We all want to be recognized for our career successes. This is heightened when those achievements involve sacrifice and are of a creative nature. It’s simply human nature to want to be recognized by our peers, institutions, and audiences when we work hard on something and feel like we performed at the top of our profession. For an actor, the epidome of this is winning an Oscar.
An Academy Award win shows that you are at the top of your game, that you are in a class amongst some of the greatest actors and actresses in film history. That your hard work is recognized. Unfortunately, for many of our favorite actors winning an Oscar has been an achievement that they haven’t been able to reach. They steadily rack in big bucks at the box office and put forth performances that make us laugh, cry, and stretch our imaginations. But when the Oscars roll around the best they walk away with is a nomination.
Here are 20 actors that I think are deserving of an Oscar… But still haven’t won one yet…
1. Johnny Depp
How is this even possible? Johnny Depp is without a doubt the most versatile actor on this list. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards for his performance in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” “Finding Neverland” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Unfortunately, he’s been beaten out every time. He has won a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor, but somebody needs to get this man an Oscar.
2. Brad Pitt.
Are you kidding me? The man starred in Inglorious Bastards, Fight Club, Oceans Eleven, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Do you mean to tell me that none of those films were Oscar worthy? Brad Pitt is not only one of Hollywood’s most sought after actors, but he’s one of the best to ever do it. This one is a complete head scratcher.
3. Liam Neeson.
Liam Neeson is most known now for his role as Bryan Mills in the action series “Taken” nowadays. But let’s not forget that this man starred in “Schindler’s List” as Dr. Oskar Schindler. The film was the object of critical acclaim from all directions and racked up several Academy Awards for the people involved including: Best Director for Steven Spielberg, Best Adapted Screenplay for Steven Zaillian, and even Best Film Editing for Michael Kahn. Guess what Liam received? Nothing but a nomination…
4. Will Smith.
Will Smith is hands down one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood. In fact, he’s the only actor in history to have eight consecutive films gross more than $100 million at U.S box office, eleven consecutive films gross over $150 million internationally, and eight consecutive films where he was the star open at number one at domestic box offices. Do you hear what I’m saying? IN HISTORY. In 2007 Newsweek called him “the most powerful actor in Hollywood.” Unfortunately, he hasn’t been powerful enough to win an Oscar. He does have two nominations though for “Ali” and “The Pursuit of Happyness.”
5. Bruce Willis.
This is another shocker for me, simply because of how long Bruce Willis has been a sought after actor in Hollywood. We’re talking a career that has spanned over three decades with films like “Die Hard,” “The Sixth Sense” “Unbreakable” and “Pulp Fiction.” Maybe Bruce will eventually land that role that finally gets him an Oscar. He’s come close in his acting career, and he definitely has the talent. I would love to see him walk across that stage and hoist an Oscar in the air for all the years of hard work and dedication he’s put into his craft. But, if he ends his career without an Oscar win he’ll still be one of my favorite actors of all time.
6. Harrison Ford.
Harrison Ford is nothing short of a Hollywood legend. In fact, in 1997 Ford was Number 1 in Empire’s “Top 100 Stars of All Time” list. And as of 2016, his films have grossed over $4 billion domestically, making him the highest grossing U.S box office star in history. His hit films span both the Indiana Jones and Star Wars film series’. However, the closest he’s come to an Oscar is a nomination for his role in 1985’s crime thriller “Witness.” How could Indiana Jones and his role as Han Solo in the Star Wars films not get him an Oscar nod? I have to be missing something. I hope Ford wins an Oscar one day, but I don’t think he cares either way. In interviews, he sounds like a man that’s content with his career and his accomplishments.
7. Robert Downey Jr.
Downey Jr. first achieved worldwide prominence with his portrayal of British comedian Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 biopic “Chaplin.” This was an all around fantastic film. My question is this… How did this movie not win him an Oscar? I don’t know. As a major consolation prize, Robert Downey Jr. is currently the highest paid actor in Hollywood due to his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Superhero movies. Unfortunately, although these are great films and he plays the role of Stark to perfection, I doubt this character wins him an Oscar. Not that Downey can’t or won’t do it because I suspect he will at some point in his career. Iron Man just isn’t going to do it.
8. Samuel L. Jackson.
Who doesn’t love Samuel L. Jackson? I know who… The Academy Awards! I mean obviously, something is going on because he hasn’t received a nomination since 1994’s Quentin Tarantino film “Pulp Fiction.” I mean, seriously? Have they not been watching his body of work? With over 100 films under his belt, Jackson is one of Hollywood’s most prolific actors. Let’s hope at least one of his future roles lands him at least a nomination soon.
9. Joaquin Phoenix.
He’s won a Grammy, he’s won a Golden Globe, but he’s 0 for 3 when it comes to Oscars. One of those nominations was for 2005’s Johnny Cash biopic “Walk the Line.” Some would argue that this was the best performance of Joaquin’s career if he couldn’t win an Oscar for this film I’m not sure what more he could do to convince them.
10. Tom Cruise.
Ranked by Forbes as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars and one of the highest grossing actors of all time you can’t deny Tom Cruise’s talent. He pulled in a ton of accolades including Golden Globe Awards and a Saturn Award for Best Actor. I could be wrong, but something tells me it’s only a matter of time before Cruise wins an Oscar. He’s that good of an actor and practically has his choice of roles. Eventually, he’ll pick the right one, and the rest will be history.
11. Ed Harris.
One thing Ed Harris is a master of is drawing the audience into his characters. Over the course of his career, he’s won a plethora of awards for films like Apollo 13, Simpatico, and The Truman Show. He has been nominated several times for Academy Awards, but just like the other actors on this list, he hasn’t been able to close the deal.
12. Donald Sutherland.
Accomplished thespian and father of actor Kiefer Sutherland, Donald Sutherland has one of the strongest bodies of work on this list. You would think with the depth and seriousness of the roles he’s played he would have won an Oscar long ago… The crazy thing is that although many movie critics regard Sutherland as one of the greatest actors of all time, he has NEVER been nominated for an Oscar. I’m not sure how that is even possible. Unfortunately, at 81 years old the window to grab an Oscar win is likely closing. It’s really a shame that his on screen performances haven’t received the recognition they deserve.
13. Willem Dafoe.
American Psycho, Spider-Man Trilogy, Justice League, Shadow of the Vampire, The Aviator. Willem Dafoe is one of the best actors in Hollywood hands down. I really think he might win Oscar gold one day. It’s hard to continue to deny a character actor that is so talented. He might not win as the star of a film, but he definitely has the chance to win as a supporting actor.
14. John Travolta.
Travolta is another actor that I definitely think has been robbed by The Academy Awards. Why? Because he was nominated for his performances in Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction. How could he not have won for either of those performances? Honestly, if I had my pick, I think he should have won for Pulp Fiction. Travolta has had a long and storied career and is sure to land more high profile roles, I’m not sure if an Oscar is in the cards though. As good of an actor as he is he just doesn’t seem to land the type of roles that would put him up for consideration anymore. If that changes, he has a serious chance at grabbing an Oscar because his acting ability is undeniable.
15. Helena Bonham Carter.
If we’re talking about character actors, Helena Bonham Carter is without a doubt one of the greatest of her time. The English actress has an impressive resumé of unforgettable roles and has been nominated twice for her performances in The Wings of the Dove and The King’s Speech.
16. Glenn Close.
Widely regarded as one of the best actresses of her generation Glenn Close has come close with six nominations, but the glory of an Oscar win eludes her. That’s even more shocking when you look at her body of work and realize it includes unforgettable performances in both Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liaisons. Plain and simple, Glenn Close hasn’t received the recognition she deserves.
17. Jessica Chastain.
Without a doubt, you can make the argument that Jessica deserved the Oscar for Best Actress in 2013 when she was up for her performance in Zero Dark Thirty. She ended up losing to Jennifer Lawrence’s Silver Linings Playbook. With two nominations under her belt and a leaning towards taking Oscar worthy roles, I think she’ll eventually win one.
18. Scarlett Johansson.
Scarlett Johansson has a filmography of Oscar worth performances including Lost in Translation, Girl with a Pearl Earring, A Love Song for Bobby Long, Match Point, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Ghost World, In Good Company, The Black Dahlia, The Prestige, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Under the Skin. But I think her biggest snub was her jaw-dropping performance in Under the Skin. In fact, I think this might be the Academy’s biggest individual acting snub in their history.
19. Don Cheadle.
Cheadle earned himself an Oscar nomination for best actor for his role in Hotel Rwanda. It’s definitely a shock that he hasn’t won an Oscar in his 30 year career, but he’s one of those actors that makes you think “its only a matter of time.” One thing is for certain, Don definitely has the acting chops to put on an Oscar winning performance.
20. Robert Redford.
You can call Robert Redford a lot of things. He’s an actor, a director, businessman, producer, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. One thing he isn’t is an Oscar winner. Although the Academy did honor him with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002, he hasn’t been able to achieve an Oscar win for one of his acting roles.
Conclusion
Honestly, I’m completely baffled by some of the names on this list. Many of these actors and actresses are household names and will without a doubt go down as some of the best thespians in film history. Have they not consistently performed at the top of their craft? Of course, they have, you would be lying if you said they haven’t. All hope isn’t lost though. Maybe one day they will capture an Oscar as Leonardo DiCaprio eventually did…but it’s definitely not guaranteed. At this point, I’m completely unsure of what the academy is judging these actors based on. I guess all I can say is… Better luck next year guys and gals.
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