# Without looking it up, how many Oscar nominees have been in Marvel films? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 22, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700 "2014-04-22T18:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/21 "2014-04-22T19:12:38Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Laurence Fishburne > Peter Fonda > Rosemary Harris > Terence Stamp :eek: What heathenry is this! ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/22 "2014-04-22T19:14:11Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Or perhaps another question–what was the last year that none of the nominated actors included one to appear in a Marvel movie? Challenge Accepted! ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/23 "2014-04-22T19:17:49Z")
Shohreh Aghdashloo Ellen Page Roy Scheider John Travolta ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/24 "2014-04-22T19:18:57Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Laurence Fishburne > Peter Fonda > Rosemary Harris > Terence Stamp I thought you were making a joke about Peter Fonda being Captain America. I didn’t know he was in Ghost Rider. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/25 "2014-04-22T19:20:34Z")
They just cast Michael Douglas for ANT-MAN, right? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/26 "2014-04-22T19:27:27Z")
I only got back to the 2011 Oscars before I had to use a technicality. Kenneth Branagh, director of Thor, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. And Glenn Close, who will appear in Guardians of the Galaxy, was nominated for Best Actress. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/27 "2014-04-22T19:30:45Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I only got back to the 2011 Oscars before I had to use a technicality. Because you missed Nick Nolte. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/28 "2014-04-22T19:35:56Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Because you missed Nick Nolte. To be fair, Hulk is shit. But I did find another technicality. The 2006 Oscars need Djimon Hounsou, who will be in Guardians of the Galaxy, to count. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/29 "2014-04-22T19:47:03Z")
Don’t see any reason not to include the other GUARDIANS Oscar nominees: Bradley Cooper John C. Reilly Benicio Del Toro ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/30 "2014-04-22T19:50:08Z")
1991 has Kenneth Branagh again, but it’s mostly a DC year: Morgan Freeman Michelle Pfeiffer Marlon Brando So 1991, if you only want to count actors. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/31 "2014-04-23T18:34:37Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > 1991 has Kenneth Branagh again, but it’s mostly a DC year: > > Morgan Freeman > Michelle Pfeiffer > Marlon Brando > > So 1991, if you only want to count actors. Bah! That should say 1989. But the absolute earliest year without any Marvel actors or technicalities is 1981: Best Actor ``` Henry Fonda – On Golden Pond Warren Beatty – Reds Burt Lancaster – Atlantic City Dudley Moore – Arthur Paul Newman – Absence of Malice ``` Best Actress ``` Katharine Hepburn – On Golden Pond Diane Keaton – Reds Marsha Mason – Only When I Laugh Susan Sarandon – Atlantic City Meryl Streep – The French Lieutenant's Woman ``` Best Supporting Actor ``` John Gielgud – Arthur James Coco – Only When I Laugh Ian Holm – Chariots of Fire Jack Nicholson – Reds Howard E. Rollins, Jr. – Ragtime ``` Best Supporting Actress ``` Maureen Stapleton – Reds Melinda Dillon – Absence of Malice Jane Fonda – On Golden Pond Joan Hackett – Only When I Laugh Elizabeth McGovern – Ragtime ``` ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/32 "2014-04-23T18:41:45Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Bah! That should say 1989. But the absolute earliest year without any Marvel actors or technicalities is 1981: > > Best Actor > > ``` > Henry Fonda – On Golden Pond > Warren Beatty – Reds > Burt Lancaster – Atlantic City > Dudley Moore – Arthur > Paul Newman – Absence of Malice > > ``` > > Best Actress > > ``` > Katharine Hepburn – On Golden Pond > Diane Keaton – Reds > Marsha Mason – Only When I Laugh > Susan Sarandon – Atlantic City > Meryl Streep – The French Lieutenant's Woman > > ``` > > Best Supporting Actor > > ``` > John Gielgud – Arthur > James Coco – Only When I Laugh > Ian Holm – Chariots of Fire > Jack Nicholson – Reds > Howard E. Rollins, Jr. – Ragtime > > ``` > > Best Supporting Actress > > ``` > Maureen Stapleton – Reds > Melinda Dillon – Absence of Malice > Jane Fonda – On Golden Pond > Joan Hackett – Only When I Laugh > Elizabeth McGovern – Ragtime > > ``` Great due diligence! Still, franchise mythology is pervasive, since Dick Tracy, Bilbo Baggins, and the Joker all still make appearances here. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/33 "2014-04-23T21:00:52Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Bah! That should say 1989. But the absolute earliest year without any Marvel actors or technicalities is 1981: > > Best Actor > > ``` > Henry Fonda – On Golden Pond > Warren Beatty – Reds > Burt Lancaster – Atlantic City > Dudley Moore – Arthur > Paul Newman – Absence of Malice > > ``` > > Best Actress > > ``` > Katharine Hepburn – On Golden Pond > Diane Keaton – Reds > Marsha Mason – Only When I Laugh > Susan Sarandon – Atlantic City > Meryl Streep – The French Lieutenant's Woman > > ``` > > Best Supporting Actor > > ``` > John Gielgud – Arthur > James Coco – Only When I Laugh > Ian Holm – Chariots of Fire > Jack Nicholson – Reds > Howard E. Rollins, Jr. – Ragtime > > ``` > > Best Supporting Actress > > ``` > Maureen Stapleton – Reds > Melinda Dillon – Absence of Malice > Jane Fonda – On Golden Pond > Joan Hackett – Only When I Laugh > Elizabeth McGovern – Ragtime > > ``` Elizabeth McGovern was in Kick-Ass, which was a comic published by Marvel, although I don’t know if it was a true “Marvel film” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/34 "2014-04-23T22:58:45Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Great due diligence! Still, franchise mythology is pervasive, since Dick Tracy, Bilbo Baggins, and the Joker all still make appearances here. In point of fact, Melinda Dillon was in the first _Captain America_ movie. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/35 "2014-04-24T11:57:01Z")
By my count, it’s the Oscars for '72 – when Jor-El beat out Alfred the faithful butler for Best Actor, since Redford’s _The Candidate_ only picked up a Best Screenplay win. But the year before that, we’re back to Jeff Bridges, which is still pretty impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/36 "2014-04-24T21:12:26Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > In point of fact, Melinda Dillon was in the first _Captain America_ movie. Whoops. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/37 "2014-04-26T11:13:54Z")
Incidentally, the awful _Captain America_ movie from the '90s also gives us Ned Beatty. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/38 "2014-06-15T13:46:15Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > By my count, it’s the Oscars for '72 – when Jor-El beat out Alfred the faithful butler for Best Actor, since Redford’s _The Candidate_ only picked up a Best Screenplay win. Bumping to maybe correct that post of mine there, since Michael Caine arguably now puts 1972 in play thanks to his upcoming role in _Kingsman_. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/39 "2014-06-15T14:05:44Z")
…and, since the original point of this thread momentarily eluded me, let me come back around to note that Oscar winner Colin Firth is in that one too. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700/40 "2014-06-15T22:16:26Z")
Yeah, as mentioned above…better luck finding non-Oscar nominees. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-looking-it-up-how-many-oscar-nominees-have-been-in-marvel-films/686700.md?page=3)