What is The Greatest Performance to Not Win The Oscar?

[u/False_Cut5893]

Its DDL for Phantom Thread for me, was not only the best performance that year by far, its arguably the greatest performance ever. What would be your top performance to not win the Oscar?

[u/vanille-bar]

Ralph Fiennes in Schindler’s List

[u/dstonemeier → u/vanille-bar]

Liam Neeson in Schindlers List as well.

[u/Evangelion217 → u/dstonemeier]

Nobody was beating Tom Hanks that year.

[u/False_Cut5893 → u/vanille-bar]

TOMMY LEE JONES WINNING PISSES ME OFF TO THIS DAY

[u/extrakelpfries → u/False_Cut5893]

tommy lee jones winning that oscar over ralph fiennes was my mom’s villain origin story. she stills talk about it to this day.

[u/whoiswillo → u/False_Cut5893]

That movie does not work without Tommy Lee Jones. The fact that it seems easy is a testament to his talent. There have been several movies that have tried to do the dueling protagonist since The Fugitive and none have been nearly as successful.

[u/Ok-Turnip-9035 → u/False_Cut5893]

🎯 especially knowing he doesn’t care

This man who probably has it written into his contracts that he’s not doing press is entered into a competition through a nomination that needs him to do press in order to discuss his piece of work that’s been nominated

It was such a wild situation - the fact the academy then was like let’s just for shits and giggles vote Tommy and other votes coming in will probably out count any that come in for him - only for everyone voting to be in on the joke and he be the winner 🤯

[u/Exact_Friendship_502 → u/Ok-Turnip-9035]

I don’t know, when the fugitive came out, Tommy Lee Jones’ lines became like instant cultural zeitgeist. Same ballpark as Marisa Tomei.

Personally I have no problem with iconic performances from blockbusters getting recognition.

[u/KBPT1998 → u/Exact_Friendship_502]

“I don’t care” would have been perfect in an acceptance speech. 😂

[u/darylbosco1 → u/vanille-bar]

Ralph Fiennes in Budapest

[u/Oldmanandthefee → u/darylbosco1]

It is some Ralph Finnes performance (including Conclave) for sure

[u/Signiference → u/vanille-bar]

Thread over, this is the definitive answer.

[u/megamoze → u/vanille-bar]

100%. Came here just to say this.

[u/bankersbox98 → u/vanille-bar]

This will always be the answer

[u/22marks → u/vanille-bar]

Came here to say this as well. It's perfection. And to Tommy Lee Jones for The Fugitive? I mean, fun movie and Jones was good, but... come on. One is a solid popcorn flick, the other is a masterpiece.

"I didn't kill my wife." "I don't care."

vs

"I pardon you." and "Today is history. Today will be remembered."

[u/pwolf1771 → u/22marks]

People are way underestimating how much of a gut punch “I don’t care” actually was. Kimble realizes just how fucked he truly is and jumps off a waterfall because that’s the better option…

[u/hermanhermanherman → u/vanille-bar]

This is easily the #1 answer and it's not close. That was the all-time fumble and a black mark on the category. Fiennes gave one of the best performances ever.

[u/IcySir5969 → u/hermanhermanherman]

There should not be any consensus on art. I could name a few that i think are better.

Al Pacino, Godfather 2

Naomi Watts, Mulholland Drive

Juliette Binoche, Thrre Colours Blue

Gena Rowlands, Woman Under The Influence

Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

Toshiro Mifune, Seven Samurai

Tony Leung, In the Mood for Love

James Stewart, Vertigo

Henry Fonda, Grapes of Wrath

Ralph Fiennes in the Grand Budapest Hotel is better than in Schindlers List too

[u/hermanhermanherman → u/IcySir5969]

You're either misunderstanding the use of "one of," or you are misunderstanding what I'm saying generally. I'm talking about level of performance in comparison to the person who ended up actually winning the award. Fiennes losing to Jones is pretty widely considered one of if not the the biggest WTF in the acting category

[u/HiImWallaceShawn → u/vanille-bar]

Leo DiCaprio in what’s eating Gilbert grape

[u/[deleted] → u/vanille-bar]

+1000000000000000000000000000

[u/captainkugel → u/vanille-bar]

This is the answer. I'd also volunteer that while Geoffrey Rush in Shine was out-of-control good, Ralph might have still deserved it over him for The English Patient. It's a flawless performance.

[u/shoshpd]

Pacino in The Godfather Part II

[u/False_Cut5893 → u/shoshpd]

Dawg should’ve had 2-3 oscars by now its insane, I cant stand the fact he has only 1, that too none for the godfather trilogy, shameful

[u/Apptubrutae → u/False_Cut5893]

Don’t worry, Adrian Brody has 2, lol.

[u/False_Cut5893 → u/Apptubrutae]

He deserved both tbh, its just a shame not everyone gets what they're deserved, especially GOATS like Al Pacino and Ralph Fiennes

[u/gritoni → u/shoshpd]

Pacino for Godfather 2 Nicholson for Chinatown Hoffman for Lenny

And Art Carney won for Harry and Tonto

[u/mosfetwah → u/shoshpd]

This +1 million times. Art Carney winning for Harry and Tonto was hot garbage. I would have been fine with Nicholson winning for Chinatown, which was a phenomenal performance or Hoffman for Lenny.

[u/Naive-Inside-2904]

Naomi Watts - Mulholland Drive

[u/at0mheart → u/Naive-Inside-2904]

She was unbelievable, love her in “I heart huckabees” also

[u/agnosticstudy1 → u/at0mheart]

That movie is the reason I always say "Shania twain" when I eat anything with tuna fish.

[u/PerfectPlace_4Shade]

Paul Giamatti in Sideways has my vote for most egregious snub. Wasn’t even nominated.

[u/asdf072 → u/PerfectPlace_4Shade]

Also American Splendor

[u/WhatTheCluck802 → u/PerfectPlace_4Shade]

The Holdovers. He was brilliant in that.

[u/Decimation4x → u/PerfectPlace_4Shade]

That man’s passion changed the wine industry.

[u/sangriaflygirl → u/Decimation4x]

Seriously. About a year after Sideways was released, my parents visited that part of CA's wine country and went on a Sideways-inspired wine tour. It was a big deal, and he was the heart and soul of that movie.

[u/GrassyPoint987]

Toni Collette in Hereditary. Not even nominated!

[u/Teethy_BJ → u/GrassyPoint987]

All I get back is that fucking face on your face!

[u/simoneyyyy → u/GrassyPoint987]

I will never stop mentioning that performance. Why do the Oscar’s hate horror?

[u/GrassyPoint987 → u/simoneyyyy]

I'm unsure about now, but back in the day, horror films not only showed violence or gore, implied or on screen, but they also tackled controversial topics more mainstream or non-horror films would not.

Below is an interesting list, but it goes back to dracula commenting on religion vs. Science and the fear of immigrants. It's funny how some things never change 😆

I hope we see further changes on them being accepted and recognized as more gen x, millennial, and so on enter the academy as voters.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.watchmojo.com/amp/articles/top-10-times-horror-movies-tackled-serious-issues

[u/smeggysoup84 → u/GrassyPoint987]

This is the worst one by far

[u/Due-Sheepherder-218]

Michael Keaton not winning for Birdman really ruffles my feathers 

[u/ipecacOH → u/Due-Sheepherder-218]

How long have you been waiting to pull out THAT gem? 😆

[u/SuzIsCool → u/ipecacOH]

He's been roosting on it for a while.

[u/Rlpniew → u/Due-Sheepherder-218]

My opinion is that Birdman won the wrong Oscar. I didn’t like the film that much, but Keaton was absolutely deserving of the win.

[u/WakeUpOutaYourSleep → u/Rlpniew]

It probably would’ve been my winner that year, but I’d have traded Picture for Actor. Keaton was the first Oscar loss to really bother me once I started following this stuff. The fact that his film did so well otherwise just makes it worse.

[u/pwolf1771 → u/Due-Sheepherder-218]

That was brutal I wanted that for Keaton so bad. Nothing against Redmayne but the BirdMan performance was truly special

[u/Exotic-Hovercraft-21 → u/Due-Sheepherder-218]

This.

[u/theunrealdonsteel]

Peter Sellers in Dr Strangelove - three distinct and memorable characters, and he lost to Rex Harrison barely even trying. Never sat right with me.

[u/billleachmsw]

That script and his performance were phenomenal.

[u/Former-Whole8292]

One of the most famous is Judy Garland losing to Grace Kelley.

[u/travispickle123]

Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver.

[u/False_Cut5893 → u/travispickle123]

Was waiting for this one🙏, my second favourite performance ever to not win, insane (tough year 1976 was too, Peter Finch for Network, Sylvester Stallone for Rocky, De Niro from Taxi Driver, arguably greatest year of male acting performances ever)

[u/red_riders → u/travispickle123]

You talking to me?

[u/22marks → u/red_riders]

I don't see anyone else here.

[u/red_riders → u/22marks]

I’m standing here. You make the move. You make the move. It’s your move…

[u/Mybenzo]

Kisten Dunst in Melancholia

[u/Alternative_Bass_596 → u/Mybenzo]

That fuckass director’s comments, man. Tanked her campaign before it could even start…

[u/[deleted]]

Al pacino had like 4 in a year streak of best nom for godfather 1 and 2, dog day afternoon, serpico

Its genuinely impossible to think he didnt win for any of those

[u/GalinDray → u/[deleted]]

He ended up winning years later for Scent of a Woman as an apology

[u/dstonemeier]

Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler. It wasn’t even nominated.

[u/EntrepreneurBehavior → u/dstonemeier]

He was phenomenal in Prisoners too

[u/at0mheart → u/EntrepreneurBehavior]

Hugh stole the show in Prisoners. He really captured that type of American dad.

[u/t-hrowaway2 → u/at0mheart]

I agree. Jake Gyllenhaal was great, but Hugh Jackman’s performance here was exceptional. An excellent film.

[u/at0mheart → u/t-hrowaway2]

The cop was just there to tie the story together for the viewer. It was not where the cop was the hero, and saved the day. The story was more about the killers and the effects on the families.

Hugh just had more impact scenes, the cop was mainly quiet and intelligent but also always a few steps behind. Jake did get the chance to rough up Dano though.

But come on Hugh with the hammer 🔨 “tell me!!”

[u/Vulture584 → u/at0mheart]

Type of what?!!

[u/Current_Rooster_6895 → u/Vulture584]

[u/johnmichael-kane → u/dstonemeier]

Also in brokeback mountain

[u/dstonemeier → u/johnmichael-kane]

Hard agree. In my opinion Nightcrawler and Brokeback (in that order) are Jake’s 2 best performances of his career.

[u/Few_Age_571 → u/dstonemeier]

This is my answer. This and Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse.

[u/RedUlster]

For ones no one has mentioned yet, Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia, Denzel in Malcolm X, Susan Sarandon in Thelma & Louise, Ray Liotta in Goodfellas.

[u/Green-Cupcake6085 → u/RedUlster]

Al Pacino’s “Hoo-ah” winning out over Denzel’s Malcolm X is one of the most ridiculous things that the Academy has ever done. I know it was a “Sorry we fucked up in the 70s” Oscar, but still

[u/bailaoban → u/RedUlster]

Liotta is 100% on the same level as DeNiro and Pesci in that film. In fact he carries the entire narrative.

[u/Mistyam → u/bailaoban]

I can't believe he wasn't even nominated

[u/jeemsp]

Paul Dano not even being nominated when he goes toe to toe with DDL in There Will be Blood is crazy!!

[u/sangriaflygirl → u/jeemsp]

Paul Dano should have been nominated for that film as well as Love & Mercy and The Fabelmans.

[u/jeemsp → u/sangriaflygirl]

100% agree, him being Oscarless is criminal.

[u/StoneyMitchell]

I agree, I adore him in phantom thread. One of my favourite performances ever

[u/mtthckee → u/StoneyMitchell]

Agree, OP already has the correct answer

[u/NefariousnessShort36]

James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life

[u/SurvivorFanDan → u/NefariousnessShort36]

Nice pick! One of the best performances in film in my opinion. I'm glad Jimmy Stewart was an Oscar winner, but it really wasn't for the right performance.

I also think that he would have been a deserving winner for Vertigo, for which he wasn't even nominated.

[u/Present-Pick7070]

Cate Blanchett in Tár

[u/DonSoulwalker → u/Present-Pick7070]

The correct answer

[u/acsmith]

Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator

[u/Otherwise-Ruin2622]

Sean Astin to not even get nominated for best supporting actor is still a travesty. Everytime I think about it I get pissed off.

[u/shnigybrendo → u/Otherwise-Ruin2622]

And has a character ever been more supporting than Sam?

[u/appzeddy → u/Otherwise-Ruin2622]

Absolutely this.

[u/RandyBRandleman → u/Otherwise-Ruin2622]

“I can’t carry it for you but I can’t carry you” still pumps me up…his monologue at the end of the two towers is one of the greatest monologues in the history of cinema.

[u/Xamalion]

Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream.

[u/Bli-munda]

1.Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse, The Florida Project, The Last Temptation of Christ, Platoon, At Eternity's Gate... etc, etc

1. Jeremy Strong in The Apprentice... 😭

2. Fiennes in The Schindler's list

3. Tony Collette in Hereditary

4. Emily Watson in Braking the Waves

[u/Tricky_Afternoon5756 → u/Bli-munda]

All these 💯

[u/ExileIsan]

Anthony Perkins in Psycho (1960). Truly iconic performance not even nominated for an Oscar.

[u/Green-Mind8323]

Glenn Close in pretty much anything.

[u/Critical_Appeal_2091 → u/Green-Mind8323]

Surprised I had to scroll this far for this comment. She should have at least two by now: Reversal of Fortune and Dangerous Liaisons.

[u/NNancy1964 → u/Critical_Appeal_2091]

and The Wife.

[u/JoseT90]

Mickey Rourke’s the wrestler

[u/wheelera982 → u/JoseT90]

Performance of a lifetime

[u/Former-Counter-9588 → u/JoseT90]

Great answer! I know Sean Penn was great in Milk but Rourke was BETTER

[u/Variable_Shaman_3825]

Peter Otoole in Lawrence of Arabia. In any other year he'd have won easily.

[u/Lightyagami-k]

Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems - wasn’t even nominated

[u/22marks → u/Lightyagami-k]

I feel like it had the same vibe as Anora (gritty, character-driven stories with down and out outspoken protagonists whose flaws make them compelling and sympathetic, naively looking for a "big win" to get them out of their current life as they travel through New York while being pursued by unsavory businesmen) and, with no disrespect to Mikey Madison, Sandler gave me literal anxiety on a different level.

[u/MrsKettleman → u/Lightyagami-k]

Criminal

[u/Aggressive-Union1714]

Denzel as Malcolm X

[u/eopanga → u/Aggressive-Union1714]

This is the real answer right here. There is absolutely no one who would honestly say that Al Pacino deserved to win for Scent of a Woman over this masterpiece of a performance.

[u/Zackerz0891]

Jessica Lange in Frances

[u/oywiththepoodles96]

Emmanuelle Riva in Amour

[u/Ginaraquel47]

Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain.

[u/DingoNo4205 → u/Ginaraquel47]

💯 he was robbed. His performance in that film was outstanding. Michelle Williams should have won Best Supporting Actress too.

[u/Call_It_What_U_Want2]

Amy Adams in Arrival

[u/iveneverseenadragon → u/Call_It_What_U_Want2]

The fact that it didn’t even get NOMINATED is what kills me. It’s a genuinely legendary performance, one that’ll surely endure the test of time. She deserves so much more. :’(

[u/__Rum-Ham__]

Val Kilmer - Tombstone.

[u/JBGoude]

Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl

[u/DonSoulwalker → u/JBGoude]

Julianne should've won an Oscar in 2015. But not for Still Alice, but Supporting Actress in Cronenberg "Maps to the Stars" she was sublime. Still Alice was a make-up career trophy. What Pike did is debatably the best film villain of the century under Heath Ledgers Joker

[u/sangriaflygirl → u/DonSoulwalker]

Moore was incredible in Maps to the Stars, but holy crap that film was a mindfuck.

[u/MKT_Pro]

Joaquin Phoenix in The Master is my favorite performance of all time.

[u/lpalf → u/MKT_Pro]

Him winning for joker instead of the master is so 🫤🫤🫤

[u/potatowaterslideru]

Denzel Washington in Malcolm X

[u/Nervous-Story-2981]

Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's list

Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream

Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler (wasn't even nominated)

Tom Cruise in Magnolia

One name I would add - Edward Norton. He hasn't won an academy award. To me he's the best ACTOR of this generation

[u/lpalf → u/Nervous-Story-2981]

I wish Norton could’ve gotten his “it’s time” Oscar this year because it was also one of the best performances of the year and he was brought onto the film super late and still killed it

[u/Rlpniew → u/lpalf]

I met Pete Seeger a few times, only briefly, but Norton inhabited him

[u/Rockgarden13 → u/Nervous-Story-2981]

ALL of these 💯

[u/captainkugel → u/Nervous-Story-2981]

This is a great list. I agree on Norton, and I'll add that he should've really gotten it for Birdman. If Anthony Hopkins can win Best Actor for his role in Silence of the Lambs, J.K. Simmons should've been billed as Best Actor for Whiplash.

[u/HeathcliffSlowcum]

Jim Carrey — The Truman Show

[u/gnomechompskey]

Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver and Liv Ullmann, like 5 times.

[u/oppei_]

Phantom Thread Stan’s unite!!!

[u/rpope93]

Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl and Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty.

[u/Catio_and_Meowser]

Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction

[u/JINKOUSTAV]

Al pacino Godfather part 2

Humphrey Bogart Casablanca

Marlon Brando A streetcar named desire

Stephanie Hsu Everything everywhere all at once

Robert de Niro Taxi Driver

Cate Blanchett Tar

Russel Crowe A beautiful mind

[u/Wizkid-85]

Angela Bassett, What's Love Got To Do With It

[u/J-reagle]

Ellen Burstyn for Requiem for a Dream! What a performance!!

[u/Xamalion → u/J-reagle]

YES! I'm still not over it that Julia Roberts took that one home. She was good, but not that good.

[u/Educational-Can-9614]

Edward Norton in American History X
Pacino for Godfather 2
Deniro for Taxi Driver
Gloria Swanson Sunset Boulevard
Denzel in Malcolm X
Brando in A streetcar named Desire
Toni Colette in Hereditary
Michael Fassbender in Shame/Hunger

[u/oppei_ → u/Educational-Can-9614]

Omg no one ever talks about Shame!!

[u/Rockgarden13 → u/Educational-Can-9614]

Ed Norton in A Complete Unknown was phenomenal. Blew everyone else away in terms of emotional depth and nuanced portrayal.

[u/Middle_Process_215 → u/Educational-Can-9614]

Great choices!

[u/Dmbfantomas]

Dennis Hopper as Frank Booth in Blue Velvet.

[u/BoyCarat017]

Marianne Jean-Baptiste in Hard Truths

Guy Pierce in The Brutalist

Colman Domingo in Sing Sing

Lupita Nyong'o in Us

[u/Designer_Fan_1576]

Peter O'Toole- Lawrence of Arabia

Richard Burton- Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Al Pacino- dog day afternoon

[u/nerdyactor]

Guy Pearce - LA Confidential DDL - Gangs of New York (won it for everything else but not an Oscar)

[u/MakerOfPurpleRain]

Streep in bridges of Madison county

[u/Black_Gay_Man]

All of these except Colman, Blanchett and Dench weren’t even nominated. A scandal imo.

Denzel in Philadelphia

Viola Davis in The Woman King

Uma Thurman in Kill Bill Volume 2

Colman Domingo in Sing Sing

Cate Blanchett in Notes on a Scandal

Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal

Mike Faist Challengers

Josh O’Conor Challengers

Kathy Bates Dolores Claiborne

Judy Parfait Dolores Claiborne

Angela Basset What’s Love Got to Do With It

[u/jurassickris]

Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road.

[u/BlondieChelle83]

1. Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction

2. Ellen Burstyn in Requiem For A Dream

3. Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons

4. Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street

5. Demi Moore in The Substance

[u/writingsupplies]

Leo in both The Aviator and Django Unchained. An absolute tragedy neither role got him that Oscar.

The fact that Paul Dano has never been nominated for an Oscar at all is appalling. Love & Mercy, Little Miss Sunshine, The Batman, There Will Be Blood, Prisoners, and so many more. One of the best actors out there and he deserves respect.

Mickey Rourke deserved it for The Wrestler. Milk was the better movie but Mickey crushed that role.

[u/West_Conclusion_1239]

Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, The King Of Comedy, and Once Upon A Time In America

Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs Of New York and In The Name Of The Father

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf Of Wall Street, Catch Me If You Can, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and Shutter Island

Joaquin Phoenix in The Master and Her

Christian Bale in The Machinist

Cate Blanchett in Elisabeth, Carol, and TAR

Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse

Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge

Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

Micheal Keaton in Birdman

Joe Pesci in The Irishman

Al Pacino in The Irishman

Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive

[u/CampaignOrdinary2771 → u/West_Conclusion_1239]

Please add Awakenings to the De Niro list.

[u/hyperion_light]

Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson are my go-to examples for this question.

[u/yungtrapfatgag]

liam neeson In Schindler’s list

[u/[deleted]]

Everyone’s going to point out films with award buzz or classics, so I’m gonna give you something different:

Josh O’Connor in God’s Own Country

I was thinking in real time watching the film that this guy’s gonna get an Oscar someday. We’ll see

Edit: also, unpopular opinion, I absolutely love Timmy in Call Me By Your Name, but O’Connor gave the best gay performance that year, perhaps one of the best ever

[u/SensitiveStress9989]

Henry Fonda for 12 Angry Man HOW IS THAT ISN'T EVEN A NOMINATION ARE YOU KIDDING

[u/pakkit]

Toni Collette in Hereditary. Sergi Lopez in Pan's Labyrinth.

[u/Own_Faithlessness769]

Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth. It would have been extraordinary for her to win since she was unknown and it was a low budget production, but damn she was good.

[u/manored78]

Lately I would’ve said Jeremy Strong in The Apprentice

[u/oppei_ → u/manored78]

Yes he was robbed!!

[u/Tricky_Afternoon5756 → u/manored78]

ROBBED

[u/loolooloodoodoodoo]

Gene Wilder never even got nominated for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but 50+ years later that performance is still so memorable and unsurpassed.

[u/at0mheart]

I liked it the second time around more; but just not enough depth to the characters and plot.

I’d go with Denzel in Fences

[u/Middle_Process_215]

Fiennes - Schindler's List

Wilkinson - Michael Clayton

[u/Jacques_Le_Chien]

Of the last 10 years, I think so.

But Pacino for both Godfathers were worse snubs, IMO

[u/Honest_Recognition82]

Leonardo DiCaprio in What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

[u/farhanyarkhan]

Daniel Day-Lewis for Gangs of New York

[u/nin4nin]

DDL for Gangs of New York

[u/Oreadno1]

Both Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes for Schindler's List.

[u/Beautiful_Bag6707]

Robert Downey Jr. in Chaplin

Angela Basset in What's Love Got To Do With It

Glenn Close in... choose anything

Honorable mentions: Peter O'Toole, Cary Grant, Cicely Tyson, Amy Adams, and these

[u/No-Blueberry1749]

Jessica Lange for Frances Al Pacino for Godfather II Robert De Niro for Taxi Driver Daniel Day Lewis for Gangs of New York Joe Pesci for The Irishman

[u/frenchforkate]

Leo in Wolf of Wall Street

[u/DSN671]

Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday

[u/Mistyam]

Matt Damon definitely should have won for Good Will Hunting. Jack Nicholson did not need another award for playing a cranky, narcissistic old man.

Not a big fan of aflac, but he should have at least got nominated for his role in the film as a supporting actor. The way he delivers his dialogue when they're in the demolition yard about "I'm going to wake up tomorrow and be 40" was amazing.

[u/AdOutrageous6312]

Cate Blanchett in Tár

[u/bigoldgeek]

Bogart - Casablanca

[u/ComplaintWaste3992]

Barbara Stanwyck never won a competitive Oscar. Neither did Peter O’Toole (dibs on that as my porn name).

[u/Icy_Inspection6541]

Monty Clift in A Place in the Sun

[u/AxalinaMoon]

As much as Kieran culkin deserved to win, Jeremy Strong in The Apprentice was a huge snub. I believe they were scared to give awards to that film due to political reasons….

[u/pwolf1771]

Bill the Butcher is my personal vote

[u/artgeek7182]

Ralph Finnes in Schindler’s list

[u/NoLynx8499]

Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne in Gone Girl

[u/No_Group9965]

Jake Gyllenhaal Nightcrawler

[u/Ironmonkibakinaction]

Daniel Day Lewis as Guido Contini in Nine

[u/MrsT1966]

Loved that film such a great payoff.

[u/tumblingmoose]

I loved his performance in Phantom Thread! What a wild ride of a film, but he was brilliant!

[u/OwlNice9792]

Ellen Burstyn for Requiem for a Dream

[u/AndyW1982612]

Casey Affleck in Assassination of Jesse James

[u/orenprincipe]

Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project

[u/mcian84]

Fiennes in Schindler’s List.

Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream.

[u/Fragrant-Insect-7668]

[u/Greengitters]

Speaking of DDL, love the man, but his Lincoln did not hold a candle to Joaquin Phoenix in The Master, which may just be the greatest performance I’ve ever seen.

[u/SlipRecent7116]

Lily Gladstone in killers of the flower moon

[u/MontanaJoev]

Gene Hackman for Mississippi Burning

Naomi Watts for The Impossible

Ralph Fiennes for Schindler's List AND The Grand Budapest Hotel (wasn't even nominate for the latter)

Leonard DiCaprio for Who's Eating Gilbert Grape

Viggo Mortenson for Eastern Promises

Peter O'Toole for Lawrence of Arabia

[u/alphacascade]

Renee Zellweger for Chicago… the whole puppet sequence should have solidified it

[u/Anxious-raissa]

Fernanda Torres in I’m Still Here

[u/hyperboy51]

Amy Adams in arrival it's an embrassment that she wasn't even nominated

[u/OutsideWorried]

Leonardo as Monsieur Candie in Django

[u/I-Dig-Fieldwork]

Colin Farrell in banshees. You may think this is recency bias, but I legitimately think it’s one of the greatest and most difficult acting performances of all time.

[u/xdrownedworldx]

Madonna in Evita, she won the Golden Globe and Oscars snubbed her.

[u/samoajoe48]

Cary Grant - pic one

Peter Sellers - Dr Strangelove

Madeline Kahn - Clue

[u/Organic_Ad_3295]

Honestly? Leo in Wolf of Wall Street

[u/movieman994]

Leo DiCaprio for Django Unchained. Personally my favorite of his performances because he broke type and how.

[u/GreenJD16]

Matt Damon in The Martian. Never have I rooted so hard for a protagonist to survive and be happy.

[u/me_zus]

I agree with Phantom Thread's DDL performance being otherworldly. This is not talked about that much and rightly so as DDL had many great performances besides this.

[u/MelGibsonrespector]

Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems. Adam Sandler, Punch Drunk Love