Top 10 Actors Who Have Never Been Nominated For An Oscar

While we concede that “Dumb and Dumber” isn’t exactly prime Oscar material (for all its undoubted greatness!), what’s really stupid is Jeff Daniels’ general lack of nomination! His cinematic breakthrough came in the Oscar-winning “Terms of Endearment” - although he himself didn’t receive a nod - and he’s since collected alternative nominations throughout his career. Most notably, for both 1985’s “Purple Rose of Cairo,” and 1986’s “Something Wild,” he was shortlisted for a Best Actor Golden Globe.

Widely respected as one of the finest, most well-rounded actors of his generation, John Goodman’s never quite been good enough for the Academy! Probably best known for playing Dan Conner on the TV series “Roseanne,” Goodman’s big screen highlights include roles inOscar-hyped heavyweights, “The Artist,” “Argo” and “Flight.” He’s also been often linked to the Coen Brothers’ movies, and has starred in voice acting roles for Disney and Pixar. What more does he need to do??

Another regular collaborator with the Coen Brothers, though Steve Buscemi often isn’t cast in a ‘lead role,’ it’s quite incredible that he’snever made a Supporting Actor shortlist! He played Mr. Pink in “Reservoir Dogs,” Seymour in “Ghost World,” and Carl Showalter in “Fargo” - for “Ghost World” in particular, Buscemi seemed to pick up every possible nomination apart from an Academy Award! The guy’s a unique talent, and it’s surely about time he got recognised??

Mia Farrow’s filmography reads like a roll call of Academy favorites, and yet she remains mysteriously underappreciated! She was recognised by both the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes for “Rosemary’s Baby,” while roles in “The Great Gatsby” and “Death on the Nile” could, and probably should, also have gotten her a chance at the golden statuette! An all-round Hollywood icon as well, Farrow’s undisputed acting royalty, but there’s a gap on her resume that really shouldn’t be there!

A stage vet turned Hollywood star who was critically acclaimed (by most movie commentators at least...), Raul Julia was never able to convince the Academy! Probably best known as loveable scarester Gomez Addams in “The Addams Family” and “Addams Family Values,” he also gained alternative non-Oscar nominations for 1985’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and the 1994 TV movie, “The Burning Season.” As well as Addams, Julia has also acted as Dracula on stage, and as Victor Frankenstein on screen... Perhaps the panel members were just too petrified to pick him!

His back-catalogue is hard to beat, and he’s worked with the very best in the business... But still no nomination for Martin Sheen! “Badlands…” “Apocalypse Now...” “The Departed...” The list of great films in which he’s featured is phenomenal! Steven Spielberg has directed him, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and Richard Attenborough - but none could land him acknowledgement from the Academy! The shunning of Sheen remains one of modern cinema’s great mysteries!