#25. Sam Elliot
The American actor is well known for his thick mustache and deep voice, which have allowed him to play the role of a cowboy in many famous Western films. Besides that, Elliot is a great actor with a long-lasting career of over half a century, including films like Buffalo Girls and The Hero.
But surprisingly, none of these films were enough to get him an Oscar nomination! In 2018, he was part of Bradley Cooper’s film A Star Is Born and finally received his first Oscar nomination for the Best Supporting Actor category. He was then nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for the same role but didn’t win either of them.
#24. Angela Bassett
If someone deserves an Oscar, it is definitely Angela Basset. This American actress is well known for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther, one of Marvel’s latest and greatest releases. But the most remarkable role in her whole career didn’t give her the Oscar she deserved. Do you know which role we’re talking about?
In 1993, Basset portrayed the famous black singer Tina Turner in the famous biopic What’s Love Got to Do with It. The audience and the critics loved Basset’s performance, so she was fairly nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Sadly, the oscar went to Holly Hunter, although she did win a Golden Globe!
#23. John Malkovich
Malkovich has been part of more than 70 films, in most of which he took the risk and played excentric and villain roles. The list of films he’s starred in includes classics like The Killing Fields, Rounders, Being John Malkovich, and Bird Box.
Although he boasts an enviable career, he has only been nominated on two occasions, the first one for his role in Places in the Heart in 1984 and later for The Line of Fire in 1993. Today, Malkovich is considered a legend in the film industry, and that’s why we believe he deserves his recognition!
#22. Judy Garland
The American actress, singer, and dancer started her career at a very young age. During her 45-year career, she acted in dozens of classics, though her most memorable role was that of Dorothy Gale in the Oscar-winner film The Wizard of Oz. Famous for her amazing voice, she has also pursued a successful career in the theater world.
Some critics say that her greatest performance ever was in the first remake of A Star Is Born, released in 1954. All eyes were on her on the night of the Oscars, but people were left baffled when Grace Kelly won the Academy Award for Best Actress instead.
#21. Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen is such a great actor that he could easily take on any role he wants. The British actor is considered one of the best actors of all time, but yet he didn’t win an Oscar. Let’s go over some of his most memorable works!
McKellen was nominated for an Oscar only twice, the first time being for his role in the 1998 period-drama film Gods and Monsters. His second nomination was for his unforgettable portrayal of Gandalf in Lord Of The Rings, which became one of the most iconic characters in pop culture.
#20. Samuel L. Jackson
Jackson has been in more than 100 films, including cameos, secondary roles, and lead characters. He will always be remembered for his roles in famous action and crime films such as Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, and Unbreakable.
Some people say that he is Quentin Tarantino’s favorite actor, but sadly, Jackson only received one Oscar nomination for his supporting role in Pulp Fiction. We just hope that Tarantino will continue choosing Jackson for future roles, maybe that way he’ll win his well-deserved Oscar!
#19. Helena Bonham Carter
There is no other actress with such a hip ad cool style than Helena Bonham Carter. She has definitely won millions of fans around the world thanks to her most remarkable performances, such as that of Marla Singer in Fight Club and Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series.
Although she is one of the greatest actresses out there, she has been nominated for an Oscar only twice in her life, and the two of them without a victory. She was first nominated for her role in the 1997 romantic-drama film The Wings Of The Dove and then for her role in the 2010 period drama film The King’s Speech.
#18. Ryan Gosling
The Canadian actor began his acting career when he was a child after landing a role in The Mickey Mouse Club and continued in series like ¿Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps. Over the years, Gosling has shown he is a great and talented actor and moved on to more complex roles in famous films.
His fans have fallen in love with him for his roles in the romantic-drama films The Notebook and Lars And The Real Girl, but he hasn’t won any awards for such roles. He did receive Academy Award nominations for his roles in the drama film Half Nelson and the comedy-musical film La La Land, but unfortunately, he didn’t win.
#17. Edward Norton
Norton is well known for his roles in movies like Fight Club, The Illusionist, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Great Budapest Hotel. He is both an accomplished actor and filmmaker but hasn’t won any Academy Awards, neither for the Best Actor or Best Director categories.
He was nominated twice for Best Actor, first for his role in the neo-noir crime film Primal Fear and then in the crime-drama American History X. We are still waiting for his next work and for him to finally get the Oscar he deserves!
#16. Sigourney Weaver
Weaver has a long and talented career of more than 30 years and she has acted in over 50 movies. She is considered a pioneer in sci-fi and superhero films and is most famous for her role as Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise. This role gave her her first Oscar nomination in 1986, which she lost to Marlee Matlin.
Other than Alien, she achieved her most outstanding performances in the blockbusters Ghostbusters and Avatar. She is also one of the few actresses to ever receive two Academy Award nominations in the same year: for the Best Actress category in Working Girl and for the Best Supporting Actress category in Gorillas In The Mist, both in 1989.
#15. Cary Grant
Perhaps Cary Grant is one of the most important actors in history, as he was considered one of the leading men in the Golden Age of Hollywood. He played lead roles in famous blockbusters like Blonde Venus (1932), She Done Him Wrong, (1933) and The Awful Truth (1937).
Grant was also part of many of Hitchcock’s classics like Notorious, To Catch A Thief and North By Northwest. That’s why it’s hard to understand how such a talented actor with such a successful career never one an Academy Award. However, he was nominated twice for his roles in Penny Serenade and None But The Lonely Heart.
#14. Tom Cruise
Cruise is considered one of the best actors of all time and he has been part of the film industry since the 80s. Although he is most famous for his role as Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible series, he has delivered even greater performances in other major classics.
Some of his best classics include Magnolia, Jerry Maguire and Born On The Fourth Of July, and he received an Oscar nomination for his roles in all of these movies. Sadly, he didn’t win, but we’re sure he soon will!
#13. Charlie Chaplin
Is there any doubt that Charlie Chaplin has been one of the most influential figures in film history? Teenagers continue watching his greatest classics to this day and his films are most appreciated for their social commentary and political irony. He is one of the main pioneers of the comedy genre during the silent era and he’ll never be forgotten.
Despite his successful career, he never won an Oscar, but in 1972 he received an Honorary Statue for his contribution to the cinema. Some of his best works include City Lights, The Great Dictator, and Modern Times. If you haven’t watched them, then you know what you should be doing next weekend!
#12. Bill Murray
Perhaps, comedian Bill Murray is one of the most talented yet under-estimated actors in the industry. He’s been in many comedy classics like Meatballs, Caddyshack, Stripes, and the Ghostbusters series, and he sure knows how to make us laugh our heads off!
In 2003, he starred in the romantic drama film Lost In Translation and he won a Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Actor. He was also nominated for an Oscar in the same category but sadly lost to Sean Penn.
#11. Amy Adams
The American actress has been in the acting world ever since she was 19 years old. She made her acting debut with a supporting role in Drop Dead Gorgeous in 1999. Ever since then, her fame has rocketed and she is presently regarded as one of Hollywood’s greatest talents.
Adams has been nominated for an Academy Award six times, but without a single win! She received nominations for Best Supporting Actress in Junebug (2006), Doubt (2009), The Fighter (2011) and The Master (2013) and for Best Actress in American Hustle in 2013. But she needn’t have any regrets, as she has won many important awards, including a few Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
#10. Jake Gyllenhaal
If you were growing up in the Gyllenhaal family, it was hard not to choose a profession related to the film industry. Jake Gyllenhaal is the son of the director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner and brother of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. This family is full of art and talent!
Jake Gyllenhaal has proved he is a talented actor and has taken very different types of roles. His most remarkable work was in the company of Hedger Ledger in Brokeback Mountain, which brought him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Sadly, he lost to George Clooney.
#9. Richard Burton
The late Welsh actor Richard Burton was famous for his deep and bold voice and his long relationship both on and off-screen with Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor. He is mostly remembered for his role as Mark Antony in Cleopatra and as Thomas Becket in Becket.
Burton was nominated for an Academy Award seven times in his life but he could never win! Nevertheless, he is considered one of the most talented and brilliant actors of Hollywood’s Golden Age, so he should have no regrets. Let’s keep reading which famous actors and actresses have never won an Oscar!
#8. Brad Pitt
Some actors are so famous that one would think they won at least one Oscar throughout their career, and such is the case of this American actor and heartthrob. It’s a surprise that Brad Pitt hasn’t one any Academy ward despite his unique talent. However, he has won an Oscar for his production work in 12 Years A Slave in 2014.
However, Brad Pitt has received several a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the sci-fi film 12 Monkeys (1996), and for Best Actor for his roles in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2009) and Moneyball (2012).
#7. Michelle Williams
Perhaps Michelle Wiliams is one of the most talented actresses in the film industry, but she has never received recognition for that. She catapulted to fame after landing a role in the drama film Dawson’s Creek, and she has starred in many great films ever since.
Her most memorable works include My Week With Marilyn, Manchester by the Sea, and Blue Valentine, all of which earned her Academy Award nominations. Sadly, Wiliams is still waiting for her first Oscar, and we’re sure it’ll come any time soon.
#6. Ed Harris
The American actor and producer Ed Harris has starred in movies like Apollo 13, The Truman Show, Pollock, and The Hours. All of them were acclaimed by critics and the public, and that’s why Harris earned Acadamy Award nominations for those roles. Unfortunately, he didn’t win any of them.
Harris also has an enviable TV career, having acted in series like Empire Falls in the role of Miles Roby and Game Change as US Senator John McCain. He is currently working in the HBO sci-fi Western series Westworld, nailing it as usual.
#5. Peter O’Toole
The British actor is well known for his role as T.E Lawrence in Lawrence Of Arabia, which brought him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Unluckily, he couldn’t win that statue, nor the other 7 times he was nominated!
He was nominated for his roles in Becket, The Lion In Winter, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, The Ruling Class, The Stunt Man, My Favorite Year and Venus. Even though he lost on all 8 occasions, he received an Honorary Statue in 2003 because of his admirable trajectory.
#4. Joaquin Phoenix
The Puerto Rico-born actor Joaquin Phoenix is famous for his prolific and diverse acting career. He has starred in numerous sci-fi, horror and cult films, and we just can’t understand why he still doesn’t have a statue!
Phoenix’s most remarkable roles were in movies like Gladiator, Walk The Line, and The Master, for which he received Oscar nominations. This year, he has nailed it in the role of The Joker, so let’s keep our fingers crossed, cause this time maybe it!
#3. Annette Bening
The American actress has a long and fruitful career that has made her the world-recognized actress she is today. Up to these days, Bening still hasn’t won an Oscar despite the fact she has been in more than 20 films and Broadway plays.
She was been nominated for her roles in the drama films The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia and The Kids Are Alright. However, she has won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress and two Golden Globe Awards. Let’s see if Bening’s opportunity appears soon!
#2. Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes has starred in countless classics, so it’s impossible for him never to have won an Oscar! First, he was nominated for the Best Supporting Role category in the 1994 Holocaust docudrama Schindler’s List, and then for the Best Actor category in the 1996 period drama The English Patient.
Fiennes’ work includes movies like The Reader and The Grand Budapest Hotel. He is, without a doubt, one of the UK’s greatest talents ever, and his elegance reminds us of the greatest icons from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Don’t give up, Ralph!
#1. Glenn Close
One of the most gifted and famous actresses in the world is definitely Glenn Close. That’s why many people are surprised that with her long acting career she has never received an Oscar. Let’s go over her most remarkable roles.
She has been nominated seven times in her life for her performances in the movies The World According to Garp, The Big Chill, The Natural, Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, and Albert Nobbs. We are still shaken by the fact that she didn’t win the Academy Award for her role in The Wife this 2019.