15+ Brilliant Actors Who You Would Never Believe Are Still Yet To Win An Oscar After All These Years And Incredible Performances

Yep, it's not only Leonardo DiCaprio that suffered the Oscar drought.

Sophia

• Published in Film & TV
• June 25, 2022

There are actors in Hollywood that seem to have already cemented their reputation as award-winning performers and it's easy to assume that they have already gained well-deserved awards for their craft. But you would be surprised to know that, even those who have been acting for decades already and excellently so, are still yet to get their first Academy Award.

Indeed, some of them have already been nominated multiple times for an Oscar, with some not even being nominated even with a great movie put out in the same year; but they actually haven't won one yet. The Oscars aren't just like any other award show; it has become a huge deal for actors to nab one of those awards because they are not easy to achieve at all!

No matter how many great roles and movies an actor has already starred in, it still doesn't guarantee their rightful Oscars win. This may happen due to the cut-off established by the awards show, wherein only movies released in a certain time span would be considered for nominations, so even if you already acted so hard like your rent was on due, it won't be eligible for an award if it doesn't meet the required criteria.

It's definitely fascinating yet frustrating to think that some of Hollywood's biggest names haven't even got their Oscar yet, even after delivering numerous outstanding performances. Now, check out these A-listers you would honestly be surprised hasn't won an Academy Award yet!

1. Samuel L. Jackson

Despite being in movies for almost five decades now, Samuel L. Jackson has never been an Academy Award winner. In 2021, it was announced by the Academy that he would be given a "consolation prize" and he would be getting his honorary Oscar in 2022.

2. Ian McKellen

Ian McKellen has been in the industry since the 1960s, but he is still yet to have an Oscar to take home. He got nominated for 1998's Gods and Monsters and 2001's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring but left home empty-handed.

3. Robert Downey Jr.

Would you believe that RDJ has never won an Oscar in his entire life just yet? The ever-charming Tony Stark of our universe himself is actually responsible for this: he flat out told his team to not put his name forward for consideration in the awards show.

4. Annette Bening

Annette had four Oscar nominations, but she has never taken home a win. This actress has been in numerous genres already, so it's really a wonder why she hasn't won an Oscar already.

5. Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney has been nominated three times: two of them in 1989, for her roles in 1988's Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl, but has never brought home the bacon.

6. Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams can be pretty selective with her roles, but she has slowly made her way up to be a reputable Hollywood actress. She has been nominated for an Oscar four times, including for her roles in Brokeback Mountain and Manchester by the Sea.

7. John Malkovich

John Malkovich stars in movies that the Academy always seems to love, but it's a wonder why he still hasn't won an Oscar. He's been nominated as Best Supporting Actor twice.

8. Amy Adams

This one's pretty unbelievable too—Amy Adams has long cemented her rep as an amazing actress and she has been recognized numerous times for her acting. However, she has never won an Oscar, despite being nominated six times.

9. Bill Murray

Bill Murray is one of those A-celebs on Hollywood that will just leave you scratching your heads because he still hasn't won an Oscar yet.

10. Glenn Close

Glenn Close starred in Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, and Hillbilly Elegy and has been nominated for an Oscar eight times, but she never won. She seems fine with it, though.

In an interview with the Associated Press in 2021, Glenn said, "Who in that category is a loser? You're there, you're five people honored for the work you've done by your peers. What's better than that? And I honestly feel that the press likes to have winners and losers. And then they say, 'Who is the worst dressed?' And, you know, 'Who made the worst speech?' Forget it. It's not what it's about."

11. Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is unquestionably worthy of an Oscar, but he is still yet to get his hands on that golden statue. He has been nominated three times: for Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia.

12. Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes has been nominated for his performance in The English Patient and Schindler's List, but he is still yet to win an Academy Award.

13. Johnny Depp

Yep, Johnny still hasn't won an Oscar! He has been nominated as best actor three times but has never brought home an award.

14. Jake Gyllenhaal

It comes as a surprise that Jake Gyllenhaal has only been nominated once for Oscars, and it was only as best supporting actor for his performance in Brokeback Mountain.

15. Edward Norton

It's also a shocker that Edward Norton failed to bag that golden statue for American History X. He has been nominated three times.

16. Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci was nominated for his performance in The Lovely Bones in 2009, but it was Christoph Waltz that won the trophy for best supporting actor in Inglourious Basterds.

17. Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson's work in Schindler's List and Kinsey could have bagged him an Oscar, but he, unfortunately, lost his nomination for best actor to Tom Hanks in Philadelphia.

Sure, some people may say that the Oscars may be rigged and that at the end of the day, it's just a golden statue—but for these actors, it would mark a significant milestone in their lives that no other award show would be able to replicate. We sure hope that they would be getting their well-deserved award soon because it's about time they bagged that statue!

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Sophia