Top 10 jaw-dropping actors who shockingly never won an Oscar

You aren’t definitely ready for a shocking list of Hollywood's mostly acclaimed actors who, despite their hit movies and astonishing on-screen performances have never received an Oscar.

Imagine Tom Cruise having the most $100 million global box office movies failed to receive the ultimate recognition.

Let's count down the most jaw-dropping snubs in Hollywood history; from Mark Ruffalo to Johnny Depp, here’s a list of actors in Hollywood who indeed won audience’s heart but never won an Academy Award aka an Oscar: 

1. Tom Cruise

One of the most iconic film actors of all time has never even collected the elusive Oscar.

Despite being nominated three times in the Best Actor category twice, for Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Jerry Maguire (1996) and in Best Picture as a producer for Top Gun: Maverick (2022), the Mission: Impossible - Fallout actor didn’t receive the Academy Award.

However, Cruise, whose extensive career has earned him over 60 wins from nearly 120 nominations, most recently received an honorary Academy Award in 2025, recognising his lifetime contributions to cinema.

2. Johnny Depp

Despite being nominated for Best Actor three times, Depp has never won an Oscar.

The 62-year-old actor got his first nod for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) but lost to Sean Penn.

Later, he was nominated for Finding Neverland (2004), but Jamie Foxx won.

The A Nightmare on Elm Street actor was recognised for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), but the Oscar went to Daniel Day-Lewis.

3. Bradley Cooper

The Star is Born actor has been nominated for several Oscars but hasn't won yet

The 50-year-old movie star earned three Oscar nominations in a row in the early 2010s for Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013), and American Sniper (2014).

He then directed himself to acting nominations for A Star Is Born (2018) and Maestro (2023), but he lost those years, too.

4. Harrison Ford

One of the versatile actors of Hollywood has not won a competitive Oscar!

Moreover, the 83-year-old actor has only been nominated once for an Academy Award, which was for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Sergeant John Book in Witness (1985).

Apart from his Oscar snub, Ford's illustrious career spans over six decades, with mesmerising roles in films like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The Fugitive and Blade Runner.

5. Matt Damon

Damon has won an Oscar for his work as a writer but never as an actor.

Despite his impressive acting career, the The Instigators actor hasn't won an Oscar for acting, but he has been nominated three times for Good Will Hunting (1997), Invictus (2009), and The Martian (2015).

6. Michael Keaton

The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice actor hasn't won an Oscar yet, and had never been nominated until 2015 but he has indeed made his mark on the film industry.

7. Jim Carrey

The Mask megastar has not won a competitive Oscar yet, but he's been recognised for his work in other ways.

Carrey appeared in critically acclaimed movies such as The Truman Show (1998) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), however he could not receive the Academy Award.

The Sonic the Hedgehog 3 actor has picked up a slew of Golden Globe nominations, however, two of which have resulted in wins.

8. Liam Neeson

The Taken actor hasn't won an Oscar yet, despite being nominated for Best Actor for his iconic role as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List (1993) which he lost to Tom Hanks, who won for his portrayal of Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia.

But Neeson has received honorary awards such as Variety Award from British Independent Film Awards, Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award from Irish Film & Television Academy, and Krzysztof Kieślowski Award from Camerimage.

9. Hugh Jackman

Jackman hasn't won a competitive Oscar yet, despite being nominated for Best Actor for his role in Les Misérables (2012), however, the Deadpool & Wolverine actor did receive an honorary Academy Award in recognition of his lifetime contributions to film and the entertainment industry.

Jackman's extensive career includes iconic roles in films like X-Men, Les Misérables, and The Greatest Showman.

10. Samuel L. Jackson

Jackson hasn't won a competitive Oscar yet, despite being one of Hollywood's most versatile actors.

Moreover, the Captain Marvel actor he has been nominated for several awards, including an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for movie Pulp Fiction (1994).

The 76-year-old actor's notable works include iconic roles in films such as The Hateful Eight, the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, The Avengers and other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films.