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The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting) 

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Originally by Ranker Community
Updated June 25, 2020 486.5k votes 27.1k voters 362.9k views 301 items

List Rules Vote up the male actors who have never been awarded the Oscar for Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor.

There are many actors who haven't won an Oscar. For 95 percent of the acting population, there is probably a good reason they haven't taken home one of film's most prestigious honors. Only two actors per year can win either the Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor Oscars, leaving eight other nominees with nothing. And all of the other actors in the biz out in the cold.

But does the Academy always get it right? There are plenty of actors who haven't won an Oscar despite the fact that they’ve turned in amazing performances. Whether it’s due to stellar competition, bad luck, or an out-and-out snub, some artists have never gotten the recognition they deserve.

Johnny Depp and Edward Norton are all big draws at the box office who haven't received the same respect of the Academy that they have from audiences. While they've all been nominated for Oscars, they've never taken home the big prize. Other top actors without Oscars include Liam Neeson, Robert Downey, Jr.. Matt Damon, and Michael Fassbender. This list of Hollywood celebrities who have no Academy Awards also includes Black actors, like Will Smith, and famous classic stars, like Peter O'Toole and Cary Grant. How these people never won an Oscar will always be a mystery! 

There are a surprising number of big name actors who haven't won an Oscar. It's up to you to determine which of these men is the greatest.

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26
Steve Buscemi is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 62

Was never nominated for an Academy Award
27
Peter O'Toole is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Dec. at 81 (1932-2013)

Nominated for: Lawrence of Arabia, Becket, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, The Ruling Class, The Stunt Man, My Favorite Year, Venus
28
Jake Gyllenhaal is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 39

Nominated for: Brokeback Mountain
29
Benedict Cumberbatch is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
sebbzor added Age: 43

Nominated for: The Imitation Game
30
William H. Macy is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 69

Nominated for: Fargo
31
Michael Fassbender is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 42

Nominated for: 12 Years a Slave, Steve Jobs
32
Viggo Mortensen is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 61

Nominated for: Eastern Promises, Captain Fantastic, Green Book
33
Ewan McGregor is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 48

Was never nominated for an Academy Award
34
Bradley Cooper is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 44

Nominated for: Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, American Sniper, A Star Is Born
35
James McAvoy is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
RadoslavaSivkova added Age: 40

Never nominated
36
Tom Hardy is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
RadoslavaSivkova added Age: 42

Nominated for: The Revenant
37
Steve McQueen is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Dec. at 50 (1930-1980)

Nominated for: The Sand Pebbles
38
Stanley Tucci is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 59

Nominated for: The Lovely Bones
39
Mel Gibson is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 63

Never nominated
40
Patrick Stewart is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 79

Never nominated
41
Jim Carrey is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 57

Never nominated
42
Kirk Douglas is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 103

Nominated for: Lust for Life, Bad & the Beautiful, Champion
43
Michael Keaton is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
FranciscodeSouza added Age: 68

Nominated for: Birdman
44
Christopher Lee is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
kingofthrees added Age: 97

Never nominated
45
Don Cheadle is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 55

Nominated for: Hotel Rwanda
46
Harvey Keitel is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 80

Nominated for: Bugsy
47
Ryan Gosling is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 39

Nominated for: Half Nelson, La La Land
48
Will Smith is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 51

Nominated for: Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness
49
Mark Ruffalo is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 52

Nominated for: The Kids Are All Right, Foxcatcher, Spotlight
50
Kevin Bacon is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won an Oscar (for Acting)
Age: 61

Never nominated