Many film fans feel the Academy Awards miss top acting moments. They watch Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver, or Amy Adams in Arrival, and wonder why best actor or best actress went to others.
On Reddit, r/Oscars has 95,000 members who debate these snubs each day.
Our list, Performances That Should Have Won Oscars, spotlights 10 standout turns, from Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain to Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. We explain how Oscar nomination rules can skip method acting feats.
Then we invite you to join the chat. Keep reading.
Key Takeaways
- Many top turns miss Oscars, as Reddit’s r/Oscars forum (95,000 members) debates daily.
- Robert De Niro scored a Best Actor nod for Taxi Driver (1976) at the 49th Academy Awards but lost to Peter Finch for Network.
- Amy Adams in Arrival (2016) and Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler (2014) won rave reviews yet earned zero nods at the 2017 and 2015 ceremonies.
- Glenn Close drew no nod for Fatal Attraction (1987) at the 60th Academy Awards, even as the film grossed over $320 million worldwide.
- Ian McKellen earned a Best Supporting Actor nod for The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) but lost to Jim Broadbent at the 74th Academy Awards.
Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver (1976)
Robert De Niro grabs attention as Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. He uses method acting to become a restless taxi driver. He drives dirty streets on late nights. He stares in the mirror and snarls, you talkin to me.
That line still shocks viewers today.
He scored a Best Actor nod at the 49th Academy Awards. He lost the trophy to Peter Finch for Network. Critics still hail that acting performance as fierce. He had already won for The Godfather Part II, yet this role stood rawer.
Amy Adams in Arrival (2016)
Adams steals scenes as Dr. Louise Banks in Arrival, a 2016 sci fi film. Denis Villeneuve frames her face in tight shots, her furrowed brow shows tension. Visual effects swirl around her, framing those alien ships in mist.
Close ups linger; her eyes echo the weight of first contact. Sound design wraps around her voice, whispers and heartbeat build suspense. She taps a writing board like a pianist on ivory keys.
Academy awards fans drool over big speeches, but subtle turns pack real punch.
Critics praised Amy Adams across magazines and podcasts, yet no best actress nod landed. This snub feels like a plot twist, sharp and unfair. Competition roared in 2016 with big biopics and blockbuster dramas.
Fans still flood social feeds, demanding that Adams vault into Oscar territory. Tell us what you think about this acting performance, cast your vote below.
Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler (2014)
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Lou Bloom in Nightcrawler, a stringer who prowls LA crime scenes. He rides in a vintage car at 3 A.M., hunting crashes and fires with one video rig. His voice slithers, his eyes pierce the gloom.
He craves stories and counts every scoop. Critics named it one of the best acting performances of 2014.
He earned rave reviews, yet he missed a Best Actor nod at the 2015 Academy Awards. His Nightcrawler turn from 2014 went unrecognized at Oscar time. Lens work and sharp edits highlight every twitch.
Fans compare his drive to Robert De Niro’s in Raging Bull and to Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight. Few roles match this slick thriller turn.
Judy Garland in A Star is Born (1954)
Garland commands the screen in A Star is Born, she pours raw feeling into every note. The 1954 film earned her a spot in the best actress race at the Oscars. Fans still talk about how her method acting made the character pulse like a live wire.
Many viewers thought she should have won the Academy Award for best actress, but the prize went to Grace Kelly in The Country Girl. The snub still fuels debates about top acting performances at the Oscars.
Edward Norton in American History X (1998)
Edward Norton took on Derek Vinyard in American History X (1998). He dug deep into hate and fear. His face cracked in anger and guilt. He used method acting to feel every burn. He stared down skinheads with a gaze that froze you.
Critics hailed his dinner table scene as brutal art. His work did not earn a best actor nod at the 1999 Academy Awards. Many fans still call it a gross snub.
Fans flock to forum r/Oscars to debate his power. Lists tag him as a top actor giant. Some note that Gary Oldman and Al Pacino lost big too. His missing win shows how votes can bend and shift.
That fact spurs hot threads on acting performances that soared but fell.
Toni Collette in Hereditary (2018)
Collette stunned audiences with her raw grief in Hereditary (2018). Critics hailed it as a Best Actress level turn. She missed an Academy Awards nod despite her electric presence. Few performers channel pure terror like she did.
The film used tight camera work to trap her in every frame. Her method acting and stark lighting added real fear. Sound design fed her screams into our bones, like a whisper in pitch black.
Hereditary still ranks among the most jolting acting performances in horror.
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Leonardo DiCaprio leaps into Jordan Belfort’s shoes in The Wolf of Wall Street with wild energy. He uses method acting to deliver slick sales patter, primal rage, and dark humor.
IMDb ratings show this film at 8.2, proof of its hold on viewers. Martin Scorsese’s camera captures each frenzied glare, each burst of manic laughter. That fine line between satire and shock runs through every scene.
Academy Awards gave him a Best Actor nod for this 2013 film in 2014. Voters chose Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club instead. Critics claim DiCaprio deserved that statue for The Wolf of Wall Street more than for The Revenant in 2016.
His star kept rising, even without that gold trophy.
Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Ledger stunned viewers with his role as Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain (2005). His quiet pain hit hard in every scene, leaving no doubt he lived that life on the Wyoming hills.
Fans on movie forum r/Oscars still debate that portrayal, calling it one of the finest acting performances of the decade. Award season in 2006 brought a stacked best actor race at the Academy Awards, and Ledger did not win, even as critics clamored for his gold statue.
His method acting style dug deep into raw human emotion. Each glance and bruise told a story about love and identity, earned in hushed tones and rough hands. Critics hailed that performance as one of the best of the 2000s, yet strong competition kept it from Oscar victory.
Personal views on winners do not take away from Oscar gold for others, like Meryl Streep or Amy Adams in their best actress runs. Readers can share their own picks for movie roles that deserved academy awards applause.
Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction (1987)
Glenn Close terrified viewers in Fatal Attraction (1987). Alex Forrest showed raw anger and fear. Close used method acting and hit every emotion. The 60th Academy Awards passed her by, with no best actress nod.
Voters picked Cher for Moonstruck over her work.
Fans on r/Oscars call this omission one of the biggest snubs. They link her story to Robert De Niro and Heath Ledger debates. IMDb lists Fatal Attraction’s box office at over 320 million dollars worldwide.
Editing choices and stark lighting pushed the thriller genre.
Ian McKellen in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
He grasps Gandalf’s voice and body language with skill. He carries Middle-earth on his shoulders in The Fellowship of the Ring, a 2001 film by Peter Jackson. His closeups beam with age lines, hope and dread.
He stirred feelings in viewers long after the final credits rolled. The Academy Awards left his name off its winners list, he lost Best Supporting Actor to Jim Broadbent at the 74th ceremony.
He shines in the Mines of Moria. His tone shifts when orcs attack, he calms them with a stern gaze. He mixes prosthetic makeup, staff design, mood lighting and crane shots to craft magic.
Many viewers say he could win a best actor trophy for this film. Critics still list it as Oscar-worthy.
Takeaways
Fans still chat in a film forum, swapping hot takes on acting feats. This list heaped praise on method acting, bold character arcs, and scene-stealing turns. Every pick proves how tight the Oscar race can run.
Each voice in the forum fuels fresh debates, and each badge holder stokes the chatter. Great turns may miss trophies, but they keep our film love bright.
FAQs
1. Which actor made Taxi Driver electric but left the Academy Awards with no Best Actor nod?
Robert De Niro gave a raw, haunted turn in Taxi Driver, each glance cut deep, but the Academy Awards shut the door on his Best Actor bid.
2. Who brought Roy Cohn to life in Angels in America but never got Oscar love?
Sal Pacino owned every scene in Angels in America, he turned Cohn into a firestorm, yet he got no Best Actor nod at the Academy Awards.
3. Who broke hearts in Brokeback Mountain but saw no Best Actress call?
Michelle Williams poured grit and tears into Brokeback Mountain; she delivered a top acting performance, but the Best Actress nod skipped her.
4. Which star dug into family drama in Revolutionary Road but missed a Best Actor win?
Leonardo DiCaprio showed anger and sorrow in Revolutionary Road, he hit every note, yet he left the Academy Awards empty handed.
5. Who captained The African Queen but never snagged the Best Actor Oscar?
Belmont Deforest Bogart mixed rough charm and method acting in The African Queen; he set the bar high, but no golden statue made it to his shelf.
6. Which performer dove into the dark in You Don’t Know Jack but got no Best Actor nod?
Joaquin Phoenix embodied Dr. Jack Kevorkian in You Don’t Know Jack, he balanced humor and pain, yet he won no Oscar at the Academy Awards.
