Top 10 Best Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar

Some of these actors have been nominated multiple times and walked away empty-handed. Others haven't even received that nod from the Academy, despite having careers full of critical praise and unforgettable performances. It really makes you question what more they need to do to get recognized.

This list is your chance to give credit where Hollywood hasn't. You can vote for the actors you believe have gone far too long without a win. This isn't about industry politics or overdue trophies. It's about talent, consistency, and the feeling you get when someone completely nails a role, even if the Academy overlooked it.

The Top Ten

  1. Johnny Depp

    John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor, producer, and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. His role in a movie is often rather big. His character is often on the "loopy side" and his character being in a darker state... read more

    Each and every movie Johnny Depp is in is worth watching. In 90% of them, if the academy weren't slipping on their drool or finding the stupidest movie to award, he'd have won ages ago, not to mention he'd have won more than once. This is why I cannot stand to watch the awards anymore. DiCaprio also deserves more than one. Thank you.

    Depp wouldn't be my first choice - I don't feel that he's demonstrated quite the emotional range of some of his contemporaries - but he's quite good all the same, and I do think that he's put in some award-worthy performances. I was most impressed with him in Donnie Brasco, myself.

  2. Rowan Atkinson

    Rowan Sebastian Atkinson, is an English actor, comedian, and screenwriter best known for his work on the sitcoms Blackadder and Mr. Bean.

    If not for Mr. Bean, he should have at least got something for Blackadder Goes Forth. That last episode would have been enough for him to bag an Oscar.

    Best comedy actor ever. Mr. Bean is such an icon.

    He was one of my favorite childhood actors. He played Mr. Bean so well.

  3. Edward Norton

    Edward Harrison Norton is an American actor, filmmaker, and activist. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards for his performances in Primal Fear, American History X, and Birdman. Norton is also known for his roles in Fight Club, The Incredible Hulk, and The Illusionist.... read more

    Primal Fear and American History X were his to win. Yet somehow, he was denied. Unfortunately, I feel that his best work is behind him at this point.

    Definitely deserved one for American History X or Primal Fear.

    Definitely deserves an Oscar for Fight Club, Primal Fear, American History X, or the 25th Hour.

  4. Bradley Cooper

    Bradley Charles Cooper is an American actor and producer. He has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, including nominations for acting, producing, and writing. Cooper has also been nominated for a Tony Award and is known for his roles in Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper, and A Star Is Born... read more

  5. Tom Cruise

    Thomas Cruise Mapother IV is an American actor and producer with a career spanning more than four decades. He has received various accolades for his work, including three Golden Globe Awards and four Academy Award nominations. Cruise is best known for starring in the Mission: Impossible franchise, which... read more

    Gotta admit he is a role model for young men.

  6. Richard Burton

    Richard Burton was a Welsh actor. Noted for his mellifluous baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s. He gave a memorable performance of Hamlet in 1964 and was called "the natural successor to Olivier" by critic and dramaturge Kenneth Tynan.

    Deserved a win for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? among the many nominations he received.

    This guy was the best role model in the world in his time.

  7. Ed Harris

    Edward Allen Harris is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. His performances in Apollo 13, The Truman Show, Pollock, and The Hours earned him critical acclaim and four Academy Award nominations. He is widely respected for his intense, emotionally resonant acting style... read more

  8. Jake Gyllenhaal

    Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Gyllenhaal (born December 19, 1980) is an American actor known for his performances in films such as Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain, Prisoners, and Nightcrawler. He is the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner. Jake and his sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal,... read more

    Yeah, I believe he deserves at least one Oscar. Nothing more, just one.

  9. James McAvoy

    James McAvoy is a Scottish actor. He made his acting debut as a teenager in the 1995 film The Near Room. From 2003 onward, he transitioned into feature films while continuing to work in both film and television.

    Please give him at least a nomination.

  10. Michael Fassbender

    Michael Fassbender is a German-Irish actor of stage and screen whose career includes roles in both independent and blockbuster films. He is best known for performances in Hunger, Inglourious Basterds, Shame, X-Men: First Class, Prometheus, 12 Years a Slave, Frank, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Steve... read more

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Jacob Elordi

  12. ?

    Wagner Moura

    13. The Contenders

  13. Jesse Eisenberg

    Jesse Adam Eisenberg is an American actor, author, playwright, and humorist. He made his television debut in the short-lived comedy-drama series Get Real (1999-2000).

    Eisenberg is best known for his roles in Zombieland, Adventureland, The Social Network, and Now You See Me In The Social Network... read more

  14. Matt Damon

    Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He is ranked among Forbes magazine's most bankable stars and is one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. Damon gained fame with Good Will Hunting (1997), which he co-wrote with Ben Affleck and for which they won... read more

  15. Mark Ruffalo

    Mark Alan Ruffalo is an American actor, producer, and political activist who made his screen debut in an episode of CBS Summer Playhouse, followed by minor film roles. He rose to prominence with his role in the 2000 film You Can Count on Me. Ruffalo is also widely known for portraying Bruce Banner/Hulk... read more

  16. Warren Beatty

    Henry Warren Beatty is an American actor and filmmaker. Over the course of his career, he has received fourteen Academy Award nominations. These include four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, three for Best Original Screenplay, and one for Best Adapted Screenplay. He won... read more

  17. John Malkovich

    John Gavin Malkovich, born on December 9, 1953, is an American actor, producer, director, and fashion designer. Over his career of more than four decades, he has appeared in over 70 films, earning widespread acclaim.

    He received Academy Award nominations for his roles in Places in the Heart and... read more

  18. James Mason

    James Neville Mason (May 15, 1909 - July 27, 1984) was an English actor. After achieving major success in the United Kingdom, where he was the top box office attraction in 1944 and 1945, he transitioned to the United States and became one of Hollywood's most prominent stars.... read more

  19. Arthur Kennedy

  20. Marcello Mastroianni

    Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (28 September 1924-19 December 1996), was an Italian actor. He is generally regarded as one of Italy's most iconic male performers of the 20th century. Over a career spanning 147 films between 1939 and 1996, he played leading roles... read more

  21. Nick Nolte

    Nicholas King "Nick" Nolte is an American actor and former model. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his performance in the 1991 film The Prince of Tides. Nolte has also received Academy Award nominations for his roles in Affliction (1998) and Warrior (2011).

  22. Chris Hemsworth

    Chris Hemsworth is an Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as Kim Hyde in the Australian TV series Home and Away and as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His appearances as Thor include Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity... read more

  23. Jim Carrey

    James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian and American actor, comedian, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer. He's well known for comedic roles in films such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, The Cable Guy, Liar Liar, How the Grinch Stole Christmas... read more

    The only thing I think he should have been nominated for was The Truman Show. Being that this was 1998 and Billy Bob Thornton was in A Simple Plan that year, I don't think that Carrey should have won, but I do think that he at least deserved the nomination.

    He at least deserved a nomination for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004).

  24. Liam Neeson

    Liam John Neeson, OBE, is an actor from Northern Ireland. In 1976, he joined the Lyric Players' Theatre in Belfast, where he performed for two years. He later appeared in the 1981 Arthurian film Excalibur, which helped launch his film career.

    Yeah, I guess. Does he have to act so complex all the time, though?

    His movies are wonderful, especially those mystery movies. They make me excited.

  25. Montgomery Clift

    Edward Montgomery "Monty" Clift (October 17, 1920 - July 23, 1966) was an American film and stage actor. Alongside Marlon Brando and James Dean, Clift was one of the original method actors in Hollywood. He was among the first to be invited to join the Actors Studio, where he worked with Lee Strasberg... read more

    One of the greatest actors of all time.

  26. John Travolta

    John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer, and singer. He rose to fame in the 1970s after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office hits Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Grease (1978). Travolta later experienced a resurgence in popularity with roles... read more

  27. Djimon Hounsou

    Djimon Gaston Hounsou is a Beninese and American actor and former model. He gained international recognition for his role as Cinqué in Steven Spielberg's Amistad (1997), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination. He has also received two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor and remains... read more

8Load More
PSearch List