Getting an Oscar nomination isn’t everything, but it sure is nice. It’s hard to believe some of the most talented actors out there have yet to get a nod from the Academy. And as for some recent snubs, well -- that just ain’t right.
Michael B. Jordan
His heartfelt performances in “Fruitvale Station” and “Creed” were recognized by the Image and Independent Spirit awards, but Oscar? That's a big fat “no.” (We really thought he’d get it for “Black Panther!”)
Jeff Goldblum
What? Everyone's favorite chaos-theory expert has never been nominated as an actor, not even for his transformational (ha!) performance in 1986's “The Fly.” He was, however, nominated as a director for the 1996 live-action short film “Little Surprises.” So that’s something!
Jim Carrey
Poor Jim Carrey, always an Oscar presenter, never a nominee. Despite proving he's got dramatic as well as comedic chops in “The Truman Show,” “Man on the Moon” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” Oscar voters have remained indifferent.
Richard Gere
Richard Gere’s most overlooked, award-worthy performance is surely the cheated-on husband in “Unfaithful” (Tied with his thankless but amazing work in “Chicago.”) But “Unfaithful” came out while he was banned from presenting at the Oscars for his remarks on Tibet, so....
John Goodman
One of the Coens' favorite actors has delivered unforgettable work in “Barton Fink,” “The Big Lebowski,” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” He's been a good luck charm for Best Picture winners “The Artist” and “Argo” too, so where's his nod?
Bruce Willis
Sure, Brad Pitt’s twitchy mental patient got the Oscar nod for “12 Monkeys” but Willis' subtle performance as a dazed time traveler was completely overlooked. Same with his pivotal role in “The Sixth Sense.” The movie received six nominations but none for Bruce.
Danny Glover
Danny Glover is so much more than Roger Murtaugh. He won an Independent Spirit Award for “To Sleep With Anger” (1990), but never got an Oscar nod that year. And if you've never seen him in “The Color Purple” (1985) or “Places in the Heart” (1984), best get on that.
Kurt Russell
We'd give him all the awards for “The Thing” and “Big Trouble in Little China” but those weren't Oscar-friendly movies. But “Miracle,” about the Miracle on Ice hockey game at the 1980 Olympics sure was. (And it's not a great movie, but Russell's bristling turn as a corrupt cop in “Dark Blue” deserved Oscar's attention). Maybe if Kurt makes more movies like “The Hateful Eight” with Quentin Tarantino, he'll finally be invited Oscar night.
David Oyelowo
Y“Selma” came out late in 2014, but there's no excuse for overlooking David Oyelowo's searing performance as Martin Luther King, Jr. (Or Ava DuVernay's direction, for that matter.)
Donald Sutherland
A staple of cinema for decades, it's hard to believe he wasn't nominated for his stellar turns as grieving fathers in “Don't Look Now” (1973) or “Ordinary People” (1980). Or for originating the role of Hawkeye Pierce in Robert Altman’s stone cold classic “M*A*S*H.”
'Badlands (1971)
You might think of him more as a TV actor after his award-winning run on “The West Wing” but before that, he was blistering on the big screen in must-see classics “Badlands” and “Apocalypse Now.” And who got the only supporting Oscar nod for “The Departed?” Mark Wahlberg! Really?!
Meg Ryan
If Julia Roberts could get nominated for “Pretty Woman,” why not America's other favorite romcom star for “When Harry Met Sally…?” And why no love for her dramatic roles in “When A Man Loves a Woman” or “Courage Under Fire?” Come on people!
John Cusack
We could argue that Cusack should have been nominated for “Being John Malkovich” or ”The Grifters.” But we love him best in “Say Anything…” (1989), the Cameron Crowe movie that for some reason wasn't nominated for five Oscars like “Jerry Maguire.”
Val Kilmer
The reason we love “Tombstone” so much? (Besides the awesome mustaches?) Val Kilmer's role as tubercular Southern charmer Doc Holliday. He'll always be our huckleberry, but, alas, the Academy didn't see it that way. Same with his eerily perfect Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s otherwise problematic “The Doors.”
Robin Wright
Why hasn't this happened yet? That's really our only question. Thank you.
Jeffrey Wright
When hasn't the Emmy-winning “Westworld” star been amazing? But while he received Spirit Award nominations for “Basquiat” and “Broken Flowers” he's yet to be recognized by the Oscars.
Guy Pearce
Despite amazing turns in “Memento,” “L.A. Confidential” and “The Proposition” nada from the Academy so far. (Apart from appearing in Best Picture winners “The Hurt Locker” and “The King's Speech.”)
Ewan McGregor
Hey, Ryan Gosling: You're not the only pretty actor who can sing! Ewan did it 15 years ago in “Moulin Rouge!,” which landed him a Globe nom, but no Oscar. We'd also like to have seen some recognition for “Trainspotting” and “Beginners.” And for the phone scene in “The Impossible” -- that wrecked us!
Scarlett Johansson
It seemed like a sure thing: Scarlett Johansson would be nominated for her superb work in “Lost in Translation” or the less-superb-but-still-very-Oscar-y “Girl With a Pearl Earring.” But since they came out the same year, maybe they canceled each other out. And if it were up to fans, she'd have been nominated for her extraordinary voice-only performance in “Her” or, more recently, for her otherworldly turns in “Under the Skin” or “Lucy.”
Dennis Quaid
Maybe you've never thought of this '80s staple as an awards kind of guy, but he was revelatory as a closeted '50s husband in “Far From Heaven.” And he was also pretty damn good in “The Rookie” and “The Right Stuff.” #JusticeForQuaid
Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell nabbed a Golden Globe for his role as a hitman on the run in the dark comedy “In Bruges” but still no Oscar nom. (He was back at the 2017 Globes for “The Lobster.”) And if “Saving Mr. Banks” had gotten some awards traction, his terrific performance as a too-carefree father would have been noticed.
Oscar Isaac
This chameleon-like actor is so damn good, maybe people don't realize that the dance-crazy tech billionaire in “Ex Machina” and the unscrupulous businessman in the criminally underrated “A Most Violent Year” are the same guy -- and one who's very overdue for an Oscar nom.
