The Academy Awards often reward the greatest actors in Hollywood with a shiny trophy, but some screen legends have multiple nominations and no Oscars to show for it. In the first few years of the event, actors were nominated based on their body of work for the entire year. According to Emanuel Levy’s book All About Oscar, by the fourth ceremony, actors were nominated for a specific performance in a single movie, limiting their chances. Katharine Hepburn won more Oscars than any other actor with a grand total of four while Meryl Streep has more nominations than any of her peers with a whopping 21 nods — and three wins.
From Halle Berry’s groundbreaking Monster’s Ball victory to Heath Ledger’s posthumous win for The Dark Knight, the Academy has often rewarded the talent that most deserved recognition. However, there have also been plenty of notorious snubs throughout Oscar history. Marilyn Monroe, one of the most enduring cultural icons, was never even nominated for an Academy Award. The late Chadwick Boseman missed out on his final chance to win an Oscar, posthumously, when he lost the Best Actor award in 2021 to Anthony Hopkins. Meanwhile, the actors with the most nominations and no wins are two of the most celebrated actors in Hollywood history.
Peter O'Toole Was Nominated For Eight Acting Oscars (& Lost Them All)
Throughout his storied career, Peter O’Toole received eight Oscar nominations and lost every single one to other great actors. In 2003, after snubbing him every time he was nominated, the organization gave O’Toole an Academy Honorary Award as a way of recognizing a lifetime of masterful acting. O’Toole received Best Actor nominations for Lawrence of Arabia (which won Best Picture) in 1963, Becket in 1965, The Lion in Winter in 1969, Goodbye, Mr. Chips in 1970, The Ruling Class in 1973, The Stunt Man in 1981, My Favorite Year in 1983, and Venus in 2007. Unfortunately for O’Toole, every time, he had strong competition.
While Lawrence of Arabia won Best Picture and Best Director, O’Toole lost the Best Actor Oscar to Gregory Peck for his turn as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. O’Toole’s performance as King Henry II in Becket lost to Rex Harrison for My Fair Lady. In 1969, he lost to Cliff Robertson for Charly while his Lion in Winter co-star Katharine Hepburn won Best Actress. In 1973, he lost to Marlon Brando for The Godfather. In 1981, he lost to Robert De Niro for Raging Bull. In 1983, he lost to Ben Kingsley for Gandhi. In 2007, he lost to Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland.
Glenn Close Ties O'Toole For Most Acting Nominations
Like Peter O’Toole, Glenn Close has also received eight Oscar nominations and no wins. Close was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her work in The World According to Garp in 1983, The Big Chill in 1984, The Natural in 1985, and Hillbilly Elegy in 2021. She was nominated in the Best Actress category for her roles in Fatal Attraction in 1988, Dangerous Liaisons in 1989, Albert Nobbs in 2012, and The Wife in 2019.
The Wife was expected to finally win Close the coveted trophy, with most 2019 Oscars pundits predicting her being honored as much for her lifetime of work as the specific performance in the movie. Shockingly, she lost to Olivia Colman for The Favourite. That wasn't Close's last nomination, and there could very well be more to come, as unlike O'Toole, who died in 2013, her career isn't over yet. There’s also a chance for the Academy Awards to rectify their mistake by giving Close an honorary Oscar, as they did with O’Toole.