The amazing Gary Oldman, who has more range than an ICBM, has finally gotten an Oscar nomination.
Who would you now say is the best actor or actress who’s never been nominated who is still working?
I’m sure there are others, but the first to come to mind for me is
Brian Cox- brilliant character actor, busy on TV, stage, low budget arthouse films, big budget blockbusters, you name it. He may be most famous for originating the role of Hannibal Lecter (in Manhunter- very different take from Hopkins) but he’s played good guys, bad guys, charlatans, leaders, you name it, all with great skill.
He has been nominated for several awards and won some very prestigious ones, but never an Oscar.
Christopher Plummer just got his second nomination, but I was surprised that his first was not until 2010.
Alan Rickman?
Rickman’s a good choice. I’d add Martin Sheen and Donald Sutherland, though neither have done anything that great lately. Jim Carrey seems to have gone cuckoo bananas now, but there was a five year stretch where he could have easily gotten two or three.
Steve Buscemi is a guy that comes to mind as someone who should have gotten a supporting actor nod or two. While I’m on the Coens’ movies, I’d add John Goodman in there.
Ewan McGregor still has lots of time, but it’s strange to think he hasn’t gotten one yet.
Richard Gere, Steve Martin, and Bruce Willis have never been nominated.
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I’d add Martin Sheen and Donald Sutherland, though neither have done anything that great lately.
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I’m surprised to learn Sutherland hasn’t been nominated; I’d have thought MASH* or even Animal House or any of a dozen lesser knowns would have gotten him a nomination. He’s been nominated for many of the other major film acting awards.
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Jim Carrey seems to have gone cuckoo bananas now
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That’s what getting vaccines from Jenny McCarthy will do to you.
Or John Turturro.
Jamie Lee Curtis has never been nominated and she’s had some really good performances (though several of them comic and the Academy is less likely to recognize a comedic performance than a dramatic one).
Her husband Christopher Guest hasn’t been nominated either, which surprises me less for his acting work (though I think his role in Waiting for Guffman was Oscar nomination worthy) than for his directing.
Wow, I did not realize he’d never been nominated. I think he really deserved it for Snape, but now he’ll never get one for it.
Hah! I just realized I posted this in the wrong thread. Sorry!
Andy Serkis probably deserves mention.
Indeed. The “academy” needs to join the 21st century and recognize a new type of acting, or just count it as regular acting.
NM. Thought the OP said “ever” not “never”.
I think you misread the OP.
He was the first one that comes to mind…
Kurt Russell has been excellent in many things, but of course he also loves the low brow stuff. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for Silkwood and I thought he should have been nominated for Miracle. I think he is an excellent actor who doesn’t necessarily do Oscar type movies.
Which brings to mind Tombstone, which brings to mind that Val Kilmer was as terrific as Doc Holliday as he was perfect as Jim Morrison.
I was going to suggest Jonah Hill, but…
Even if there were no other reasons, his career would be amazing for its longevity. Next year, he’ll hit his fiftieth year as a working actor.
No, Gere, Martin, and Willis have all done credible work that’s as good as some of the stuff that has won. Check out Days of Heaven, Chicago, Brooklyn’s Finest, All of Me, L.A. Story, Bowfinger, Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, The Sixth Sense.