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It’s Hollywood’s biggest plot twist: some of the most iconic stars have never won an Oscar. Yep, while they’ve given us chills, tears, and popcorn-worthy performances, the Academy has kept the golden guy just out of reach. We’re talking multiple nominations, standing ovations, and still no shiny statue. From the always-brilliant Glenn Close to the ever-charismatic Bradley Cooper, these stars are walking proof that talent doesn’t always equal trophies.
And let’s be real, some of these actors have delivered performances so legendary, they make Oscar wins look like consolation prizes. So grab your popcorn and cue the dramatic music, because this is the ultimate list of A-listers who keep slaying the screen, statue or not. The Oscars may be gold, but these stars? Pure platinum.
Glenn Close
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Glenn Close’s Oscar luck is so bad that it might qualify as a dark comedy. With eight nominations and zero wins, she’s officially the Susan Lucci of the Academy Awards. She’s been terrifying (Fatal Attraction), regal (Dangerous Liaisons), and heartbreakingly subtle (The Wife), yet the gold keeps dodging her. Even her glittery grandma-in-wig turn in Hillbilly Elegy didn’t tip the scales. If talent were trophies, she’d need a second house. Until then, Glenn remains our queen of almost.
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Amy Adams
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Amy Adams has become the Oscars’ most elegant bridesmaid, always stunning, never the bride. With six nominations and zero wins, she’s Hollywood’s reigning “almost” queen. From a quirky artist in Junebug to a steely politician’s wife in Vice, she’s been outshone by fellow powerhouses every time. Her only Best Actress nod, for American Hustle, had her losing to Cate Blanchett. One day, the Academy might correct this injustice, until then, we’ll keep rooting for the red-haired underdog.
Bradley Cooper
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Bradley Cooper has the resume of a champ but the shelf of a runner-up. With eleven nominations across acting, writing, and producing, he plays Oscar bingo and loses every square. Whether he’s crooning in A Star Is Born or conducting in Maestro, the Academy remains stubbornly unimpressed. Add Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle to his heartbreak pile. If sheer effort could win Oscars, Cooper would have a dozen. Instead, he gets applause and frustration.
Samuel L. Jackson
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Say what again?! Samuel L. Jackson, box office king, quotable legend, and cinematic MVP, only has one Oscar nomination? Yup, for Pulp Fiction, and he didn’t even win. While he scored an Honorary Oscar in 2022, it wasn’t for any one performance. The man has delivered iconic roles for decades, yelling, whispering, and delivering sermon-like monologues with fire. Whether fighting snakes or Jedi-ing around, he deserves more than just cool points. One competitive win? That’s some serious cinematic injustice.
Edward Norton
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Edward Norton is the guy the Oscars flirt with but never call back. Whether he’s a tortured neo-Nazi in American History X or a volatile actor in Birdman, he disappears into roles like a chameleon with range. Yet, the gold has remained elusive. Three-time loser turned hopeful four-timer in A Complete Unknown, he’s now channeling folk legend Pete Seeger. Maybe this time, the Academy will finally strike the right chord for him and give him more than applause.
Harrison Ford
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Han Solo. Indiana Jones. Rick Deckard. And yet, zero Oscar wins. Harrison Ford has out-charmed asteroids and Nazis but couldn’t conquer the Academy. His lone nomination came in 1986 for Witness, and then? Radio silence. Maybe the Oscars feared he’d roll his eyes at the ceremony. Or mumble his way through an acceptance speech. Either way, it’s high time Hollywood’s most reluctant icon got a golden statue, preferably handed to him while he scowls through it.
Toni Collette
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Toni Collette in Hereditary gave us the scariest mom meltdown in cinema history, yet Oscar voters ghosted her harder than a demon in the attic. She’s been quietly brilliant for decades, from The Sixth Sense (her only nom!) to Little Miss Sunshine. But she’s never been invited to the winner’s circle. Horror may not be the Academy’s favorite genre, but Collette’s powerhouse performances deserve more than polite nods. Honestly, someone give this woman a golden head.
Bill Murray
Bill Murray turned deadpan into an art form, yet the Academy gave him just one nod, for Lost in Translation. And even then, he lost. The man’s got a filmography from Rushmore to Broken Flowers, filled with melancholic depth and perfectly timed weirdness. He doesn’t just act, he lingers. Maybe his cool detachment throws voters off. Or maybe they’re still mad about Garfield. Either way, an Oscar would be the final punchline to his perfectly ironic career arc.
Michelle Williams
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Michelle Williams collects Oscar noms like vintage vinyl, precious, overlooked, and weirdly underplayed. With five nominations under her belt, she’s been everything: emotionally raw in Blue Valentine, quietly broken in Manchester by the Sea, and straight-up ethereal in The Fabelmans. But gold? Nada. Maybe she’s too subtle for the Academy. Or maybe they’re just sleeping on her glow-up from teen drama queen to indie darling. Give her an Oscar already, or at least a louder round of applause.
Annette Bening
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Annette Bening is long overdue for her “finally” moment. With five nominations and zero wins, she’s the kind of actress who makes everything look effortless, from razor-sharp (American Beauty) to tragically reserved (The Kids Are All Right). Somehow, the Academy always gives the trophy to someone else while she stands there smiling graciously. She’s classy like that. But come on, can we please give her something to dust on the mantel besides critical praise?
Willem Dafoe
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Willem Dafoe could terrify you with a stare, bless you with a whisper, and then go full chaos in a lighthouse without flinching. Four nominations deep and still trophy-less, Dafoe’s career is a masterclass in controlled madness. He’s played Jesus, the Green Goblin, and a deeply tragic motel manager, and crushed them all. Maybe he’s too intense for the tux-and-toast crowd. Or maybe he’s just an Oscar icon waiting for his overdue villain-to-victor plot twist.
Angela Bassett
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Angela Bassett has been serving legendary performances since forever, but the Oscars have her stuck in a supporting role, literally. Her What’s Love Got to Do with It turn should’ve been award catnip, and her Black Panther: Wakanda Forever roar deserved gold. Yet, no win. She’s a queen, a powerhouse, and one of the most respected names in the game. The Academy better fix this before she side-eyes them into the next century. Bassett didn’t come to play.
Ralph Fiennes
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Ralph Fiennes plays complex villains and broken souls like he’s conducting a symphony of sadness and no Oscar. He gave us a chilling Nazi in Schindler’s List, a tortured romantic in The English Patient, and one iconic You-Know-Who. But the Academy? Silent. It’s like he’s too Shakespearean for them to handle. Maybe Voldemort cursed the voting committee. Maybe they blinked during The Grand Budapest Hotel. Either way, the man’s overdue. Make it right, Hollywood.
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