Ahead of the 2025 Oscars ceremony, find out which of Hollywood's most celebrated actors have yet to earn an Academy Award.

With the Oscars just days away, it's always fun to reflect on years past. We all have our favorite stars that we wish would get recognized by the Academy, but, of course, we don't always get what we wish for. While an <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/where-do-oscar-winners-keep-awards">Oscar</a> is widely regarded as the most prestigious award a film star can earn, every year, many are still shocked to learn that some of Hollywood's most beloved and acclaimed actors have yet to walk up to the stage and accept a golden statuette.&nbsp;
L'OFFICIEL reveals 16 stars you'd be surprised to learn have never won an Oscar.&nbsp;

Close currently holds the record for most nominations without a single win. Since her first nomination in 1982 for Best Supporting Actress in The World According to Garp, she has earned 8 Oscar nominations. Her impressive filmography includes cult classics Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, and 101 Dalmations (1996). She most recently lost her 2021 nomination for Best Supporting Actress to <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/2021-oscar-winners-list-academy-awards">Youn Yuh-Jung</a> for her role in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/women-make-history-2021-oscars-chloe-zhao">Minari</a>.

Glenn Close

Since her first nomination for Junebug in 2005, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/sydney-sweeney-sharp-objects-hbo-interview">Adams</a> has lost all six of her nominations over the past decade, with many comparing her award show status to that of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/leonardo-dicaprio-cult-leader-jim-jones-new-film-the-peoples-temple">Leonardo DiCaprio</a>, who has only won one of his six nominations. Adams has been a lead actress in critically acclaimed works, including American Hustle&nbsp;and Vice. She is not up for nomination for any films this year, but here's hoping Adams gets her much-deserved win soon.&nbsp;

Amy Adams

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/young-winona-ryder-90s-style-fashion">Ryder</a> was one of the most sought-after actresses in the '<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/it-girl-y2k-90s-fall-fashion-inspiration">90s</a> for her work in The Age of Innocence (1993) and Little Women (1994), which both earned her Oscar nominations. Her iconic roles in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/addams-family-reboot-tim-burton-christina-ricci">Beetlejuice</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/the-trailer-for-heathers-is-out">Heathers</a>, and Girl, Interrupted have never been recognized by the Academy, and neither has her most recent thriller, The Cow. Ryder has won a <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/sag-awards-2022-winners-red-carpet-fashion-style">SAG Award</a> for her role on <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/stranger-things-season-4-trailer-cast">Stranger Things</a> but has yet to be awarded for her film work.&nbsp;

Winona Ryder

The talented dramatic and comedic actor has been nominated six times and has yet to pick up a win. His first nomination was in 2013 for <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/movies-turning-10-in-2022-anniversary">Silver Linings Playbook</a>. His co-star <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/jennifer-lawrence-open-up-acting-break-dont-look-up-netflix-film">Jennifer Lawrence</a> won that year for Best Actress for the same film. His impressive nominated works include American Hustle with Adams, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/music/the-shallow-a-star-is-born-2018">A Star is Born</a> (2019), and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/jodie-comer-joaquin-phoenix-ridley-scott-napoleon-bonaparte-film-kitbag">Joker</a>.

Bradley Cooper at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2022. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Bradley Cooper

Before 2023, Bassett had only been nominated once in the Best Actress category for her portrayal of Tina Turner in the 1994 biopic&nbsp;What&rsquo;s Love Got to Do With It.&nbsp;At the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/academy-awards-2023-oscars-red-carpet-celebrity-looks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 Academy Awards</a>, the star received her second nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category as Queen Ramonda in&nbsp;Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.&nbsp;However, she once again did not receive the award. Jamie Lee Curtis won for her role in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/best-michelle-yeoh-movies-everything-everywhere-all-at-once-crazy-rich-asians" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Everything Everywhere All At Once</a>.

Angela Bassett

Despite his seven-decade-long career and two Oscar nominations, Sir Ian McKellen has never picked up a statuette. In 1999 McKellen was nominated for his impressive work in Gods and Monsters but went home empty-handed. Four years later, his work as Gandalf the Grey in The Lord of the Rings was recognized by the Academy, but many were shocked to find out he lost once again. McKellen has since returned to the theater, taking on the role of Hamlet at Windsor's Theatre Royal, so the chance of him taking home an Oscar in the near future is slim.&nbsp;

Sir Ian McKellen

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/michelle-williams-made-only-1-of-what-her-costar-made-for-reshoots">Williams</a> has been nominated five times for standout roles in some of this generation's most famous dramatic films. Her first nomination came in 2006 for Best Supporting Actress in Brokeback Mountain. On that set, Williams began dating fellow actor <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/heath-ledger-best-movies">Heath Ledger</a>. One year later, they welcomed their daughter Matilda; after his tragic passing, Ledger became the second actor in history to win an Oscar posthumously for The Dark Knight. Williams went on to play darker roles and was nominated by the Academy for her emotional performances in Blue Valentine, My Week With Marilyn, Manchester by the Sea, and her most recent role in The Fabelmans.

Michelle Williams

The <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/timothee-chalamet-pays-homage-edward-scissorhands-super-bowl-lv-commercial-cadillac-winona-ryder">Edward Scissorhands</a> actor has been nominated for Best Actor three times since 2004 for his roles in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Finding Neverland, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Depp has been one of the biggest names in Hollywood since his first role in A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984, and many are surprised he has never nabbed a win for his portrayals of Captain Jack Sparrow, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/timothee-chalamet-new-willy-wonka-movie-charlie-chocolate-factory-prequel">Willy Wonka</a>, or the Mad Hatter.&nbsp;

Johnny Depp

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/saoirse-ronan-iconic-roles-movies-dating">Ronan</a> was one of the youngest nominees in Oscars history, earning her <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/saoirse-ronan-quot-the-oscar-everyone-dreams-of-it-a-little-quot">first nomination</a> at just 13-years-old for her role as Briony in Atonement. She has since been nominated for her work in Brooklyn, Lady Bird, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/mothers-day-movies-to-stream">Little Women</a> but has lost all four awards. After her work in the chilling film The Lovely Bones, Ronan was one of the most sought-after child actresses in Hollywood and recently made a small appearance in The French Dispatch alongside frequent co-star <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/timothee-chalamet-dune-french-dispatch-release">Timoth&eacute;e Chalamet</a>.&nbsp;

Saoirse Ronan

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/timothee-chalamet-dune-french-dispatch-release">Chalamet&rsquo;s</a> first and only nomination so far came in 2018 for the coming-of-age romantic drama <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/call-me-by-your-name-authentic-queer-love-story">Call Me By Your Name</a>. Since the start of his career, Chalamet has starred in several other Oscar-nominated films, including Interstellar, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/margot-robbie-greta-gerwig-barbie-doll-movie-filming-2022">Greta Gerwig's</a> rendition of Little Women (2019), and this year&rsquo;s six-time winner <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/timothee-chalamet-confirms-dune-part-two-instagram-zendaya-movie">Dune</a> (2021).&nbsp;

Timothée Chalamet

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/emily-blunt-movies-devil-wears-prada-quiet-place">Emily Blunt</a> has had various roles, ranging from comedic to dramatic, throughout her career, but she has yet to win an Oscar for any of them. She has won the Screen Actors Guild Award for female actor in a supporting role for A Quiet Place and was nominated for a SAG award for Mary Poppins Returns in 2018. Maybe this will be her year as she is set to play Liza Drake in Pain Hustlers and Kitty Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer.

Emily Blunt

Although Liam Neeson rose to fame for his role in Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List, Neeson has played several other characters throughout the years that have left viewers either weeping or smiling. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/love-actually-cast-then-and-now">Love Actually</a> will always be a fan favorite, and if you want a film to keep you on your toes, watch Taken. Even with all of his accomplishments, Neeson still has not been awarded an Oscar.

Liam Neeson

The Australian Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning actress has been in the business for more than 25 years, and she's not planning to stop any time soon. Toni Collette has played a range of supporting roles, like in the horror movie Fright Night, to leading roles, like in the drama Pieces of Her. Collette is definitely deserving of an <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/best-oscars-red-carpet-moments-in-history">Oscar</a> win, so we'll have to see if one comes her way.

Toni Collette 

The luminous <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/young-photos-keira-knightley-films" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keira Knightly</a>: everyone's favorite <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/keira-knightley-period-drama-historical-films-pride-and-prejudice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">period drama</a> actress. Her ability to create lovable characters in every film she acts in is a special skill not many actors have. Her performances in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/keira-knightley-period-drama-historical-films-pride-and-prejudice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pride and Prejudice</a> and Pirates of the Caribbean are some of the most adored "strong, independent woman" roles, and we think she definitely deserved an Oscar for at least one of those roles.&nbsp;

Young Keira Knightley on Bond St., 2004.

Keira Knightly

Similarly to Robert Downey Jr., <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/young-photos-scarlett-johansson-90s-2000s-age" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scarlett Johansson</a> has also been wildly successful in the Marvel franchise. Her role as Natasha Romanoff (aka <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/scarlett-johansson-disney-marvel-settle-black-widow-lawsuit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Black Widow</a>) has been a huge part of her acting career, but, of course, several of her other roles are noteworthy as well. Johansson was nominated for an Oscar for her part in Jojo Rabbit in 2019, but <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/met-gala-2022-hosts-blake-lively-ryan-reynolds-regina-king-lin-manuel-miranda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Regina King</a> ended up winning instead.

Scarlett Johansson

Despite a decades-long career in film, starting in the early 1980s, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/demi-moore">Demi Moore</a> has yet to win an Oscar. As a matter of fact, the actor hadn't even won a Golden Globe until January 2024, when she gave an acceptance speech that went viral about being told she was a "popcorn actress" earlier in her career. Moore was, however, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2025 for her lead role in body horror film The Substance.

16 Stars Who Surprisingly Haven't Won an Oscar Yet

Tags

Related Articles

Pop culture

These are the Hollywood Stars and Filmmakers With the Most Oscar Wins

Pop culture

The Most Viral Moments in Oscar History

Film & TV

Best Oscars Red Carpet Moments of All Time

Recommended posts for you

Music

Ariana Grande Might Be Teasing Album No. 8

Beauty

The Most Viral Korean Beauty Brands Worth Keeping On Your Radar

Fashion

Inside Lili Reinhart’s Most Notable Street Style Moments

Beauty

The Rich Simplicity of Augustinus Bader's New Body Cream

Fashion

Lisa's Best Style Moments

Fashion

All of Sarah Pidgeon's Best Minimalist Looks

Film & TV

'Love Story' Episode 9 Summary: How JFK Jr. And CBK's Story Ended

Music

Alex Warren and Kouvr Annon's Complete Relationship Timeline