15+ Brilliant Actors Who You Would Never Believe Are Still Yet to Win an Oscar After All These Years and Incredible Performances

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

Indeed, some of them have already been nominated multiple times for an Oscar, with some not even receiving a nomination despite releasing a great movie in the same year; yet they still haven't won one. The Oscars aren't just like any other award show; it has become a significant achievement for actors to secure one of those awards because they are not easy to attain at all!

No matter how many great roles and movies an actor has starred in, it still doesn't guarantee their rightful Oscar win. This may occur due to the cut-off established by the awards show, wherein only movies released within a certain time frame are considered for nominations. So even if you have acted as if your rent was 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 received their Oscar yet, even after delivering numerous outstanding performances. Now, check out these A-listers you would honestly be surprised to learn haven't won an Academy Award yet!

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.

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2. 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.

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3. 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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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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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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