Actors can sometimes spend their entire career trying to win a major award, but unfortunately, don't always receive the recognition they deserve. Some incredible actors get snubbed so many times that it becomes a running joke. (We’re looking at you, Leonardo DiCaprio). Luckily for Leo, he finally won his Oscar in 2016 after decades of losses, but there are plenty of other amazing actors who still haven’t gotten their moment of fame on the Oscar stage.
Robert Downey Jr.
Marvel’s "Avenger" movies might not be considered for Oscar contention, but Robert Downey Jr. has proven himself time and time again as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. He did earn two Oscar nominations in his career. His first was for the 1993 film, “Chaplin,” in which Downey held the titular role. He got his second nomination for the 2009 comedy, “Tropic Thunder.” Unfortunately, despite the incredible range he showed in both of these films, he never did secure a win.
Glenn Close
Glenn Close has been acting since the 1970s and has appeared in many major productions. She earned her first Oscar nomination in 1983 for her role in “The World According to Garp,” and 37 years and seven nominations later, she remains winless. Glenn Close is the official and undeserving losing actor in Oscar history with a 0-7 record.
Peter O’Toole
Officially, Glenn Close has the most losses in Oscar history, but if you want to get technical, Peter O’Toole is actually the biggest loser on the list. He was nominated for an Oscar eight times and was turned down for every single one. Every nomination was for his work in a lead role. He is, without a doubt, one of the best actors in history.
After realizing how ridiculous it was that O’Toole never won the award, the Academy awarded him with an honorary Oscar in 2003 for his impressive career. Officially, O’Toole has won an Oscar, but it wasn’t in the traditional sense.
Amy Adams
Although she’s only 45 years old, Amy Adams has racked up an impressive six Oscar nominations during her relatively short career. However, none of those nominations allowed her to win. She lost her most recent Oscar in 2019 for her work in “Vice,” playing Lynne Cheney. She might be one of the biggest losers in Oscar history, but she’s still young and has many years of acting ahead of her.
Johnny Depp
Like Robert Downey Jr., Johnny Depp has proven that he is one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. He can easily switch from portraying adventurous and eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow to the prim and mysterious Sweeney Todd. There aren’t many roles that Depp can’t handle. Despite his versatility, Depp has come up short every year during Oscar season. He was nominated three times — all for best actor — but never could make it onto the stage.
Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver has been a part of several of the most popular movies and franchises in history including “Alien,” “Avatar,” “Galaxy Quest,” “Holes,” and “Ghostbusters.” She was nominated for an Oscar three times between 1987 and 1989, but could never secure a win. She hasn’t been nominated since then but has continued to work and put on incredible performances. We hope that in the future, she’ll make it off the no-win list and onto the acceptance stage.
Jim Carrey
Somehow, despite being one of the most iconic actors of all time, Jim Carrey has not only never won an Oscar, but he’s never even been nominated! Most people know him for his energy and ridiculous antics on screen, but he’s also been in several dramatic and even biographical films. He won a Golden Globe for his performance as Andy Kaufman in “Man on the Moon” and a BAFTA nomination for “Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind,” but he never made it to the Oscars.
