While the Oscars are the most sparkling night of Hollywood, the Academy is not without faults. Once more, some of the biggest stars of the film industry give the world performances that will be remembered forever, and receive a huge amount of praise and award nominations. Yet they are left without the famous little gold statuette. It is annoying, it is baffling, and to be honest, it is part of what makes the Oscars so hotly debated. So, who are the most shocking Oscar “almosts” of 2025? Let’s take a look.
10. Saoirse Ronan
Not one but four Oscar nominations before the age of 30, and not a single win, what?! Ronan gave us no less than four incredible performances in Atonement, Brooklyn, Lady Bird, and Little Women, all of which were themselves nominated for Best Picture. With such a great career in such a short time span, it seems that only time is left to decide when, not if, she will win her first Oscar. But anyway, she is still one of the Academy’s biggest oversights.
9. Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver is truly one of the most original figures of the genre. She has three Oscar nominations, and in one year, she was twice nominated (Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl). Besides, she was also nominated for Aliens, proving that she could be both strong and bring substance to the world of science fiction. However, despite all the influence she has wielded over the years, she is still without an Oscar – a fact that makes the fans upset.
8. Tom Cruise
Don’t say it, but Tom Cruise is one of the greatest icons in cinema. He’s got acting Oscar nods for Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia, as well as a producing nomination for Top Gun: Maverick. And yet, not an Oscar to show for it. The guy hangs off airplanes in real life, surely that counts for something?
7. Johnny Depp
Depp’s career is packed with fearless, reinvention performances, and the Academy has taken heed, just not as much as it should have. He’s been nominated three times (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Finding Neverland, Sweeney Todd) but never took home an Oscar. Love him or hate him, Captain Jack was worth more than a box office triumph.
6. Annette Bening
Five nominations and still counting, with standouts The Grifters, American Beauty, The Kids Are All Right, and Nyad. But Bening has seen the Oscar elude her every time despite equally powerhouse performances. She’s revered, adored, and overdue; it seems like the Academy just can’t seem to make up its mind with her.
5. Amy Adams
The final “how does she not have one yet?” actress. Adams has six nominations for movies such as Doubt, The Fighter, The Master, and American Hustle. She can do quirky indies, big drama, or sleek prestige pics, and do them magnificently. Her not having a win yet is virtually a meme.
4. Ralph Fiennes
One of the few actors who can combine threat and frailty is undoubtedly Ralph Fiennes. Besides the frightful Schindler’s List and the splendid love story of The English Patient, together with his latest role in Conclave, he has proven his yardstick. Yet the Academy decides to ignore him, still to leave one of Britain’s best yet Oscar-less.
3. Edward Norton
He made his debut in Primal Fear, just like a bomb, and has been very consistent ever since, racking up nominations for American History X, Birdman, and Unknown. Though he is supremely talented, he never wins at the Oscars. At the moment, fans only predict that the next one will be the lucky one.
2. Glenn Close
Eight times nominated, never a winner. Glenn Close is at the top of the list of the most acting actresses without an Oscar, and it is a heartbreaking story. She gave the Academy an unforgettable performance from Fatal Attraction to Dangerous Liaisons to The Wife. If they are ever in need of a makeup win, it would definitely be for her.
1. Bradley Cooper
He has been nominated twelve times for acting, directing, writing, and producing. Yes, twelve. Cooper, aside from the several wins he has had, including Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper, A Star Is Born, Maestro, and more, has always been one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. And still, no Oscar. At this moment, it almost seems like it is personal.
Not even the most celebrated stars of Hollywood are safe from the Oscar disappointments. Maybe that is half the fun that we get to experience by continuously supporting them year after year, hoping that the Academy will soon make the right choice.