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 who has suffered from the Oscar drought.
Some of Hollywood's biggest names have done just about everything except win an Oscar. They have the nominations, the iconic roles, and the long careers, but the Academy Award still hasn't landed in their hands.
That makes this list a little surprising, because these actors have delivered performance after performance that felt like sure things. Even so, the Oscar has remained out of reach for all kinds of reasons, from timing to competition to the strange way awards seasons shake out.
Here are the A-listers who still have not won one of Hollywood's most coveted prizes.
1. Samuel L. Jackson
Despite being in movies for almost five decades, Samuel L. Jackson has never been an Academy Award winner. In 2021, it was announced by the Academy that he would receive a "consolation prize" and would be awarded his honorary Oscar in 2022.
Emmerson / Splash News2. Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen has been in the industry since the 1960s, but he is still yet to take home an Oscar. He was nominated for 1998's Gods and Monsters and 2001's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring but left empty-handed.
Instagram3. Robert Downey Jr.
Would you believe that RDJ has never won an Oscar in his entire life? The ever-charming Tony Stark of our universe himself is actually responsible for this: he flat-out told his team not to put his name forward for consideration in the awards show.
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4. Annette Bening
Annette has had four Oscar nominations, but she has never taken home a win. This actress has worked in numerous genres, so it's truly a wonder why she hasn't won an Oscar yet.
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5. Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney has been nominated three times: twice in 1989, for her roles in 1988's Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl, but she has never brought home the bacon.
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That list only gets more surprising from here.
6. Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams can be quite selective with her roles, but she has gradually made her way up to become 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.
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7. John Malkovich
John Malkovich stars in movies that the Academy always seems to love, yet it's a mystery why he still hasn't won an Oscar. He's been nominated for Best Supporting Actor twice.
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8. Amy Adams
This one's pretty unbelievable too—Amy Adams has long cemented her reputation 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.
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9. Bill Murray
Bill Murray is one of those A-listers in Hollywood that will leave you scratching your head because he still hasn't won an Oscar yet.
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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 has 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."
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At this point, the Oscar gap feels almost unreal.
This reminds us of the best-dressed stars at Oscars 2026, where standout looks stole attention early.
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.
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12. Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes has been nominated for his performances in The English Patient and Schindler's List, but he is still yet to win an Academy Award.
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13. Johnny Depp
Yep, Johnny still hasn't won an Oscar! He has been nominated for Best Actor three times but has never brought home an award.
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14. Jake Gyllenhaal
It comes as a surprise that Jake Gyllenhaal has only been nominated once for an Oscar, and it was only as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Brokeback Mountain.
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15. Edward Norton
It's also shocking that Edward Norton failed to secure that golden statue for American History X. He has been nominated three times.
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16. Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci was nominated for his performance in The Lovely Bones in 2009, but it was Christoph Waltz who won the trophy for Best Supporting Actor in Inglourious Basterds.
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17. Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson's work in Schindler's List and Kinsey could have earned him an Oscar, but he unfortunately lost his nomination for Best Actor to Tom Hanks in Philadelphia.
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Sure, some people may say that the Oscars are 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 could replicate. We sincerely hope that they will receive their well-deserved awards soon because it's about time they bagged that statue!
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Samuel L. Jackson still waiting for an Oscar, check out 10 Times Hollywood’s Biggest Stars wanted the Earth to swallow them whole.
