Best Actors/Actresses Never to Have Won an Oscar

Over the past few decades, we’ve been lucky enough to have some fine actors and actresses grace our screens. As a result, the standard of talent at the Oscars has only gotten stronger. With this in mind, it means that some brilliant actors are yet to win the award that’s perhaps the pinnacle of the industry…despite strong performances. Here’s a list of a few;

Johnny Depp

For many, Johnny Depp has put in some of the finest performances of this generation. Although nominated for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Finding Neverland, he’s still yet to win. What does he have to do to get his hands on an Academy Award?

Sir Ian McKellen

Likewise, Ian McKellen has enjoyed a successful career in the world of acting. Not only was he nominated for his role in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, he received a nomination for Gods and Monsters. Sadly, he won neither despite the influential performances.

Robert Downey Jr

In recent years, Robert Downey Jr has found prominence again as part of the huge Avengers franchise. However, the earlier peak of his career saw him nominated for Tropic Thunder and Chaplin. Unfortunately, he didn’t win which means he finds a place on this list.

Glenn Close

When it comes to successful actresses, you don’t get much bigger than Glenn Close. However, she has missed out on an Oscar no less than SIX times. Despite six nominations, she has always been overlooked (she’s a winner in our eyes!).

Amy Adams

Another prolific nominee, Amy Adams has attended the show as a nominee five times for movies including American Hustle, Junebug, and The Fighter. We hope Amy still has plenty of time to win and will eventually be rewarded for her fantastic acting.

Helena Bonham Carter

Like Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter is one of the best character actors around and has won nominations for The King’s Speech and The Wings of the Dove. Of course, Harry Potter fans will also recognize her as the evil, yet brilliant, Bellatrix Lestrange.

James McAvoy

Recently, we saw an article that named James McAvoy as one of the most underrated actors of our time and it’s hard to disagree. Despite no nominations for an Oscar, he has put in tremendous performances in The Last King of Scotland, the X-Men series, Atonement, Split, and a whole host of other movies.

Richard Burton

Finally, how can we create a list of non-Oscar winners without mentioning one of the most nominated actors of all time? As a seven-time nominee for films like Becket and The Robe, Burton sadly never got the big award. We’re sure he was happy with the many Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Laurels, and other awards though.

Is there anybody you think should have an Oscar by now? Of course, we could have also mentioned the late, great Alan Rickman, Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Samuel L Jackson, Clint Eastwood, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sigourney Weaver, and more!