Jennifer Aniston
Acclaimed performances include The Good Girl (2002) and Cake (2014).
◄ IMDb Polls
Poll: Pardon Me, Did You Say No Oscar Nods?
Just how elusive is an Academy Award? Below is a list of some of our most accomplished living actors. Not one has even received a nomination for an Oscar in acting. As of 2025, the following have never been nominated despite being reliably excellent in a significant body of work or having at least two performances that were widely considered to be big oversights on the part of the Academy. The list is not exhaustive but rather a sampling of the larger pool of acclaimed and well known living actors (as of February 2025) who have never been nominated. Who do you think has been most deserving of an Oscar nomination in an acting category?
After voting, feel free to discuss here.
Notes: Actors are listed in alphabetical order by last name. Congratulations to Guy Pearce and Isabella Rossellini who were on this list until they were nominated in January of 2025.
Make Your Choice
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Maria Bello
Acclaimed performances include A History of Violence (2005) and The Cooler (2003). -
Carol Burnett
Acclaimed performances include The Four Seasons (1981) and A Wedding (1978). -
Steve Buscemi
Acclaimed performances include Ghost World (2001) and Lean on Pete (2017). -
Maggie Cheung
Acclaimed performances include Clean (2004) and In the Mood for Love (2000). -
Brian Cox
Acclaimed performances include L.I.E. (2001) and Adaptation. (2002). -
Billy Crudup
Acclaimed performances include Jesus' Son (1999) and Stage Beauty (2004). -
John Cusack
His work in the films Being John Malkovich (1999), The Grifters (1990), and High Fidelity (2000) are often mentioned by critics to be worthy of Oscar nominations. -
Claire Danes
Often cited as one of our most gifted actors, yet never nominated. Noteworthy performances include Shopgirl (2005) and Little Women (1994). -
Jeff Daniels
This highly respected actor's praised performances include The Squid and the Whale (2005), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), and Guest Artist (2019). -
Paul Dano
Acclaimed performances include Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and 12 Years a Slave (2013). -
Mia Farrow
She has five Golden Globe nominations but zero Oscar noms. Noteworthy performances include Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Alice (1990). -
Ben Foster
Acclaimed performances include Hell or High Water (2016) and Leave No Trace (2018). -
Gael García Bernal
Acclaimed performances include Amores Perros (2000) and Y tu mamá también (2001). -
Danny Glover
Acclaimed performances include To Sleep with Anger (1990) and Dreamgirls (2006). -
John Goodman
Acclaimed performances include Barton Fink (1991) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013). -
Hugh Grant
Acclaimed performances include Heretic (2024) and About a Boy (2002). -
Emile Hirsch
Acclaimed performances include Into the Wild (2007) and Milk (2008). -
Gong Li
Acclaimed performances include Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and Farewell My Concubine (1993). -
Delroy Lindo
A consistently excellent character actor, he received universal acclaim for his performance in Da 5 Bloods (2020) -
Courtney Love
Acclaimed performances include The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) and Man on the Moon (1999). -
Melanie Lynskey
Acclaimed performances include The Intervention (2016) and Heavenly Creatures (1994). -
Andie MacDowell
Acclaimed performances include Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989) and Short Cuts (1993). -
Anthony Mackie
Acclaimed performances include The Hurt Locker (2008) and Brother to Brother (2004). -
Steve Martin
Acclaimed performances include It's Complicated (2009) and Shopgirl (2005). -
James McAvoy
Acclaimed performances include Atonement (2007) and The Last King of Scotland (2006). -
Ewan McGregor
Acclaimed performances include Moulin Rouge! (2001) and Trainspotting (1996). -
Thandiwe Newton
Acclaimed performances include Crash (2004) and Half of a Yellow Sun (2013). -
Kurt Russell
Acclaimed performances include Silkwood (1983) and The Hateful Eight (2015). -
Peter Sarsgaard
Acclaimed performances include Shattered Glass (2003) and Kinsey (2004). -
Andrew Scott
Acclaimed performances include All of Us Strangers (2023) and A Dark Place (2018). -
Martin Sheen
Acclaimed performances include Badlands (1973) and Apocalypse Now (1979). -
James Spader
Acclaimed performances include Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989) and Secretary (2002). -
John Turturro
Acclaimed performances include Barton Fink (1991) and Quiz Show (1994). -
Robin Wright
On every list I consulted, this is the actress that Jodie Foster said could be the best of her generation. Acclaimed performances include Forrest Gump (1994) and Nine Lives (2005).
