# Actor Most Due an Oscar **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887 "2003-06-28T00:00:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Padmaraga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@Padmaraga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padmaraga)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/21 "2003-06-28T18:39:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fang \* > \*\*I think **Ed Harris** is due an Oscar. He has turned in some great performances in great movies - _Apollo 13_, _The Truman Show_, _Glengarry Glen Ross_ - and has never been rewarded. I’d say it’s about time. \*\* **What?!** Ed Harris has never won an Oscar? He has really deserved one for several roles he’s played. I’ve never seen him in a “fluff” role; everything he does is quality work. Give Ed an Oscar, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/22 "2003-06-28T18:42:18Z")
Of the actors mentioned so far, I’d say Johnny Depp and Edward Norton are most deserving. John Cusack, Renee Zellweger, Dennis Quaid, Steve Buscemi, and Ed Harris are in the next tier. As for Dennis Quaid getting better all the time: hell, I thought he turned in a stellar performance in Breaking Away, one of his first films. I don’t get the Tom Cruise admirers in this thread. He plays the same character in every movie. Or at least his acting makes it seem that way. And Brad Pitt can’t out-act a 2x4, IMHO. Hey, what about Clint Eastwood? He’s never won an acting oscar. Surely he’ll play an old coot in a movie one day and the academy will give him a sympathy Oscar, _a la_ Paul Newman in Color of Money. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/23 "2003-06-28T23:07:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hodge \* > \*\*Sir Ian Holm, without a doubt. He’s been nominated before and has won several critics awards but never taken home an oscar. I think it was a travesty that he was never even nominated for his heartbreaking work in _the sweet hereafter_. Plus, I think he did some kind of movie about a ring, too. \*\* Ian Holm was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the athletic trainer in “Chariots of Fire” Why he didn’t win I don’t know, I think his performance in that was as good as any of the principals. And the movie did win Best Picture. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Plankton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@David\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/24 "2003-06-28T23:13:59Z")
Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tom Cruise ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/25 "2003-06-29T01:02:48Z")
Did Robert Duvall win for _The Apostle_? If not, he deserves a nod for his body of work. John Cusack, definately. He may just never get the right role at the right time. Edward Norton, on the other hand, almost certainly will get the right role sooner or later, probably sooner. Has Ray Liotta won one? _Goodfellas_, maybe? I’'d look these up, but my computer has slowed waaaay down. If not, his performances have gotten very good lately. ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/26 "2003-06-29T02:47:32Z")
Robert DuVall definitely deserves an Oscar. He’s one of the most believable actors I’ve ever seen. Right up there with Pacino & Samuel L. Jackson. For the generation my age, I’d have to reccomend Johnny Depp. He chooses some demanding roles. Val Kilmer is good too, but I hear he’s ‘difficult’. ---
**Author:** ![Lupin\_the\_3rd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lupin\_the\_3rd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lupin_the_3rd)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/27 "2003-06-29T02:58:32Z")
\*\* Morgan Freeman Sir Ian McKellen Ian Holm\*\* and **John Malkovich** I don’t think any of them have won yet. Correct me if I’m wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/28 "2003-06-29T03:29:10Z")
Don’t remember, think she was nominated for Sixth Sense, but IMHO, Toni Collete (sp) should have gotten best supporting actress. Best believable mom in a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/29 "2003-06-29T04:06:56Z")
I used to think of Brad Pitt as just fluff, then I rented Kalifornia and 12 Monkeys. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/30 "2003-06-29T06:42:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Morgan Freeman > Sir Ian McKellen > Ian Holm > and > John Malkovich None have won, but my correction is that I’m pretty sure Ian Holm has been knighted as well. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cholo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/31 "2003-06-29T13:05:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spoke- \* > \*\*And Brad Pitt can’t out-act a 2x4, IMHO. \*\* Have you seen **Snatch**? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/32 "2003-06-29T15:55:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jack@ss \* > \*\*Robert DuVall definitely deserves an Oscar. He’s one of the most believable actors I’ve ever seen. \*\* He has an Oscar–for _Tender Mercies_ (1983). ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/33 "2003-06-29T17:47:47Z")
Yes, I have seen Snatch. Adopting an indecipherable accent does not equal acting. IMHO. Have you seen Interview with the Vampire? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/34 "2003-06-29T18:20:49Z")
(For a pretty boy who can actually act, try George Clooney. Or Depp.) ---
**Author:** ![Cholo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/35 "2003-06-30T04:24:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spoke- \* > \*\*(For a pretty boy who can actually act, try George Clooney. Or Depp.) \*\* Agreed. Both those guys can act. Depp is **incredible** in his choices and his portrayals. “Cry Baby”, “Donnie Brasco”, “Fear and Loathing”, “Blow”…you name it…he’s knocked it outta the park almost every time! However, I disagree with you on Pitt. “Snatch” was excellent and Pitt was fantastic is that role. Brilliant Listen to the commentary…Guy Ritchie was thrilled with Pitt. In the Vampire movie…his character did seem somewhat wooden but in my opinion, that’s exactly how Rice wrote him to be. Sullen and introspective. I dig him. (not in _that_ way) ---
**Author:** ![Diff\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@Diff\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diff_T)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/36 "2003-06-30T05:54:32Z")
Jim Carrey maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/37 "2003-06-30T05:57:12Z")
> [@](#): > > And Brad Pitt can’t out-act a 2x4, IMHO. Watching **Kalifornia** should disabuse you of that notion. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/38 "2003-06-30T06:30:05Z")
Sean Penn ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/39 "2003-06-30T12:17:09Z")
\*\*Peter O’Toole \*\* Six nominations and the Academy ends up giving him a Lifetime oscar. It’s a crime! The man gave us \*\*Lawrence of Arabia \*\* \*\*Arthur Chipping \*\* (Good Bye Mr. Chips), \*\*King Henry the II _TWICE_. (Beckett and Lion in the Winter) and the delightfully funny \*\*Allan Swan \*\* in the delightful romp, \*My Favorite Year \* ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887/40 "2003-06-30T15:21:19Z")
OK, I’ll cut Pitt some slack. I re-watched Twelve Monkeys last night, and he can indeed out-act a 2x4. He’s still not Oscar-worthy, but he’s not a total stiff, either. I will add **Cate Blanchett** to the coulda, shoulda, _will_ win an Oscar list. (She should have won for Elizabeth.) **Sean Penn** hasn’t won an Oscar? Damn. Well, he goes to the top of my list then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-most-due-an-oscar/184887.md?page=3)