Continuing in our series of actors who have been nominated for an acting Academy Award but have never won, it’s now the ladies’ turn. Of course, had we done this a year before, Kate Winslet would have been the obvious standout, losing five times before finally winning last year for “The Reader.” Now that she has her Oscar, let’s look at the actresses that don’t have one.
*Dates listed next to titles are the year of the awards ceremony. The films were released the previous year.
Julianne Moore
Nominated For: “Boogie Nights” – 1998 – Supporting
“End of the Affair” – 2000 – Leading
“The Hours” – 2003 – Supporting
“Far From Heaven” – 2003 – Leading
Why She’s a Contender: It seems like Julianne Moore is the new Kate Winslet with four nominations and still no win to speak of. Like Ralph Fiennes for the males, most people just assume she’s already won, but alas, the Oscar still eludes her. Moore garnished her first well deserved nom playing an aging porn-star in PTA’s, “Boogie Nights” (’97), and should’ve received another for PTA’s following opus, “Magnolia” (’99). How she didn’t is beyond us. She did get her second nomination that same year though for “End of the Affair” (’99), playing opposite from none other than Ralph Fiennes. In 2003, Moore was awarded with two Oscar noms, one for supporting and one for leading (“The Hours” and “Far From Heaven”), which isn’t as good as it sounds considering it usually splits their votes, hence leaving the double nominee the loser. See Cate Blanchett for further proof. Moore hasn’t made many waves since then, and she seemed like she had another shoo-in for her excellent supporting turn in the Oscar-friendly film, “A Single Man” with Colin Firth, but she was snubbed by the SAG nominees recently, which doesn’t bode well for her (but beat out by Diane Kruger for “Inglourious Basterds”? Sorry, no. Look to Oscar to correct this mistake and garner Moore a fifth nomination).
Laura Linney
Nominated For: “You Can Count On Me” – 2001 – Leading
“Kinsey” – 2005 – Supporting
“The Savages” – 2008 – Leading
Why She’s a Contender: The Ed Harris of the females, if you will, Laura Linney always does a solidly commendable job, to the point of the viewer taking her for granted. From the single mom in “You Can Count On Me” (’00) to the dedicated wife in “Kinsey” (’04) and the suffering sister in “The Savages” (’07), for which she got her noms, Linney has done other work that is equally as good, such as “The Truman Show” (’98), “Mystic River” (’03) and “The Squid and the Whale” (’05). So how will this actress, who normally flies under the radar despite her great work, ever be paid her due credit? Well, she will be reteaming with Mark Ruffalo for his directorial debut, “Sympathy for Delicious,” so maybe that will do it. If not, we won’t be surprised. She just might have to wait a few years for another plum role.
Amy Adams
Nominated For: “Junebug” – 2006 – Supporting
“Doubt” – 2009 – Supporting
Why She’s a Contender: Amy Adams’ performance in her breakout film “Junebug” (’05) was seen at first, by some, as a caricature, but even to naysayers, it slowly revealed itself to be truly endearing and painfully real. The Academy was rightfully wowed, as it earned her an Oscar nomination after only small roles in films and TV shows prior to it. Adams’ second nomination came with the film, “Doubt” (’08), and her character in it carried much of the same innocence and naivety that she portrayed in “Junebug,” as well as (taken to the extreme) in “Enchanted” (’07). In fact, one of our favorite films of Adams is “Sunshine Cleaning” (’08) because it shows her in more of a down to earth light. This year she presented her take on Amelia Earhart in “Night at the Museum…” and tried her best in her somewhat underwritten section of “Julie & Julia” (or maybe it’s just that Streep blew her away). Next year, she has the dreadful looking rom-com, “Leap Year,” that looks like something Isla Fisher should’ve starred in, and the hopefully great, “The Fighter,” starring alongside Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale.
Naomi Watts
Nominated For: “21 Grams” – 2004 – Leading
Why She’s a Contender: Much like her fellow country woman, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts is an Oscar-caliber actress. Despite catching audiences’ attention with “Mulholland Dr.” in 2001, it’s her devastating portrayal of a grieving mother in “21 Grams” (’03) that proves this beyond all doubt, and landed her her only Oscar nom thus far. It’s a better performance in our opinion than Charlize Theron’s in “Monster” (‘03), which won the award that year. In 2004, Watts produced a sturdy, somewhat comedic performance for “I Heart Huckabees” which went unnoticed, much like those of her co-stars, Mark Wahlberg and Jude Law. While we didn’t love the film per se, we did love the acting by those three Oscar-less stars in it. Lately, Watts has been doing solid work with decent roles in “The Painted Veil” (’06), “Eastern Promises” (’07) and “Funny Games” (’08), but to no avail nom-wise. Next, she’ll reteam with Sean Penn for a third time in “Fair Game,” and finds herself a part of the new Woody Allen film, “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger,” which is usually a good thing.
Keira Knightley
Nominated For: “Pride & Prejudice” – 2006 – Leading
Why She’s a Contender: Considering how many period pieces Keira Knightley has done, it’s amazing she only has one Oscar nomination to her name. Not that she’s proven herself a stellar actress yet (we have yet to see much range), but we know how much the Academy loves their tea and doilies films and she’s starred in many of them. When she has ventured out of her comfort zone and experimented, it’s ended in massive error like, “Domino” (’05). The last thing she needs now as a serious actress is for another string of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movies to get underway. If that happens she can kiss any more future nominations goodbye for awhile. Until then, Knightley is apart of screenwriter, William Monahan’s, directorial debut, “London Boulevard” and Mark Romanek’s eagerly awaited sci-fi-ish film, “Never Let Me Go,” both set for release next year and both could bode well for her.
Anne Hathaway
Nominated For: “Rachel Getting Married” – 2009 – Leading
Why She’s a Contender: Bursting onto the scene from the loins of Disney with “The Princess Diaries” (’01), Anne Hathaway wasn’t in a serious movie until joining the cast of “Brokeback Mountain” in 2005. Unfortunately for her, she was the only major cast member not to get an Oscar nom for her work in the film. (None of the other three actors won, but at least they were recognized). Hathaway’s recognition on the other hand, wouldn’t come until playing the recovering addict title character in “Rachel Getting Married” (’08), and some think she was lucky to even get that. We admit she was good enough for a nom in that film, but also feel she has a long way to go before she’s going to actually win, as none of her upcoming projects, like “Valentine’s Day” (’10) with Ashton Kutcher, have the potential to prove otherwise.
Michelle Williams
Nominated For: “Brokeback Mountain” – 2006 – Supporting
Why She’s a Contender: Yes, the chick from “Dawson’s Creek” has been nominated for an Oscar. No, not Mrs. Tom Cruise, but the other one. Known more for her relationship with the late Heath Ledger than her own star status, the two actually hooked up while filming “Brokeback Mountain” (’05), the film that got Michelle Williams her Oscar nomination. They shared the screen again for “I’m Not There” (’07) before Williams went indie and devastatingly raw with “Wendy and Lucy” (’08) earning her some critical acclaim, but sadly missing the boat nomination-wise. Originally slated for 2009, both “Shutter Island” and “Blue Valentine,” starring fellow Oscar-less actors Leonardo DiCaprio in the former and Ryan Gosling in the latter, have been pushed back to 2010. It seems Williams will have to wait for now.
Natalie Portman
Nominated For: “Closer” – 2005 – Supporting
Why She’s a Contender: Coming into the Hollywood scene quite young at fourteen, Natalie Portman received rave reviews for her contribution to “Leon: The Professional” (’94) as the little girl with an unusual relationship with her neighbor, a hitman. Jump ten years later, and Portman is playing an ex-stripper with some heavy relationship issues in “Closer” (’04), which finally scored her an Oscar nom. She also had “Garden State” come out that same year, which you either thought she was great in or found her to be unbearably annoying. Despite which side of the fence you fell on with that, you have to admit she has potential to do some great work, especially now that she’s gotten those damn “Star Wars” prequels out of the way. This year, she might have had another shot at the award circuit with her surprisingly good turn in “Brothers,” but she already seems to have missed the boat on the SAG and pre-Oscar-awards season. Next year, Portman has Darren Aronofsky’s new supernatural ballet thriller, “Black Swan,” coming out which is likely her best chance.
Samantha Morton
Nominated For: “Sweet and Lowdown” – 2000 – Supporting
“In America” – 2004 – Leading
Why She’s a Contender: Samantha Morton made history when she received an Oscar nomination for “Sweet and Lowdown” (’99) a role in which she didn’t utter a single word. She didn’t win of course, but it’s pretty impressive nonetheless and the performance is equally noteworthy. It didn’t take very long to prove she can actually deliver lines as well, and by 2004 she had her second Oscar nom for “In America” (’03). While good in that film, Morton was equally impressive as Ian Curtis’ neglected wife in the biopic “Control” (’07), but unsurprisingly she didn’t get a nomination for it. Morton has a role in this year’s “The Messenger” and she was quite good, but it appears that Woody Harrelson has stolen all the acting thunder from that film this year. Again, she’ll likely have to wait.
Emily Watson
Nominated For: “Breaking the Waves” – 1997 – Leading
“Hilary and Jackie” – 1999 – Leading
Why She’s a Contender: You can’t do much better than getting an Oscar nom for your first film, which is exactly what Emily Watson did, . “Breaking the Waves” (’96) put Watson on the map, and it was only two years later she was back at the ceremonies for “Hilary and Jackie” (’98). For awhile, Watson remained consistently British with “Angela’s Ashes” and “Godsford Park” (’01). However, her performance in “Punch-Drunk Love” (’02) is one we adore as is Adam Sandler’s, as the pair make one of the most uncomfortable yet somehow hopelessly romantic screen couples this decade. Recently, Watson has been trying her hand at existential comedies like “Synecdoche, New York” (’08) and “Cold Souls” (’09), neither of which quite worked, no fault to her. Maybe joining forces with Ricky Gervais and Ralph Fiennes for “Cemetery Junction” (’10) will prove fruitful for her. Let’s hope, but it also doesn’t sound remotely like Oscar-bait.
Catherine Keener
Nominated For: “Being John Malkovich” – 2000 – Supporting
“Capote” – 2006 – Supporting
Why She’s a Contender: Purposely choosing supporting parts over leading ones, Catherine Keener has been doing estimable work since we first saw her in “Johnny Suede” in 1991. Some of her roles are pretty much the same from film to film, but that doesn’t lessen their impact. Landing her first nomination in 2000 for “Being John Malkovich” (’99), Keener didn’t slow down any and has been in 17 films since the turn of the decade. She received her second nomination for “Capote” (’05), and was even better in “Into the Wild” (’07) for which she should’ve taken Ruby Dee’s spot in the Oscar running. This year, she made an appearance as Max’s mother in “Where the Wild Things Are” which isn’t really a big enough role to be considered for Oscar contention. She’s also in the already-filmed but yet-to-be-released David O. Russell film “Nailed,” but if that thing comes out at all, it will likely limp onto DVD.
Joan Allen
Nominated For: “Nixon” – 1996 – Supporting
“The Crucible” – 1997 – Supporting
“The Contender” – 2001 – Leading
Why She’s a Contender: What can we say about Joan Allen? She’s icy, hard and commanding in all her films. But she’s excellent at it, from her character in the ‘Bourne’ series, to all the passive aggressive mothers and hardened business women and politicians she’s portrayed to a tee. But sometimes these are unlikable characters that Oscar overlooks. Usually the Academy gives out awards for emotion, but Allen is — much like Matt Damon — more of an inward actor who doesn’t outwardly express a lot and as Damon said recently [to paraphrase], “what I do is internal and not always recognized by the awards makers.”
Kristen Scott Thomas
Nominated For: “The English Patient” – 1997 – Leading
Why She’s a Contender: It’s been quite awhile since Kristin Scott Thomas was nominated for an Oscar for “The English Patient” (’96). Working with Academy favorite, Robert Redford, on “The Horse Whisperer” (’98) didn’t seem to do her any favors in that department, and even a very natural performance in the sentimental “Life as a House” (’01) failed to register with the Academy. Although, Kevin Kline was also snubbed for that film, so what can you expect? How about a complete oversight by not nominating her for the foreign language film, “I’ve Loved You So Long” (’08)? Completely broken is the only way to describe her character in the film, and despite the dialogue being in French, Thomas doesn’t even need it to convey the pain she suffers. Her face says everything for her. Next up, she’ll be playing John Lennon’s aunt Mimi, who raised him for most of his life, in the pre-Beatles biopic, “Nowhere Boy,” but the reviews of that film haven’t been stellar either.
So of all the females listed here, the only one that looks like she might be able to change her luck is Julianne Moore and again, the SAG snub does hurt her chances. — Jonathan Helm