5 Actors Who Still Haven’t Won a Competitive Oscar, But Deserve One

Every year, the Oscars honor actors for their achievements on screen. While many of these awards are well-deserved, many people feel that some actors have been overlooked for years. Here are five actors who haven’t won an Oscar yet, even though it feels like they should have. 

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise recently won an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards. This is the first time he has ever taken home the prestigious trophy. Cruise has appeared in over 50 films over the course of his career and many view him as one of the greatest movie stars of all time. 

While the Top Gun star has appeared in many blockbusters, he has also taken roles in critically acclaimed films. He received Best Actor nominations for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire, and a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Magnolia. He has yet to win a competitive Oscar, but there’s still time, as Cruise continues to work at an industrious pace.

Samuel L. Jackson

Like Cruise, Samuel L. Jackson is the recipient of the Academy Honorary Award. He has one of the most recognizable faces — and voices — in Hollywood, and an impressive filmography to boot. 

Though Jackson has starred in many critically acclaimed films and has a well-respected career, he has only received one Oscar nomination. In 1995, he received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Pulp Fiction. He lost the award to Martin Landau, in what many consider to be a snub.

Amy Adams

Before Leonardo DiCaprio won Best Actor for The Revenant, he was the subject of a long-running meme about his lack of Oscars. Amy Adams is now in a similar position. She has received six acting nominations over the course of her career, but has never won.

She was most recently nominated in 2019 for her role in Vice, and many people believe she was snubbed for her starring role in Arrival. Recently, Adams’ films have received mixed reviews, but she has a number of upcoming projects that could put her back in contention for an Academy Award.  

Willem Dafoe

Over the course of his lengthy career, Willem Dafoe has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Platoon, Shadow of the Vampire, and The Florida Project, and Best Actor for At Eternity’s Gate. He has over 150 acting credits, and many of them showcase Dafoe’s formidable and versatile talents as an actor. 

Many people believed that Dafoe was snubbed for his role as Vincent Van Gogh in At Eternity’s Gate. The Oscar went to Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody instead. People also believe his role in The Lighthouse deserved a nomination, although horror movies are rarely recognized by the Academy.

Angela Bassett

In 2023, Angela Bassett received an honorary Oscar for her achievements in film, but she has never won in a competitive category. She has received nominations for her work in What’s Love Got to Do With It and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Her loss for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022 was controversial, as many believed she deserved it over the winner, Jamie Lee Curtis. Bassett herself admitted she felt disappointed that she didn’t take home the award. She told Town & Country that she felt “deserving” of the win.