Most Oscar-Nominated Actors Who Have Never Won

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Everyone knows not every actor wins an Oscar, even when nominated – and the ten actors listed here are prime examples. What’s unique about these talented performers is that they’ve received the most Oscar nominations ever, but haven’t actually won an award in an acting category. One actor holds the record for the most nominations in a single acting category, and another has been nominated for awards outside of acting. Interestingly, one of the two actors tied for the most nominations (and losses) is likely to be nominated again for a role she previously won a Tony Award for.

It’s unfortunate that five of the incredibly talented performers on this list have passed away and won’t have the chance to win an Oscar. However, the remaining five still have a possibility of finally taking home the award. They’ve all been nominated in the last seven years for outstanding work, so it’s likely this list will change soon. Here are the 10 most-nominated actors who haven’t yet won an Oscar, ranked by the number of nominations they’ve received.

10
Albert Finney: 5 Nominations


Universal Pictures

Albert Finney, a celebrated actor who died in 2019 at age 82, received five Academy Award nominations throughout his impressive career. He first earned a Best Actor nomination in 1964 for his role in Tom Jones, and continued with nominations for Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The Dresser (1983), and Under the Volcano (1984). In 2001, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Erin Brockovich, a film Julia Roberts was glad she didn’t pass on. Even after that final nomination, Finney continued to act in popular films like Big Fish, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, two Bourne movies, and Skyfall. He was a versatile performer, equally comfortable in leading and supporting roles, having played iconic characters like Ebenezer Scrooge and Daddy Warbucks, as well as the quiet lawyer in Erin Brockovich opposite Julia Roberts’ spirited performance.

While this list focuses on ten actors, it’s worth mentioning Arthur Kennedy, who also received five Oscar nominations before he passed away in 1990. He’s remembered for his stage role as Biff in Elia Kazan’s famous production of Death of a Salesman, but he also became a highly respected character actor in films. Interestingly, his Oscar nominations were the opposite of Albert Finney’s: he was nominated four times for Best Supporting Actor – for Champion (1949), Trial (1955), Peyton Place (1957), and Some Came Running (1958) – and once for Best Actor for Bright Victory (1951).

9
Irene Dunne: 5 Nominations


RKO Radio Pictures

Irene Dunne was a remarkably talented actress, as even a character in the movie The Holiday would agree. Like Judy Finney and Glenn Kennedy, she received five Academy Award nominations throughout her career. What makes Dunne unique is that all five of her nominations were in the Best Actress category – unlike others on this list who have been nominated for both leading and supporting roles (except for one actress with a particularly noteworthy record). Dunne earned nominations for her performances in Cimarron (1931), Theodora Goes Wild (1936), The Awful Truth (1938), Love Affair (1939), and I Remember Mama (1948). Her final film role was in 1952’s It Grows on Trees. After that, she stepped away from acting, dedicating herself to charitable work and politics, feeling that the roles available to her as she got older weren’t appealing. Her last television appearance was in 1962 on General Electric Theater, almost three decades before her passing in 1990.

8
Michelle Williams: 5 Nominations


Amazon Studios

Michelle Williams consistently delivers outstanding performances, earning her numerous Oscar nominations, but surprisingly, she hasn’t won yet. Her streak of nominations began in 2006 with Brokeback Mountain, alongside Heath Ledger, and continued with critically acclaimed roles in films like Blue Valentine (2011), My Week with Marilyn (2012), Manchester by the Sea (2017), and The Fabelmans (2023). While the Academy hasn’t yet awarded her an Oscar, she’s won Golden Globes for her work, including her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe, proving her talent across different types of roles. She won Globes for the television series Fosse/Verdon in 2020 and Dying for Sex in 2026. Though she may not have as many awards as some of her peers—and she’s had a few less successful films—she’s set to appear in a new Damien Chazelle project, potentially earning her a sixth Oscar nomination.

7
Bradley Cooper: 5 Nominations


The Weinstein Company

It’s surprising to see Bradley Cooper, known for comedies like The Hangover, nominated for five acting Oscars. Throughout his career, he’s shown he’s capable of much more than just romantic comedies or films like Wedding Crashers. His Oscar journey began with a nomination for 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook, where his co-star Jennifer Lawrence won Best Actress at just 22. He’s since been nominated for American Hustle, American Sniper, A Star is Born, and most recently for his powerful portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. Remarkably, Cooper has earned a total of 12 Academy Award nominations – five as an actor, one for adapting a screenplay (A Star is Born), one for original screenplay (Maestro), and five as a producer for Best Picture (American Sniper, A Star is Born, Joker, Nightmare Alley, and Maestro). He continues to prove himself as a rising star and a strong contender for future Oscars, especially now that he’s also an established director.

6
Annette Bening: 5 Nominations


Focus Features

Annette Bening’s presence on this list might be the biggest surprise, though it’s surprising she hasn’t won an Oscar yet! She’s acted in over 50 films and received Oscar nominations for five: The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia, The Kids Are All Right, and Nyad. While she hasn’t won an Academy Award, she has won Golden Globes for Being Julia and The Kids Are All Right. Her performance in The Kids Are All Right perfectly shows her skill – she can deliver deeply emotional moments and then effortlessly make you laugh, demonstrating a remarkable range that puts her among the best, like Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep. With such a strong body of work and dedication to honest acting, another Oscar nomination – and a win – seems inevitable.

5
Thelma Ritter: 6 Nominations


Universal Pictures

Thelma Ritter is unique among the actresses on this list because she was only ever nominated for an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category. Despite passing away in 1969, she still holds the record for the most nominations in that category without ever winning. She received nominations four years consecutively – from 1951 to 1954 – for her roles in All About Eve, The Mating Season, With a Song in My Heart, and Pickup on South Street. She was nominated twice more, in 1960 for Pillow Talk and in 1963 for Birdman of Alcatraz. While an Oscar eluded her, she did win a Tony Award for playing Marthy Owen in New Girl in Town, sharing the Best Actress award with her co-star Gwen Verdon, who later married the show’s choreographer, Bob Fosse.

4
Amy Adams: 6 Nominations


Columbia Pictures

Amy Adams has been hoping to win an Oscar since her breakout role in the 2005 film Junebug. She’s been nominated six times for her performances in films like Doubt, The Fighter, The Master, American Hustle, and Vice, creating a lot of excitement among viewers eager to see her win. Luckily, like many other actresses, Adams has already won Golden Globes for her comedic roles in American Hustle and Big Eyes. She consistently takes on challenging and varied projects, showcasing her range by singing in sequels like Disenchanted, playing a woman who transforms into a dog in Nightbitch, and joining the cast of the new Star Wars film. At 51, Adams has plenty of opportunities ahead of her to finally win an Oscar, thanks to her talent and willingness to take on diverse roles.

Deborah Kerr is the only other actress besides Glenn Close to have received six Oscar nominations without winning a competitive award. She was recognized for her roles in classic films like An Affair to Remember, From Here to Eternity, and The King and I (even though she didn’t do her own singing in the last one!). Kerr also earned nominations for Edward, My Son, Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, Separate Tables, and The Sundowners. While she never won a traditional Oscar, the Academy honored her with a lifetime achievement award in 1994, recognizing her significant impact on film. Interestingly, the actress with the most nominations who never won—Glenn Close—was the one who presented Kerr with her Honorary Oscar!

3
Richard Burton: 7 Nominations


Warner Bros.

Richard Burton was a highly acclaimed actor, famous not only for his two marriages to Elizabeth Taylor but also for receiving seven Academy Award nominations. He was nominated for Best Actor six times and for Best Supporting Actor once. He first gained Oscar recognition in the early 1950s with nominations for My Cousin Rachel and The Robe, followed by nominations for Becket and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold in the mid-1960s. His final nominations came for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Anne of the Thousand Days, and Equus. Like Thelma Ritter, Burton excelled on stage, winning a Tony Award in 1961 for his performance as King Arthur in Camelot. He famously played Antony to Taylor’s Cleopatra, and their highly publicized romance led to two marriages and two divorces. Despite his success, Burton narrowly missed becoming the most Oscar-nominated actor of his generation.

2
Peter O’Toole: 8 Nominations


Columbia Pictures

Peter O’Toole received an Honorary Oscar in 2003 recognizing his impressive career, but he remains notable for having the most Oscar nominations without ever winning a competitive award. He was nominated eight times for Best Actor, including for his iconic role in Lawrence of Arabia (1963), as well as Becket (1965), The Lion in Winter (1969), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1970), The Ruling Class (1973), The Stunt Man (1981), My Favorite Year (1982), and Venus (2006). While many consider his performance in Lawrence of Arabia a cinematic masterpiece, more recent audiences might recognize him from roles like Priam in Troy, the King in Stardust, or as the voice of Anton Ego in Ratatouille. Though he passed away in 2013 at the age of 81, O’Toole’s legacy as a truly great actor endures, and he’ll remain on this list until another actor finally breaks his record.

1
Glenn Close: 8 Nominations


Netflix

Glenn Close shares the record for the most Oscar nominations without a win. Many believed she would finally win in 2019 after receiving a Golden Globe for her performance in The Wife, but Olivia Colman took home the Oscar for The Favourite. Close has been nominated eight times, including for films like The World According to Garp, The Big Chill, Fatal Attraction, and Dangerous Liaisons. Beyond these acclaimed roles, she’s also known for playing Cruella de Vil in the live-action 101 Dalmatians and Eleanor in The Lion in Winter, for which she won a Golden Globe. It’s surprising, given her impressive career, that she hasn’t yet won an Academy Award. She’s getting another chance with the upcoming film Sunset Boulevard, reprising her Tony Award-winning role as Norma Desmond. If she wins an Oscar for this performance, she’ll only need a Grammy to become an EGOT winner – joining the ranks of director Steven Spielberg, who directed her in Hook.

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Regardless of future events, all of these actors have already made a lasting impact on film with their incredible careers – achievements that go beyond any award. However, for the five actors who are still with us, if they keep competing for the best acting Oscar… who do you predict will win one first? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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2026-02-16 16:21