This year's list of Oscar nominees includes veterans to the award show like Denzel Washington as well as first-time nominees like Kristen Stewart. However, while there are always talented stars who get snubbed at the Oscars, there are some actors who fans might be surprised to know have never received a nomination in their career.
Some of these actors have been in the business for decades and delivered many iconic performances that simply got overlooked by the awards. Other more recent stars have failed to be nominated despite appearing in some of the most acclaimed projects in recent years. While a nomination could still be in their future, it is shocking it hasn't happened yet.
Oscar Isaac
While he successfully worked as a character actor for a number of years, Oscar Isaac is quickly becoming one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Along with his role in the Star Wars universe, he is joining the MCU as Moon Knight. But aside from the big blockbusters, he has starred in some terrific movies.
This year alone, Isaac had a standout role in the Best Picture nominee Dune. He has also given acclaimed performances in other high-profile projects like Ex Machina and Inside Llewyn Davis. The way his career is growing, it seems like only a matter of time before he becomes a nominee.
Jeffrey Wright
Jeffrey Wright is currently impressing audiences with his grounded take on Jim Gordon in The Batman, but one look at his career and it is shocking that Wright has never been nominated. He is a reserved and powerful actor who seems incapable of giving a bad performance.
Ever since his breakout role as the titular character in Basquiat, Wright has always seemed like one performance away from a nomination. His stand-out role in the star-studded cast of The French Dispatch in 2021 is just the latest performance many feel was snubbed.
Emily Blunt
For several years, Emily Blunt has been showing her wide range of talent in a number of different projects. She has played the period dramas like Young Victoria, led the highly praised thriller Sicario, starred in the family-friendly Mary Poppins Returns, and become an action hero in Edge of Tomorrow.
Each of these performances has earned Blunt considerable critical praise yet no nominations for Oscars. She also gave buzz-worthy performances in The Devil Wears Prada and A Quiet Place, but the Oscar recognition has alluded her thus far.
Michael B. Jordan
Like Oscar Isaac and Emily Blunt, Michael B. Jordan is a younger actor whose future as an Oscar nominee seems inevitable. But despite his young career, Jordan has given enough terrific performances to make his snubs very apparent.
Jordan's breakthrough movie role came with the true-life story of Fruitvale Station. He then went on to reunite with director Ryan Coogler on two other critically acclaimed projects. As the hero in Creed and the villain in Black Panther, Jordan cemented himself as a shining talent of his generation despite no nominations.
Michelle Yeoh
It has often been discussed that the Oscars tend to overlook action movies. If that hadn't been the case, Michelle Yeoh would certainly have been recognized by now. Yeoh's career started with martial arts action movies in which she proved herself to be one of the greatest action stars of all time.
However, while the genre might not be popular with the Oscars, Yeoh has also branched out considerably. She starred in the Best Picture nominated Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as well as Crazy Rich Asians. Yet her wide range of talents have thus far been ignored.
Martin Sheen
Though Martin Sheen is perhaps best known for his television role as President Jed Bartlett on The West Wing, his movie career is filled with iconic roles as well. From his breakout role in Terrence Malick's Badlands to his leading man role in the hugely acclaimed Apocalypse Now, the lack of nominations for Sheen is baffling.
Even in Sheen's more recent career, he has continued to appear in interesting projects. He was featured in strong supporting roles in Oscar-favorites like The Departed, Catch Me If You Can, and Selma.
Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant has recently had a massive career turnaround, moving away from the critically derided romantic comedies he has become known for and starring in some interesting and acclaimed projects. Yet this comeback has yet to result in an Oscar.
Standout roles in Florence Foster Jenkins and Paddington 2 earned Grant some strong buzz but he fell short of a nomination. Even some of his rom-com roles like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill showed Grant's charming talents that deserve to be recognized.
John Goodman
As much as actors might strive to be the lead in a movie, John Goodman has built an outstanding career as one of the greatest character actors of all time. Goodman can disappear into any role, be it the villain, the hero, or the comedic relief while elevating whatever project he is in.
He has starred in a number of Oscar contenders, from Argo to The Artist, and shined in all of them. He has also given a number of iconic performances over the years with his hilarious turn in The Big Lebowski standing out as one he was surely snubbed for.
Jamie Lee Curtis
It is very rare to see a Hollywood legend like Jamie Lee Curtis who has never been nominated for an Oscar. Ever since she became a star with her iconic role as Laurie Strode in Halloween, Curtis has been giving wonderful performances in a wide range of movies.
With comedies like True Lies and Freaky Friday, Curtis proved comedic roles could still allow for great performances. Recent movies like Knives Out and her return to the Halloween franchise show that she is not slowing down at all and an Oscar nomination is still very possible.
Jim Carrey
As one of the biggest Hollywood stars, Jim Carrey would seem like the kind of talent Oscar voters would go out of their way to nominate. While his comedies like The Mask and Dumb and Dumber impressed fans more than critics, he did show new sides of his talents in various movies.
Carrey both embraced and overcame his reputation as a wild comedic actor in his more dramatic turns in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Truman Show, and Man on the Moon. Carrey received huge acclaim for these roles and plenty of award recognition – except the Oscars.