Actors who should have an Oscar for acting

Johansson has been getting awards buzz since she was still quite young, thanks to her turn in "Lost in Translation." While she's been awash in the world of Marvel as Black Widow, there are a couple of chances for ScarJo to get an Oscar nomination this time around. Johansson got a nominated for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for 2019 - for "Marriage Story" and "Jojo Rabbit" respectively, but came up short both times.

Like Johansson, Driver is a talented, critically acclaimed actor who is part of a massive cinematic universe. When he isn't playing Kylo Ren, and even when he is, Driver gets the kind of great press that makes you feel like a future Oscar is a lock. He got a nomination for "Marriage Story" but didn't win. Now that he's done with the "Star Wars" movies, though, he'll have more time to Oscar hunt. "White Noise" ended up being a swing and a miss, though.

Believe it or not, Cheadle has only one Oscar nomination — for “Hotel Rwanda.” That seems absurd, given his acting chops and some of his roles. These days, he’s seemingly been in less of an Oscars mode. He starred in the TV show “House of Lies” for four years and has been appearing in Marvel movies as James Rhodes aka War Machine. Here’s hoping some more Oscar bait is coming.

Close is the modern “always a bridesmaid, never a bride” of the Oscars. The Emmy and Tony winner has been nominated a whopping seven times for an Academy Award but has fallen short every time. No living actor has been nominated more without winning. If anybody is due for a career achievement Oscar, it’s Close.

He couldn’t cut it as the Incredible Hulk, but Norton is a critically acclaimed actor. He’s been nominated for three Oscars, and that doesn’t even include his work in films like “Fight Club” and “25th Hour.” Unlike some actors on this list, Norton has gotten award love in recent years, including for 2014’s “Birdman.” It feels like he still has time to get it done.

The Golden Globes has given Bening two awards, and the BAFTAs have shown her some love as well. Alas, she’s still waiting for the Academy to bestow her such an honor. She’s gotten close a few times. The “American Beauty” star has four nominations, but none has clicked yet. It has been a decade since her last nomination, but there's still opportunity for her to make it happen.

If we’re being honest, it seems unlikely Ford will ever win an Oscar. He’s 77, and he seems pretty over the whole “acting” thing. Maybe Ford will surprise us, but if he doesn’t, he will end his career sans Oscar. We guess he has to settle for having played Han Solo and Indiana Jones. What a shame.

Weaver actually sort of presaged the era of genre fare getting awards buzz, as she was nominated for her performance as Ripley in “Aliens.” She also once won two Golden Globes in the same year. Unfortunately for her, neither of those roles got her an Oscar, and now she’s spending her time working on “Avatar” sequels.

The length of time Cruise has been a movie star has been truly impressive. However, it feels like he’s set aside the Oscar push for making “Mission: Impossible” films. He definitely tried hard in the past. “Born on the Fourth of July” and “Magnolia” were both huge swings, and he would have been a worthy winner for either. Cruise gets a lot of flak, mostly for his personal life, but the guy is a genuinely great actor.

Williams is only 42 but already has five Oscars nominations. That seems to bode well for her future. She inhabited Marilyn Monroe for one of her nominations and won a Golden Globe for that role. If you wanted to wager on somebody on this list finally winning an Academy Award, Williams would be a great bet.

Damon and Ben Affleck famously won Oscars for writing, and Affleck’s “Argo” also won Best Picture, even though he wasn’t even nominated as a director. Of the two, though, Damon is the one who seemed more likely to win an Oscar for acting...and more deserving. He’s worked with iconic directors — the Coens, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh — but the Oscar hasn’t come yet.

To think there was a time when Downey Jr. was persona non grata in Hollywood. Then, “Iron Man” happened. Now he’s one of the biggest movie stars in the world. However, “Iron Man” doesn’t win Oscars. It seems like Downey’s time as Tony Stark has come to an end, though, so the door is open. Of course, his first post-MCU movie was the baffling "Doctor Doolittle," so that's not a great start.

Harris is one of those actors who feels like he should have had an Oscar by now. His filmography screams “critical darling.” He’s been in films like “Apollo 13,” “The Truman Show,” “Pollock” and “A History of Violence.” Harris has a ton of awards and nominations but no Oscars yet. However, he does have the sort of weathered, captivating look that lets actors go for Oscars in their later years.

You would think, given the sheer amount of work he’s done, that Jackson would have an Oscar by now. When you make 10 films a year, one of them should hit, right? Sure, maybe he wasn’t going to win for “Deep Blue Sea,” but he’s had some iconic, critically acclaimed roles in films like “Pulp Fiction,” “Jackie Brown,” and…well, mostly Quentin Tarantino films. He seems to often play Nick Fury now, but there’s still time.

Tiny and dynamic, Hayek exploded into the Oscars landscape with her portrayal of artist Frida Kahlo in a biopic. However, her career lends itself to many questions, namely, can somebody who was in both “Grown Ups” and “Grown Ups 2” win an Oscar? Hey, Al Pacino was in “Jack and Jill.” Anything is possible.

If you are of a certain age, you may think of Neeson only as an action star. He plays gray-haired badasses and fights wolves and stuff. Back in the day, though, he was a more “serious” actor. He was the star of “Schindler’s List!” Will he ever go back to that kind of movie? Or will he have to hope to win an Oscar for a “Taken” sequel?

Yeoh was a star in Asia when she made her first mark in America with “Tomorrow Never Dies.” Then a few years later, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” came out, and she was a star. It was thought that her performance in “Crazy Rich Asians,” a huge sensation in 2018, would finally get her an Oscar nod but it did not. However, Yeoh finally got a nomination thanks to "Everything Everwhere All at Once."

Fiennes, like Neeson, was in “Schindler’s List,” and he got an Oscar nomination for that performance. A few years later, he got another nomination for Elaine Benes’ least-favorite movie, “The English Patient.” Oddly that was his last nomination, so it’s been over 20 years since the Academy showed him some appreciation. That seems like it has to change eventually, right?

Linney is one of our most decorated actors. She has four Emmys and two Golden Globes, and she has been nominated for four Tonys and three Oscars. Recently, she’s been stuck on Netflix’s blah show “Ozark,” but hopefully she will get herself another great movie role soon.

Malkovich is the rare actor who was nominated for an Oscar and an MTV Movie Award for the same role. He won neither of them, and that film, 1993’s “In the Line of Fire,” was his last Academy Award nomination. He couldn’t even get one for “Being John Malkovich!” That would have been a cool win, but it didn’t happen, and now Malkovich has to play the waiting game.

It feels like Adams’ time is coming. She already has six nominations, include one when she was just over 30. She’s a great actress who works with a lot of great directors. However, unlike a lot of other greats, she hasn’t gotten trapped in a comic book movie universe yet. (She did play Lois Lane, but that seems to be in her past). You can lock Adams in for an Oscar eventually, but the fact she’s currently 0-for-6 is somewhat shocking.

McKellen played both Gandalf and Magneto, so he’s a legend on that front. The guy has been knighted! Beyond that, he’s considered a fantastic Shakespearean stage actor and has a litany of awards to his name. McKellen has two Oscar nominations, but he’s 83 now. Unless he has a Christopher Plummer in “Beginners” in him, he may not get it done.

Dafoe has been nominated for three Best Supporting Actor awards and recently got his first Best Actor nomination for playing Vincent Van Gogh in "At Eternity's Gate." None of them have turned into wins yet. Making movies like "The Lighthouse" maybe doesn't help, as stuff like that is possibly too weird for the Oscars.

Harrelson has an Emmy, an MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss and a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor. That’s an eclectic career, and he has three Oscar nominations as well. While he has an eccentric personality, he’s a great actor, and he’s still getting roles in interesting movies. Also, he’s apparently going to be playing Carnage, which sounds terrible.

Collette got a ton of nominations, and wins, from critic groups and other award shows for her work in “Hereditary.” Alas, there was no Oscar nomination among those laudations. If she gets a look eventually, it will be her second shot at an Academy Award, as she has a nomination from “The Sixth Sense.”

Redord has a Best Director Oscar for "Ordinary People", but he may never get another chance to win an Oscar for acting, if his own words are to be believed. Though he’s walked it back a bit, the screen legend has said that “The Old Man and the Gun” will be his last feature film. He’s 83 now, so that would make sense. What doesn't make sense is Redford never having won one in the first place. 

People love Angela Bassett, and she’s getting a lot of solid supporting roles in big-time Hollywood movies. Here first nomination came in 1994, when she played Tina Turner in "What's Love Got to Do With It?" While it took some time, Bassett got a second nomination for a Marvel movie, of all things, in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

For a guy who had one of his first big roles in “Bubble Boy,” Gyllenhaal has had a great career. He’s certainly taken on roles that scream “Oscar bait,” like “Brokeback Mountain” and “Stronger.” Gyllenhaal completely transformed himself for his lead role in “Nightcrawler,” but he couldn’t strike Oscar gold.

What’s crazy is that it felt like Cooper was just as likely to win as a director as he was for acting, thanks to the hit film “A Star is Born.” His acting work in that film was well-received, and David O. Russell has seemingly turned Cooper into his muse. Cooper can be a movie star and a foul-mouthed raccoon, but he’s a legitimately talented actor who clearly has the desire to get critical love as well.

Bonham Carter may have missed her moment. Back in the day, when the Oscars went gaga over British costume dramas, she seemed like a lock to eventually win. It’s still her bailiwick, as you can currently find her playing Princess Margaret on “The Crown.” Aside from the occasional film like “The King’s Speech,” though, the Oscars are slightly more modern, which hurt Bonham Carter’s chances.

Ruffalo is such a good actor that he was able to make the Hulk work. He’s been racking up award nominations and wins since 2000 when he burst onto the scene with “You Can Count on Me.” Ruffalo is one of the best practitioners of his craft out there, and he should definitely win an Oscar eventually, even if he continues playing a big green guy on the side.

The band Brand New name-checked him in the title of a song, but Law probably takes more pride in his two Academy Award nominations. He’s not as prolific as some actors, and now he finds himself in both the Harry Potter universe and the Marvel universe, not to mention that weird “Young Pope” show he made. Hey, at least Law keeps it interesting, and his acting skill is undeniable.

To some, she is the quintessential Catwoman, but Pfeiffer has gotten critical love as well. In the late ‘80s, an Oscar seemed inevitable, as she was nominated in back-to-back years for “Dangerous Liaisons” and “The Fabulous Baker Boys.” While she racked up awards for those two performances, she didn’t get the Oscar, and her recent work seems to have fallen off the Academy’s radar.

Hounsou is in “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Aquaman,” as well as both “Captain Marvel” and “Shazam!” That’s spanning both Marvel and DC! Oh, and he has two Academy Award nominations. If he isn’t too busy making comic book movies, maybe he will get another one.

On the other hand, Murray probably isn’t going to get his Oscar. He spent most of his career as a comedic movie star, and films like “Caddyshack” don’t win you Oscars. Then in his later years, he started to act in Wes Anderson and Sofia Coppola films, and the possibility of winning an Oscar became clear. He even made that movie where he played FDR, which turned out not to be good. Murray is 69, so the clock is ticking. Murray has roles in both the next Wes Anderson and Sofia Coppola movies, so a nomination may await.

It seemed possible that Blunt could get a nomination for her work in “A Quiet Place,” where she expressed so much while talking so little. However, that didn't end up happening, and her role as Mary Poppins seemed to come and go without any fanfare. If she gets a nomination for an Oscar, it will be her first, but her time is coming.

“La La Land” didn’t win Best Picture — you may remember that — but it did get Gosling his second Oscar nomination. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him get one for this year’s “First Man,” and even if he doesn’t, more will come. Gosling has become one of those actors where every role he plays seems to have Oscars buzz. If that keeps up, a win should come eventually.

Buscemi is the quintessential character actor and the textbook definition of a “working actor.” He’s in a ton of stuff, he slips seamlessly into every role and he lifts basically every film or TV show he’s in. Like Hayek, he has some Adam Sandler films weighing down his filmography, but he’s also been in a bunch of Coen Brothers films. Maybe he’s the kind of actor who doesn’t stand out enough to win an Oscar, but you never know.

We’ve been watching Knightley act for years, but she’s only 37. She got an early start, which has allowed her to get two nods for an Oscar, though she hasn’t won yet. Too much time acting in “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, perhaps. She has a British accent and a crazy crying face that can lend itself to an Oscar-winning moment. She’s got the tools. She just has to put them in place.

Two Gyllenhaals for the price of one! Maggie, unlike her brother, Jake, rarely gets involved in populist fare, aside from “The Dark Knight,” which had Oscar buzz of its own frankly. She seems to basically just make films that feel like Oscar bait or perhaps are even too prickly or controversial for the Academy. After all, she’s spent recent years starring in an HBO show about sex work in 1970s New York. In time, though, the pieces could click.

You may only think of her as Cookie from “Empire,” back when that was a zeitgeist-y show, but her film career is nothing to sneeze at. She has one Oscar nod and has been in critically well-received films like “Hustle and Flow” and “Hidden Figures.” 

After years of being a comedy star, Murphy seemed prime to win an Oscar for his dramatic turn in “Dreamgirls.” Then surprisingly, and much to Murphy’s chagrin, he didn’t. Some say it was because the Oscars happened in the wake of “Norbit,” a crime against humanity in film form. Murphy is rarely acting these days. Did he blow his one chance? There was talk he might get a nomination for "Dolemite is my Name," which didn't happen.

McCarthy got an Oscar nomination for “Bridesmaids,” a purely comedic role, which is frankly more impressive than winning by some standards. Comedic performances rarely get any attention for the Academy. Perhaps that’s why McCarthy is starting to do more dramatic, or at least serio-comedic, roles. That includes 2018’s “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” which got her another nomination, but no win.

Fassbender has two Oscar nominations, and he should have a third for “Frank,” but that one may have been too off the wall for the Academy. He does seem to like to go into that edgy territory here and there, when he isn’t playing Magneto a la Ian McKellen. Not every film needs to be awards fodder to win an Oscar, though. You just need one every few years, especially when you are still relatively young like Fassbender.

Beatty, husband of Annette Bening, completes the power couple of Oscar snubs. Well, technically Beatty does have one, but as a director for “Reds.” His acting has gone unrewarded, though he has four nominations. It seems like Beatty has given up on winning an Oscar...and perhaps on acting. He’s acted in two films since the turn of the millennium.

John Malkovich couldn’t get a nomination for “Being John Malkovich,” but Keener did. She also got a nomination for playing Harper Lee in “Capote,” for which Philip Seymour Hoffman won an Oscar. Let’s not forget her key role in “Get Out” either, though there was no nomination there. It will be interesting to see what she has cooking in the future.

Yeah, Grier got her start making blaxploitation films. Who cares? Jack Nicholson made films with Roger Corman too. Then Tarantino gave her a great lead role in “Jackie Brown,” which won her a lot of awards buzz. There was nothing from the Oscars, though, which was a miscarriage of justice. She hasn’t had anything like “Jackie Brown” again, but we can hold out hope.