31 Actors That Should Have Oscar Nominations by Now

Best Performance: “Disobedience” (2017)

Distributed by: Bleecker Street
Written by: Sebastián Lelio, Rebecca Lenkiewicz
Directed by: Sebastián Lelio

Role: Dovid Kuperman

Other notable performances: “Junebug” (2005), “A Most Violent Year” (2014)

Alessandro Nivola has been clearing the path for great character actors, and he should already have an Oscar on his mantle for “Disobedience” opposite Rachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz. He has a role in the upcoming David O. Russell film, as well as Matt Ruskin’s “Boston Strangler” film opposite Keira Knightly and Carrie Coon.

Best Performance: “Martha Marcy May Marlene” (2011)

Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures (now Searchlight Pictures)
Written by: Sean Durkin
Directed by: Sean Durkin

Role: Martha / Marcy May / Marlene Lewis

Other notable performances: “Kill Your Darlings” (2013), “Wind River” (2017), “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)

Elizabeth Olsen has now established herself as Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, many of us loved her before her post-credits debut in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014). She blazed onto the screen in 2011 with a double dose of frightening turns in “Silent House” and her Oscar-worthy “Martha Marcy May Marlene” and dipped into multiple indie flares like “Liberal Arts” and “Kill Your Darlings.” While she’s undoubtedly raising the bar for acting in the MCU — and we’re just as excited for her upcoming performance “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” — we’re hoping for a few more big swings from the actress, who is too underutilized in the Hollywood biz.

Best Performance: “The Queen” (2006)

Distributed by: Miramax
Written by: Peter Morgan
Directed by: Stephen Frears

Role: Tony Blair

Other notable performances: “Frost/Nixon” (2008), “Far from the Madding Crowd” (2015)

Watching Helen Mirren steamroll through the 2006-2007 Oscar season for her work in “The Queen” and seeing LAFCA winner and BAFTA nominee Michael Sheen not be included on the supporting actor list was a tough pill to swallow. However, he took his interpretation of Tony Blair in film and turned it into an Emmy-nominated performance in HBO’s “The Special Relationship.” Hopefully, Peter Glanz’s “The Price of Admission” (listed in pre-production) can offer him a chance to provide more examples for why he’s so damn good.

Best Performance: “The Manchurian Candidate” (2004)

Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Written by: Daniel Pyne (based on the novel by Richard Condon and the screenplay by George Axelrod)
Directed by: Jonathan Demme

Role: Raymond Shaw

Other notable performances: “Pawn Sacrifice” (2014), “Spotlight” (2015)

Liev Schreiber may have received adoration on television with “Ray Donovan.” But after getting his start as Cotton Weary in “Scream” (1996) and one of the kidnapping team members in “Ransom” (1996), the world first saw his true acting chops as Sam in “The Hurricane” (1999) and Laertes in “Hamlet” (2000). However, it’s his brainwashed soldier in “The Manchurian Candidate” who has him going toe-to-toe with masters like Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep. Thankfully, he has some heavy-hitters on his upcoming roster, including “Across the River and Into the Trees” by Paula Ortiz and “Asteroid City” by Wes Anderson.

Best Performance: “The Mauritanian” (2021)

Distributed by: STXfilms
Written by: M.B. Traven, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani (based on “Guantanamo Diary” by Mohamedou Ould Slahi)
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald

Role: Mohamedou Ould Slahi

Other notable performances: “A Prophet” (2009), “The Past” (2013)

French actor Tahar Rahim is starting to break out significantly, especially after landing a BAFTA nom for his work as a wrongfully imprisoned man in “The Mauritanian.” However, he’s had a strong fanbase with roles in Jacques Audiard’s “A Prophet,” which was nominated for international feature for France, and Asghar Farhadi’s “The Past,” which was sadly underrated in its respective year along with star Bérénice Bejo. Looking ahead, Rahim will star in “Napoleon” from Ridley Scott alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, as well as “Don Juan” with Virginie Efira (“Benedetta”).

Best Performance: “In the Fade” (2017)

Distributed by: Magnolia Pictures
Written by: Fatih Akin
Directed by: Fatih Akin

Role: Katja Şekerci

Other notable performances: “Inglourious Basterds” (2008)

Diane Kruger has been double-dutching in and out of American and international cinema, displaying her range and quietly awaiting awards bodies to embrace her talents. While fans of Quentin Tarantino will say her Bridget von Hammersmark in “Inglourious Basterds” sits as her Oscar snub (shown by her nom for a SAG Award for supporting actress), it’s her vengeful turn in Fatih Akin’s masterful “In the Fade” — where she plays a woman whose husband and son are killed by Neo-Nazis — that stands as her absolute brightest moment yet. Kruger has five projects on her docket that could bring notoriety, including “Marlowe” from Oscar-winning writer Neil Jordan with Liam Neeson, and James Napier Robertson’s “Joika” with Talia Ryder (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”).

Best Performance: “Knives Out” (2019)

Distributed by: Lionsgate
Written by: Rian Johnson
Directed by: Rian Johnson

Role: Marta Cabrera

Other notable performances: “Blade Runner 2049” (2017), “No Time to Die” (2021)

Cuban actress Ana de Armas has established herself as an exciting ingenue in the biz with standout roles in sci-fi and action films. Still, her comedic timing and chemistry with the “Knives Out” ensemble stand as her best yet. Coming up, she has an outing with the Russo Brothers called “The Gray Man” and “Blonde,” her anticipated take on Norma Jeane, aka Marilyn Monroe.

Best Performance: “Selma” (2014)

Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Written by: Paul Webb
Directed by: Ava DuVernay

Role: Coretta Scott King

Other notable performances: “Born to Be Blue” (2015), “It Comes at Night” (2017)

Grotesquely ignored for “Selma” along with her co-star David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr., Carmen Ejogo is a breadth of talent on the screen. Her delivery of asking the complicated historical figure if he loves her stands as one of the finest masterclasses in acting over the last decade. But “Selma” is just the tip of the iceberg for her. Next, she’ll be seen opposite Paul Bettany and Candice Bergen in Mark Waters’ “Harvest Moon.”

Best Performance: “Black Panther” (2018)

Distributed by: Marvel Studios
Written by: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole (based on “Black Panther” by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby)
Directed by: Ryan Coogler

Role: N’Jadaka / Erik “Killmonger” Stevens

Other notable performances: “Fruitvale Station” (2013), “Creed” (2015), “Just Mercy” (2019)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most complex villain, Killmonger (yes, even more than Thanos), is intoxicating to watch frame after frame, thanks to work by Michael B. Jordan. Along with his passionate outing as Oscar Grant in Coogler’s debut “Fruitvale Station” (2013), two noms should be to his credit. His rivalry and chemistry with T’Challa, aka Black Panther (played by the late Chadwick Boseman), as he battles for the throne of Wakanda, are some of the best moments in the MCU. And who can forget Killmonger’s final beautiful shot (thank you cinematographer Rachel Morrison) at the end that brings it all together? Maybe the Academy can make it up to him for his next outing as Adonis Creed in the third “Creed” installment, for which Jordan will be making his directorial debut.

Best Performance: “Rabbit Hole” (2010)

Distributed by: Lionsgate
Written by: David Lindsay-Abaire (based on “Rabbit Hole” by David Lindsay-Abaire)
Directed by: John Cameron Mitchell

Role: Howard Corbett

Other notable performances: “Erin Brockovich” (2000), “Thank You for Smoking” (2005), “The Dark Knight” (2008)

California-born Aaron Eckhart has been a vibrant presence for decades, crossing over multiple genres and delivering soulful turns throughout. His work opposite Nicole Kidman’s Oscar-nominated turn in “Rabbit Hole” currently stands as his best, and failed to gain traction on the Oscar circuit. Hoping for a future Michael Shannon/Richard Jenkins moment, we’re looking at any of his multiple upcoming projects for a shot at an Oscar, including “Rumble Through the Dark” with Bella Thorne and “Afterward” with Beverly D’Angelo and Terrence Howard.

Best Performance: “Christine” (2016)

Distributed by: The Orchard
Written by: Craig Shilowich (based on the life of Christine Chubbuck)
Directed by: Antonio Campos

Role: Christine Chubbuck

Other notable performances: “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (2008), “The Town” (2010), “The Gift” (2015)

If we already weren’t obsessed and enamored with the essence of Rebecca Hall by her sensational turns in films like “The Gift,” she expanded the heart’s capacity by stepping behind the camera with her directorial and screenwriting debut, “Passing.” Proving she can do it all, “Passing” should have received two additional noms for best picture and adapted screenplay, which by my count, would have added to her two other Oscar-worthy performances, including her traveling Vicky in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and her dark and engrossing suicidal reporter in “Christine.”

Best Performance: “Private Life” (2018)

Distributed by: Netflix
Written by: Tamara Jenkins
Directed by: Tamara Jenkins

Role: Rachel Biegler

Other notable performances: “Revolutionary Road” (2008), “Step Brothers” (2008)

The delight of Kathryn Hahn in comedy is well shown by her hilarious outings in films like “Bad Moms” (2016) and “Step Brothers” (2018). She’s also demonstrated her skill on television with her Emmy-nominated work in “WandaVision.” Still, her dramatic outing with writer and director Tamara Jenkins in “Private Life” showcases the depth of her range as a performer. Let’s not forget her excellent chemistry with Paul Giamatti, Kayli Carter and Molly Shannon that elevates every inch of the film. We’re already trying to figure out all the ways to say “she’s the best part of ‘Knives Out 2’ and deserves an Oscar” when it drops on Netflix later this year.

Best Performance: “August: Osage County” (2013)

Distributed by: The Weinstein Company
Written by: Tracy Letts (based on the play “August: Osage County” by Tracy Letts)
Directed by: John Wells

Role: Ivy Weston

Other notable performances: “Flannel Pajamas” (2006), “Black Mass” (2015), “Novitiate” (2017), “I, Tonya” (2017), “Monos” (2019)

However great you think Julianne Nicholson is, know you’re wrong. She’s better than that. She’s one of the best gracing our movie and television screens, shown by her Emmy-winning turn in “Mare of Easttown” and with her numerous outings in independent features like “Flannel Pajamas” and crime thrillers like “Black Mass.” However, her Ivy Weston in John Wells’ strong ensemble with Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts does it for me every time. Seeing her heart shatter into pieces as she learns the truth about her impending beau is something that can’t be forgotten in its decade of acting portrayals. Her next swings will come as Marilyn Monroe’s mother in “Blonde” and as Weird Al Yankovic’s wife in an upcoming biopic with Daniel Radcliffe and Evan Rachel Wood.

Best Performance: “If Beale Street Could Talk” (2018)

Distributed by: Annapurna Pictures
Written by: Barry Jenkins (based on the book by James Baldwin)
Directed by: Barry Jenkins

Role: Daniel Carty

Other notable performances: “Widows” (2018), “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018), “Eternals” (2021)

Emmy nominee Brian Tyree Henry has given us one of the best characters on television with Paper Boi from FX’s “Atlanta,” but his 2018 cinematic year — with so many roles and excellent performances — echoes that of heavyweights Jessica Chastain and John C. Reilly. He showed his gifts in the briefest moments in Barry Jenkins’ beautiful love story that displays layers of emotion. Two more Henry projects lie ahead, including “Bullet Train” with Brad Pitt and Zazie Beetz and “Red, White and Water” opposite Jennifer Lawrence.

Best Performance: “Capote” (2005)

Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Written by: Dan Futterman (based on “Capote” by Gerald Clarke)
Directed by: Bennett Miller

Role: Perry Smith

Other notable performances: “Traffic” (2000), “The Last Castle” (2001), “Jockey” (2021)

With more than 70 film credits, the Los Angeles-born actor has been a staple at the movies for two decades. However, opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman in Bennett Miller’s best picture-nominated debut, his Perry Smith is incredibly layered and remains one of the big snubs of its individual awards year. This year, he was also worthy of a nomination for his magnificent work in Clint Bentley’s “Jockey,” which unfortunately was lost on the circuit. His next venture is Cory Finley’s “Landscape With Invisible Hand” opposite Tiffany Haddish and Renny Harlin’s “The Bricklayer” with Nina Dobrev and Aaron Eckhart.

Best Performance: “An Education” (2009)

Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Written by: Nick Hornby (based on “An Education” by Lynn Barber)
Directed by: Lone Scherfig

Role: Jack Mellor

Other notable performances: “Magnolia” (1999), “Frida” (2002), “Spider-Man 2” (2004), “Love Is Strange” (2014), “Promising Young Woman” (2020)

At the 2022 Academy Awards luncheon, Alfred Molina took the stage to read the names of all the nominees to have their Oscar portraits taken before it dawned on me, “How have we not had Molina’s Oscar nomination happen yet?” He’s had a career of adoration and respect that can be compared to the likes of Mark Rylance (“Bridge of Spies”) and Ciaran Hinds (“Belfast”), both of whom the Academy Awards have found room to recognize. It’s not as if there hasn’t been ample opportunity with magnanimous turns as Diego Rivera in his SAG-nominated role in “Frida” or his diabolical Doctor Octavius, a.k.a. Doc Ock in the Tobey Maguire-led “Spider-Man 2.” One of the clearest pathways for recognition was in 2009 opposite Carey Mulligan in Lone Scherfig’s coming-of-age drama, which was ignored by all the major awards bodies. After the blockbuster smash of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” we’re seeing only one film sits on his docket in “pre-production”: “Road to Capri” with Virginia Madsen. Give the man more work!

Best Performance: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)

Distributed by: Focus Features
Written by: Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, Pierre Bismuth
Directed by: Michel Gondry

Role: Joel Barrish

Other notable performances: “Dumb and Dumber” (1994), “The Mask” (1994), “Liar Liar” (1997), “The Truman Show” (1998), “Man on the Moon” (1999), “I Love You Phillip Morris” (2009)

Alongside a bombastic cast that includes Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Wilkinson, Jim Carrey’s brain battles with his Oscar-nominated co-star Kate Winslet as Clementine Kruczynski (also giving her best performance as well). The film is one of the best modern love stories of our time, and Carrey should probably have at minimum three nominations by now, but he still stands nomination-less.

Best Performance: “In Bruges” (2008)

Distributed by: Focus Features
Written by: Martin McDonagh
Directed by: Martin McDonagh

Role: Ray

Other notable performances: “Tigerland” (2000), “The Lobster” (2015)

The Irish-born actor has been one of the biggest stars in the U.S. and abroad, and whether it’s in prestige or blockbuster projects, he elevates the material. Already out the gate in 2022 with a one-two punch of “After Yang” from Kogonada and “The Batman” from Matt Reeves, we’re waiting patiently for his next shot at the Oscar bat after missing sadly for “In Bruges.” We should rejoice in his Golden Globe win for that performance at the very least. Perhaps the upcoming “Thirteen Lives” from Ron Howard or another collaboration with Martin McDonagh on “The Banshees of Inisherin” will do the trick.

Best Performance: “Carol” (2015)

Distributed by: The Weinstein Company
Written by: Phyllis Nagy (based on “The Price of Salt” by Patricia Highsmith)
Directed by: Todd Haynes

Role: Abby Gerhard

Other notable performances: “12 Years a Slave” (2013), “Run” (2020)

The inclusion of Sarah Paulson’s work in “Carol” is the prime example of how “category fraud” — a simple internet term for when a leading performance is campaigned for supporting and vice versa — displaces worthy performers in the Oscar realm. A critical darling, Todd Haynes’ two-lead drama was engulfed with marvelous performances from Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Still, the latter (who nearly spearheads the entire movie) was campaigned in supporting actress, along with leading works from other studios like eventual winner Alicia Vikander for “The Danish Girl.” That left little room for Paulson’s Abby, a former love of Carol Aird, to find wiggle room for entry. Paulson’s notoriety has been well known in television, but she’s not limited to it, as she’s shown in her villainous roles in “12 Years a Slave” and last year’s “Run.”

Best Performance: “Passing” (2021)

Distributed by: Netflix
Written by: Rebecca Hall (based on the novel by Nella Larsen)
Directed by: Rebecca Hall

Role: Irene Redfield

Other notable performances: “Dear White People” (2014), “Creed II” (2018)

The issue with capping contenders is there often are many worthy candidates, but the Academy doesn’t tend to look in unexpected places. That was the case for Afro-Latina Tessa Thompson, who delivers a vigorous, aching turn in Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut opposite Ruth Negga (also sadly snubbed). But with standouts on television like “Westworld,” she has promising things ahead. While people won’t entertain a nom for “Thor: Love and Thunder,” no matter how good she will be (why the hell not?), she has other possible awards vehicles. She’s filming “Creed III” from debut director and co-star Michael B. Jordan, and she’s under the directorial leadership of Steve Buscemi for “The Listener,” with a script by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Alessandro Camon (“The Messenger”).

Best Performance: “Hostiles” (2017)

Distributed by: Entertainment Studios
Written by: Scott Cooper, Donald E. Stewart
Directed by: Scott Cooper

Role: Chief Yellow Hawk

Other notable performances: “Dances with Wolves” (1990), “The Last of the Mohicans” (1992), “Geronimo: An American Legend” (1993), “Avatar” (2009)

Wes Studi’s role as Cheyenne Chief Yellow Hawk, one of the traveling prisoners of Captain Joseph J. Blocker (played impeccably by Christian Bale) is a subtle yet passionate performance of the veteran actor. Looking through his filmography, he’s been delivering astounding works for decades with other notable turns in films like “The Last of the Mohicans” and “Geronimo: An American Legend.” As Hollywood is making (hopefully) a heartfelt and concentrated focus on our incredible Indigenous people and their talent, perhaps the great Studi can find his way to get his Oscar due. Notably, the Academy did give him an honorary award in 2020.

Best Performance: “Edge of Tomorrow” (2014)

Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Written by: Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth (based on “All You Need Is Kill” by Hiroshi Sakurazaka)
Directed by: Doug Liman

Role: Sergeant Rita Vrataski

Other notable performances: “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006), “The Young Victoria” (2009), “Looper” (2012), “Sicario” (2015), “Mary Poppins Returns” (2018), “A Quiet Place” (2018)

The “Groundhog Day” magic of “Live Die Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow” (not sure anyone really knows what the true title is) is the chemistry between stars Tom Cruise and Blunt. Her Sergeant Rita Vrataski, the “Angel of Verdun,” kicks ass and takes names in every frame, showcasing one of the finest science-fiction performances of its kind since Sigourney Weaver in “Aliens” (1986). The Oscars should have recognized the stellar performance.

Best Performance: “Chicago” (2003)

Distributed by: Miramax Films
Written by: Bill Condon (based on “Chicago” by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb and “Chicago” by Maurine Dallas Watkins)
Directed by: Bill Condon

Role: Billy Flynn

Other notable performances: “Days of Heaven” (1978), “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982), “Pretty Woman” (1990), “Primal Fear” (1996), “Unfaithful” (2002), “Arbitrage” (2012)

The great Richard Gere has been furnishing the cinematic world with an extraordinary performance once a decade since the 1970s, and has yet to fall in the Oscar realm. Showing us his skill in Terrence Malick’s masterpiece “Days of Heaven” before navigating through the smarmy, pretty-boy roles in romantic-comedies and thrillers, it’s his tap-dancing, ventriloquist lawyer in the best picture winner “Chicago” that is his most charming turn yet. Unfortunately, despite a Golden Globe win and a SAG nom for best actor, he fell short at the ceremony. He would have been among his four other nominated cast members: Renée Zellweger, John C. Reilly, Queen Latifah and eventual Oscar-winner Catherine Zeta-Jones. The situation begs one of those awards season hindsight questions — should he have campaigned supporting? The world will never know.

Best Performance: “3:10 to Yuma” (2007)

Distributed by: Lionsgate
Written by: Halsted Welles, Michael Brandt, Derek Haas (based on “Three-Ten to Yuma” by Elmore Leonard)
Directed by: James Mangold

Role: Charlie Prince

Other notable performances: “The Messenger” (2009), “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” (2013), “Lone Survivor” (2013), “Hell or High Water” (2016), “Leave No Trace” (2018)

Imagine being one of the most versatile and indelibly talented actors in Hollywood, with a varied roster of characters and portrayals, and the Academy still hasn’t noticed. From his humble beginnings on HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” Foster has navigated the complex and fruitful roles that have made him a villain, superhero, war hero and so much more. At this juncture, his sadistic right-hand man to Russell Crowe’s Ben Wade in James Mangold’s invigorating western-remake sits at the top of his notable works, but the Boston-born thespian should have a multitude of noms on his IMDb page. Let’s pray that Antoine Fuqua’s “Emancipation” with Will Smith or Brian Helgeland’s “Finestkind” provides him another shot at goal.

Best Performance: “Shattered Glass” (2003)

Distributed by: Lionsgate
Written by: Billy Ray (based on “Shattered Glass” by H.G. Bissinger)
Directed by: Billy Ray

Role: Charles Lane

Other notable performances: “Boys Don’t Cry” (1999), “Garden State” (2004), “Kinsey” (2004), “Jarhead” (2005), “An Education” (2009), “Jackie” (2016)

There are very few actors in the modern era that have won the most critics’ awards and have not gone on to be nominated for an Academy Award. Peter Sarsgaard, unfortunately, is on that list with his scene-ripping editor Charles Lane in “Shattered Glass” opposite Hayden Christensen. The Oscars could have made it up to him after coming back with “Kinsey” and “Jarhead,” and still, they looked elsewhere. With brief stints in “The Batman” from Matt Reeves and an upcoming role in Barry Levinson’s “The Survivor,” his Oscar moment is hopefully right around the corner. Perhaps it’ll come in the hands of his wife Maggie Gyllenhaal, who directed him in her stunning debut “The Lost Daughter.”

Best Performance: “Blue Velvet” (1986)

Distributed by: De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
Written by: David Lynch
Directed by: David Lynch

Role: Dorothy Vallens

Other notable performances: “Death Becomes Her” (1992), “Fearless” (1993), “The Saddest Music in the World” (2003), “Joy” (2015)

Dorothy Vallens lives in our cinematic bloodstream, and David Lynch’s arthouse film acted as a vessel for all of us to engage and admire Isabella Rossellini for the rest of film history. Understanding that she gives everything to “Blue Velvet,” my “real answer” for her crowning achievement in acting is none other than Lisle Von Rhuman in “Death Becomes Her.” Still, life’s too short to explain and then defend why that film is one of the best comedies ever created. Perhaps for another time.

In terms of Rossellini, we have seven films coming our way from her, ranging from a mysterious Julio Torress with Tilda Swinton, an adaptation of the short story “Cat Person” with Emilia Jones and as the voice of Connie in “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” that debuted at Telluride last year.

Best Performance: “A Serious Man” (2009)

Distributed by: Focus Features
Written by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Directed by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Role: Lawrence “Larry” Gopnik

Other notable performances: “Call Me by Your Name” (2017)

Michael Stuhlbarg is a fantastic leading man when afforded the opportunity, shown by his work in the Coen Brothers’ “A Serious Man,” for which he was recognized by the Golden Globes. Many say he packed a one-two punch performance in the minimal time he had in “Call Me by Your Name,” something that has resonated ever since.

Best Performance: “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013)

Distributed by: CBS Films
Written by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Directed by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Role: Llewyn Davis

Other notable performances: “Ex Machina” (2014), “A Most Violent Year” (2014), “The Card Counter” (2021)

Cuban and Guatemalan star Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada, better known as Oscar Isaac, is undoubtedly one of our greatest living actors of the moment. So it’s nearly criminal that he’s yet to have found his way to an Academy Award nom, despite delivering unforgettable characters like Llewyn Davis, Abel Morales and Standard Gabriel (from “Drive”). Stepping into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with “Moon Knight” on Disney Plus, he will next play the iconic director Francis Ford Coppola in Barry Levinson’s “Francis and the Godfather.” He’s also rumored to have a role in Coppola’s passion project “Megalopolis,” which he is self-funding. His possible co-star Cate Blanchett spoke about the possibility of the project on the “Variety Awards Circuit Podcast.”

Best Performance: “Barton Fink” (1991)

Distributed by: 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios)
Written by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Directed by: Joel Coen

Role: Charlie Meadows

Other notable performances: “Sea of Love” (1989), “Matinee” (1993), “The Big Lebowski” (1998), “The Emperor’s New Groove” (2000), “Monster’s Inc.” (2001), “The Artist” (2011), “Argo” (2012), “Flight” (2012), “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013), “10 Cloverfield Lane” (2016)

John Goodman is a staple of the business — shown by his multiple Emmys for Dan Connor in “Roseanne” — but his film contribution is nearly immeasurable. One of few actors to star in consecutive best picture winners — “The Artist” and “Argo” — along with a third nominee after “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” (2011), he’s never come in an earshot of the Oscar nom. He’s also one of the few actors that should have been nominated for voice work, shown by his lovable monster opposite Billy Crystal in “Monsters, Inc.”

In a recent revisit of the film, his work in “10 Cloverfield Lane” is among his very best, but it’s his early work in the Coen Brothers’ “Barton Fink” as a traveling salesman that brings it home for so many of us.

Best Performance: “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000)

Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics
Written by: Wang Hui-ling, James Schamus, Kuo Jung Tsai
Directed by: Ang Lee

Role: Yu Shu Lien

Other notable performances: “The Lady” (2011), “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018)

The incredible Michelle Yeoh should have multiple nominations by now, and then some. Though she should have been nominated for her work in Ang Lee’s masterful “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” she’s been excellent in smaller films like “The Lady” before bringing grace and dignity within the romantic comedy and blockbuster smash “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018). We can only hope the praise out of SXSW for her upcoming “Everything Everywhere All at Once” from A24 will bring her deserved flowers.

Best Performance: “The Squid and the Whale” (2005)

Distributed by: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Written by: Noah Baumbach
Directed by: Noah Baumbach

Role: Bernard Berkman

Other notable performances: “Terms of Endearment” (1983), “Speed” (1993), “Dumb and Dumber” (1994), “Pleasantville” (2000), “The Hours” (2002)

Jeff Daniels is a thespian of stage, television and film, an actor’s actor who is beloved and revered in the business. But he’s still without Oscar recognition, despite having roles in multiple best picture-nominated movies, and one winner. To pick his crowning work is a “Sophie’s Choice” type of dilemma between his Bill Johnson in Gary Ross’ brilliant “Pleasantville” and his arrogant novelist father in Noah Baumbach’s semi-autobiographical portrait. For today, it’s Baumbach’s film, but tomorrow is a new day.