has delivered career-defining roles that deserved better treatment from the Academy.
16. Michael Keaton
‘Birdman’ was Micheal Keaton’s comeback. Everyone thought it was a done deal. And then… Eddie Redmayne happened, who took home the Best Actor Oscar for ‘The Theory of Everything.’ Keaton’s only nomination ended in heartbreak, but his impact on Hollywood history? Unmistakable.
15. Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke has been nominated four times — twice for acting (‘Training Day,’ and ‘Boyhood’), twice for writing (‘Before Sunset,’ and ‘Before Midnight’). Still no Oscar. And when his blistering performance in ‘First Reformed’ was completely snubbed? That was the real tragedy. A fiercely creative force, Hawke remains one of the most talented and overlooked artists of his generation.
14. Colin Farrell
He’s been charming us since ‘Minority Report’ and blew critics away in ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ but Brendan Fraser's comeback year stole the Oscar spotlight. Don’t you think Colin Farrell’s subtle brilliance has flown under the radar for too long? We certainly feel so.
13. Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp has been a chameleon for decades—transforming into pirates, psychos, and poets. He snagged three Best Actor nods (‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ ‘Finding Neverland,’ and ‘Sweeney Todd’) but lost out each time. A cult icon, sure. An Oscar winner? Not even once.
12. Bradley Cooper
Acting, directing, producing, singing — the man does it all. With five acting nominations (Think ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ ‘Maestro,’ etc.) and a string of producing nods (‘Joker,’ ‘A Star Is Born,’ ‘Nightmare Alley’), Cooper’s Oscar drought is criminal. One of the most glaring examples of too-much-love-but-no-prize.
11. Edward Norton
From the courtroom twist in ‘Primal Fear’ to the raw intensity of ‘American History X,’ Edward Norton is magnetic. Add in ‘Birdman’ and his latest in ‘A Complete Unknown,’ and you’ve got four nominations with no payoff. Edges too sharp for the Academy’s taste? Maybe. But snubbed? Definitely.
10. Saoirse Ronan
By the time she turned 25, Saoirse Ronan had four nominations. That’s wild! From ‘Atonement’ to ‘Little Women,’ Ronan’s versatility is undeniable. Some have called her the Meryl Streep of her generation, just without the Oscar win. Now, the onus is on the Academy.
9. Tom Cruise
He’s jumped off planes, saved the world multiple times, and revitalized ‘Top Gun’ with enough G-force to revive the box office after Covid lull. But Oscar? Still playing hard to get. Despite three acting nominations (‘Born on the Fourth of July,’ ‘Jerry Maguire,’ and ‘Magnolia’) and a recent Best Picture nod as a producer, Cruise has yet to secure the golden man. Action star? Yes. Award magnet? Not yet.
8. Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes has earned three nominations to date—for ‘Schindler’s List,’ ‘The English Patient’, and ‘Conclave.’ But, no wins. He certainly deserved better cinematic glory, especially after his chilling, Oscar-worthy turn as Voldemort.
7. Samuel L. Jackson
One nomination. Just one…for this box-office giant. Since ‘Pulp Fiction’ nod back in 1995. Samuel L. Jackson has starred in more iconic films than most actors dream of, but the Academy has barely acknowledged him. They tossed him an honorary Oscar in 2022, which felt more like a consolation prize than a true win.
6. Scarlett Johansson
In 2019, Scarlett Johansson pulled a rare double nomination: Best Actress for ‘Marriage Story,’ and Best Supporting Actress for ‘Jojo Rabbit.’ And still, she went home empty-handed. Despite an impressive resume that swings from indie darling to Marvel megastar, Johansson hasn’t cracked the Oscar vault. She’s overdue, and the Academy knows it.
5. Willem Dafoe
With over 150 screen credits and four Oscar noms in movies like ‘Platoon,’ and ‘The Florida Project,’ among others, William Dafoe is one of the finest actors never to bag the prestigious award. Every time he’s nominated, he’s up against industry titans, but it’s high time the Academy did right by him.
4. Michelle Williams
Five nominations from ‘Blue Valentine’ to ‘The Fabelmans,’ yet no golden statue. Michelle Williams consistently delivers heartbreaking, complex performances. The saddening fact remains that the Academy keeps calling her to the gala, just never as the showstopper.
3. Amy Adams
No one wears “perennially snubbed” quite like Amy Adams. Six nominations. No Oscar. From ‘Doubt’ to ‘American Hustle,’ she has consistently delivered, yet lost to some of the other big names in Hollywood. If there’s a patron saint of Oscar bridesmaids, it’s her.
2. Ian McKellen
Two noms for ‘Gods and Monsters’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,’ but no wins for this Shakespearean powerhouse. Sir Ian McKellen is one of the most respected names in the acting business. Seriously, they should just give him an Oscar for being the legend he is.
1. Glenn Close
Eight nominations, but nada on Academy stage. Glenn Close holds the tragic title of “Most Nominated Actress Without a Win.” With turns in ‘Fatal Attraction,’ ‘The Wife’, and ‘Dangerous Liaisons,’ she’s long overdue for recognition. This needs to be fixed!
