Top 10 Greatest Actor Performances That Got Zero Credit

“Hereditary” (2018)

There’s not much mystery to this one - horror films rarely, if ever, get the love they deserve from the Academy or the Golden Globes. Just ask Florence Pugh, whose raw performance in “Midsommar” went largely overlooked. Before his collaboration with Pugh, filmmaker Ari Aster worked with Toni Collette for the critically acclaimed 2018 film “Hereditary.” In it, she plays Annie Graham, a miniatures artist dealing with the death of her mother. As Annie’s family falls apart, she experiences a prolonged breakdown that is visceral, violent, and haunting. Colette’s performance will likely go down as one of the greatest in horror cinema, but while she earned numerous accolades from smaller organizations, the big two ignored “Hereditary” all-together.

“Drive” (2011)

This reluctant heartthrob and lovable oddball is one of Hollywood’s most talented, sought-after, and instantly recognizable leading men. And if you look up a list of Ryan Gosling’s top-rated performances and/or films, “Drive” is sure to appear on most of them. So… where was the love following the film’s release in 2011? The unnamed Driver at the center of this story is admittedly quiet and reserved, which is probably why the performance largely went overlooked come awards season. Be that as it may, Gosling achieves great things in the challenging role, managing to make the driver feel fully-fleshed by imbuing his every look, subtle gesture, and short line of dialogue with quiet intensity and meaning.

“Take Shelter” (2011)

Michael Shannon will likely be remembered as one of the greatest character actors of his generation. As “Take Shelter” proves, however, when he’s given the spotlight, Shannon is every bit as compelling as a leading man. In this 2011 psychological thriller/drama, Shannon plays Curtis, a man living in rural Ohio who begins having visions of an impending apocalypse. As his lifestyle and choices become increasingly guided by these dark premonitions, those around him begin to question his sanity. It’s a captivating (though not always easy to watch) performance by Shannon, with many calling it his career-best up until that point. The film distinguished itself at Cannes and the Zurich Film Festival, but every organization and award show of note failed to recognize Shannon’s performance.

“We Need to Talk About Kevin” (2011)

An actor who utterly defies classification, Swinton took home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Michael Clayton,” but has been more often snubbed than had her achievements recognized. The fact that her leading performance in “Julia” went largely ignored is downright criminal. One could argue, however, that her performance in “We Need to Talk About Kevin” was even more award-worthy. In the film, Swinton plays Eva Khatchadourian, the mother of an extremely disturbed boy. It's a performance that sees her conveying impossibly complex emotions. Swinton did get a nod from the Golden Globes, but the Academy inexplicably ignored the film. Likely due to its challenging subject matter, the movie received only a limited release.

“Before Midnight” (2013)

The third installment in Richard Linklater’s “Before Trilogy” continues the story nine years after the previous film. Jesse and Céline are now married with children and vacationing in Greece. The strength of these films has always been the dialogue and the depth to which the filmmaker goes in exploring relationships. Quite frankly, Hawke and Delpy deserve nominations for the performances in all three films, even “Before Sunrise,” which sees the young characters at their most naive. Because of the huge gap between films, the actors, who co-wrote the screenplay with Linklater, are able to bring years’ worth of reflection and personal experience to their respective roles, and the resulting performances are staggering - but apparently too niche for the major awards!

“Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” (2002)

In 2018, this talented actor took home an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and SAG award for his role in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” But before that, Sam Rockwell was arguably best known as… well, that actor who's really good but never gets enough credit! 15 years before his big win, Rockwall starred in a film called “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.” It was well-received at the time of release, but despite Rockwell doing extensive research into the role, turning in a magnetic performance as Chuck Barris, all the praise went to George Clooney. The reason? This was Clooney’s directorial debut. It wasn’t the last time Rockwell would see his talents go underappreciated. If you haven’t seen 2009’s “Moon,” please check it out.

“There Will Be Blood”(2007)

There are few actors more consistent than Paul Dano. While cinephiles likely recognized his potential in “Little Miss Sunshine” or even 2001’s “L.I.E.”, this is the film that established Dano as one of the most promising actors of his generation. To many, it remains his single-best role to date. The problem is, when you act opposite living legend Daniel Day-Lewis, it doesn’t really matter how incredible of a performance you turn in… you’re gonna get overshadowed. Daniel Day-Lewis took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Daniel Plainview, while Paul Dano’s turn as Paul & Eli Sunday got a nod from the BAFTAs and that’s it. The more years go by, the more obvious and egregious a snub this becomes.

“Philadelphia” (1993)

With less screen time to work with, the supporting actors who get recognized come awards season can sometimes feel like a roll of the dice. This is something that Denzel Washington, who almost exclusively plays leading roles, knows all too well. In 1993’s “Philadelphia,” Washington played Joe Miller, the initially hesitant and prejudiced lawyer who defends Tom Hanks’ Andrew Beckett in an AIDS discrimination case. Tom Hanks went on to win Best Actor at the Academy Awards, while Washington had to settle for a shared MTV Movie Award nomination for Best On-Screen Duo. Watching the film, however, Washington’s performance feels every bit as powerful as that of Hanks, who, interestingly enough, credits watching Denzel work as the greatest lesson of his acting career.

“Mulholland Drive” (2001)

If you ask a film historian to identify the movie that put Naomi Watts on the map, they’ll invariably respond with David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive.” And yet, the various awards and nominations that she received for the film came from smaller and local organizations, like Online Film Critics Society and the Outfest Awards. Even after many powerful performances and memorable roles, Watts’ performance as Betty Elms/Diane Selwyn remains arguably her most remarkable to date. It showcases her versatility and the depth of her ability as an actress; the character dramatically transforms before our very eyes throughout. So why the snub? Well, Lynch’s actors rarely win awards - just ask Sheryl Lee, whose incredible performance in “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me” went totally unappreciated.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Rebecca Hall, “Christine” (2016)
A Career-Defining Performance to Date, So Why Did It Generate So Little Conversation?

Andy Serkis, “Planet of the Apes” trilogy (2011-17)
The Fact That This Mo-Cap Performance Didn’t Even Get an Academy Nod Is Criminal

Ben Foster, “3:10 to Yuma” (2010)
A Supporting Role, Sure, But Arguably the Film’s Most Powerful Performance


Hugh Jackman , “Prisoners” (2013)
The “Wolverine” Actor Shows the Full Depth of His Skill as a Father Pushed Too Far

Maggie Cheung, “In the Mood for Love” (2000)
A Powerhouse Performance That Got No Love Outside of Festivals & Award Shows

“Arrival” (2016)

In this 2016 sci-fi film, Amy Adams plays linguist Louise Banks. When humanity makes first contact with an alien species, she becomes the world’s best hope for understanding why these extraterrestrials came to earth. It’s a contemplative and rather slow-moving film compared to most extraterrestrial tales, but the earnestness and quiet intensity of Adams’ performance holds your attention from start to finish. There are a few especially powerful, emotionally-driven moments throughout the film, and Adams delivers them like a punch in the gut to the audience. “Arrival” did receive numerous accolades, but despite Adams carrying the film, the Oscars totally snubbed her. Oh well, it’s not the first time Adams’ been overlooked! Lighthearted though “Enchanted” might be, her performance as Giselle similarly deserved greater recognition.