The 27 best actors who have never been nominated for an Oscar

Every year, the Oscars snub an actor of a much-deserved nomination but some stars have been completely ignored by the Academy voters time and time again. Greg Evans ranks 27 actors whose immaculate body of work never got the Oscar love it deserved. What do Jared Leto, Dan Ackroyd, Rami Malek, Jennifer Hudson and choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov all have in common? They’ve all been nominated for an acting Oscar – and in some cases won. In contrast, what do Donald Sutherland, Martin Sheen and Mia Farrow all have in common? They’ve not received a single nomination between them from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Actors can try for most of their careers to get some recognition from the Academy. Matthew McConaughey, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Bridges are three examples of great actors who toiled away for decades before a late-career renaissance story finally bagged the big one. The year 2025 has produced a few resurgences too, with Guy Pearce, Isabella Rossellini and Demi Moore – all actors who have definitely deserved recognition before – landing elusive Oscar nominations.

Every year, there are debates about which acclaimed performances were snubbed by the Academy; while those discussions are always worthwhile, it’s worth sparing a thought for the many superb actors who have never even made it to the dance. Here are 27 of the best actors to have never been nominated for an Oscar. 27. Zendaya. At just 28, Zendaya still has plenty of time on her side to eventually bag an Oscar nomination. However, when her Dune co-star Timothee Chalamet is already on two nods, you can’t help but feel that she’s being snubbed, especially when she’s turning in cerebral performances like she delivered in Challengers.

26. Adam Sandler. It’s fair to say that many of Adam Sandler’s films probably shouldn’t be nominated for Oscars, although we’re sure that his fans could make very convincing cases for Happy Gilmore and The Wedding Singer. His exhilarating turn as a chaotic gambling addict in Uncut Gems should have been his moment but he was again denied the privilege of being considered one of the best in his field.

25. Steve Martin. Much like Sandler, Martin has most likely been overlooked by the sheer virtue of appearing in too many comedy movies (despite being very funny in them). The actor, whose hits include Father of the Bride, Parenthood and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, has hosted the awards three times and did receive an honourary Oscar in 2014 for his contributions to motion pictures. 24. Tahar Rahim. Traditionally, actors who predominantly appear in foreign language films have been largely ignored, leaving a dearth of amazing talent going completely unacknowledged. One of the most egregious victims of this in recent years is French actor Tahar Rahim, who has consistently put in fascinating and spiritual performances since his breakout role in 2009’s critically acclaimed A Prophet.

23. Pam Grier. Anyone who has watched Quentin Tarantino’s underrated crime caper Jackie Brown would have presumed that the one acting nomination the film received would have gone to lead star Pam Grier, for her performance as the canny lead heroine. As you’ve probably guessed, that didn’t happen. That nomination instead went to Robert Forster for a worthy supporting part – but make no mistake, this should have been Grier’s year.

22. Jennifer Lopez. Let’s make no bones about it: Jennifer Lopez was done dirty when she wasn’t nominated for her hypnotic performance in the 2019 crime drama Hustlers, a role that was recognised by nearly every critics’ circle going. Lopez later talked about the snub in the Netflix documentary Halftime, stating that it resulted in her having “very low self-esteem”. 21. Andie MacDowell. It’s not just men who have been ignored for comedy roles by the Academy. Andie MacDowell was more than deserving of nominations for her parts in big 1990s hits such as Groundhog Day and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Even a darker and highly praised part in Steven Soderbergh’s Palme d’Or winner Sex, Lies, and Videotape failed to gain her a nomination.

20. Kevin Bacon. With a career that started in the late 1970s, Bacon starred in numerous films that were embraced by the Academy, including JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River and Frost/Nixon – but was never recognised for his acting. It’s a shame there isn’t an Oscar for adverts because he would have surely wrapped up at least half a dozen for his EE ads. 19. Idris Elba. Although better known for his work in TV, in shows like The Wire and Luther, Idris Elba has done his fair share of meaty film roles that should have got more love from the Oscars. His Nelson Mandela biopic, Long Walk to Freedom, would have been a shoo-in for a nomination in a bygone era but let’s not forget his monstrous performances in 2015’s Beasts of No Nation.

18. Meg Ryan. Best known for her roles in rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle, all of which deserved recognition, Meg Ryan has proven herself to be a shockingly versatile actor when called upon. Her performances in When a Man Loves a Woman and In The Cut, as women struggling with their own demons, would usually tick all the boxes of the Academy voters – but not in Ryan’s case.