What I'm talking about are actors/actresses who haven't won anything yet, but who you expect to eventually win at least once in their lifetime. Who do you think stands a great chance of taking it home eventually?


I see the following winning at some point (in parenthesis their current nominations count):


Leonardo DiCaprio (3 noms) - He has grown up since Titanic considerably and has become one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation. I believe one more collaboration with Scorsese would bring him his first Oscar after three well-deserved nominations. I think he is an absolutely sure bet to receive several more nomnations during his lifetime and win at least once or, more likely, twice.

Kate Winslet (5 noms) - More or less the female equivalent to DiCaprio (They should thank James Cameron forever, hehe). Has been nominated for five times already and that by the age of 31, something pretty much unheard of. I am also pretty sure that had it not been for Helen Mirren, she would have bee awarded this year. On her best way to become the next Meryl Streep, she'll definitely bag in amny more noms and one or two wins along the way.

Julianne Moore (4 noms) - Another serious actress who has been getting a lot of acclaim for several of her films. With several projects coming up soon, her chances are great to grab the golden boy at some point.

Michelle Pfeiffer (3 noms) - It is surprising that an actress of her pedigree hasn't won yet. I expect her to one day.

Glenn Close (5 noms) - Same as Pfeiffer above only with more noms to date. I think she'll eventually land the right project.

Johnny Depp (2 noms) - Currently one of the biggest stars in Hollywood who the Academy finally discovered after Pirates (despite him having deserved Oscar noms before that film as well). With two noms in a row, I am sure he has more to come and considering how beloved he is becoming by now, a win is assured somewhere down the road.

Jim Carrey (0 noms) - Six Golden Globe noms and no Oscar noms...something's wrong here, no? He deserved recognition for The Truman Show/Man on the Moon/Eternal Sunshine of the spotless Mind. As he keeps taking on serious roles, the Academy won't ignore him forever.

Will Smith (2 noms) - Two noms to boot and a great career ahead. He'll win eventually, maybe not very soon, but some day he will.

Don Cheadle (1 nom) - He is incredibly talented and has proven that in sveeral films, especially in Hotel Rwanda and Crash. Talk to Me might already be his chance.

Terrence Howard (1 nom) - He's pretty much the most talented African American actor to emerge in the recent years and has thus far impressed me in every single film I have seen him in, even if the film itself wasn't anything special. I definitely see him scoring one day.

Joaquin Phoenix (2 noms) - He deserved to win for Gladiator and Walk the Line has shown that his nom back then certainly wasn't a fluke.

Annette Bening (3 noms) - An acclaimed actress who came close to winning before, she should get it one day (unless she competes with Hilary Swank).

Matt Damon (1 nom) - Well, he already has a screenwriting Oscar, but I believe he'll get one for acting as well. Just like DiCaprio he is taking on a lot of serious projects as well now (The Good Shepherd, The Departed)...

Natalie Portman (1 nom) - Definitely one of the best of her generation with a great future to come....

Christian Bale (0 noms) - Great talent, a lot of acclaim...just needs the right baity role to come.

Naomi Watts (1 nom) - Great actress, overlooked for a long time...she will receive her due one day.

Ed Harris (4 noms) - A gifted actor who is due...

Paul Giamatti (1 nom) - You all know it is just a matter of time.

Edward Norton (2 noms) - Another incredibly talented young actor who's bound to win one day.


Well...any comments and/or additions/opinions?

I'll say Leo, Depp, Winslet, Portman, Knightely, McAdams, Ledger, Jake AND Maggie Gylenhaal, and O'Toole for now.

Edward Norton has 2 noms.

I think Winslet has the best chance at winning in the immediate future. Bale needs to probably "sell-out" (I mean, as Lecter said, a mainstream, Oscar-baity role) and go outside his edgy roles to get noticed.

DiCaprio definitely is going to win eventually.

Others:

Bale
Knightley
Norton
Smith
Clive Owen
Sandler (Seriously)
Carrey
Christina Ricci
Ryan Gosling
Zach Braff

I agree with Joe.

Sandler. And it's going to be this year.

Matt Damon has a nod for Good Will Hunting.

Your list seems pretty good, and I will add:

Peter O'Toole
Natalie Portman
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Heath Ledger
Albert Finney
Laura Linney
Jude Law
Patricia Clarkson

Portman is on my list

Thanks for the corrections to you and Christian.

As for O'Toole...I fear he is going to pass away before he gets a chance at another nod.

I forgot Heath Ledger...he's definitely getting it eventually. Not so sure about Jude Law, though...

Ah, I must have missed her.

And yea, the Peter O'Toole mention is more wishful thinking than something that will actually happen. If anything, he might get a supporting nod for one of the films he has coming out. It would be a pity not to get a lead oscar after eight nominations there, but a win in any competitive category would be just.

An Asian actor/actress will win an Oscar eventually. From the current stars, the best bet would be Zhang Ziyi, Ken Watanabe, or Gong Li, but there always could be another Rinko Kikuchi somewhere.

Joan Allen, anyone?

I'm still mad about her snubs for Pleasantville and The Upside of Anger.

Yeah, she's the one I also meant to include, but didn't want to overstuff my list.

I agree with xiayun about an Asian winner, but maybe not too soon. Watanabe missed out on a nom for Iwo Jima even...I think, though, he is the most likely to win eventually with the roles he is taking on.

Yea, I was going to mention her but she somehow escaped me.

WOOT!

I think Johnny Depp is almost certain to win a BA with his upcoming Freddy Mercury biopic.

I don't think O'Toole or Pheiffer will win Oscars. O'Toole doesn't have the time, and Pfeiffer is barely making movies anymore.

A comeback role always gets alot of publicity ;-)

I'm not so sure Julianne Moore might pick one up. She's gonna be one of the best actresses of her generation never to win an Oscar methinks.

I think somewhere down the line Laura Linney will get her due if she keeps up with quality/indie projects and doesn't sell out which I doubt she will.

I think time has run out for Close and Pfeiffer, all of I think with Close is the live action version of 101 Dalmations and does Pfeiffer even make movies anymore? Yo often here when someone like WInslet or DiCaprio gets nominated, on there chance will come, Peter O' Toole is a signing example of how the Academy can wait to long.

I think Little Children was Winslet's best work to date. I'm not saying that she won't be able to top it but I just don't want them to give it to her because she's racked up so many noms. I want her to OWN that Oscar. And when you do think about it, these lead roles don't come too often.

It would have been uber-sweet if Leo and Winslet had (deservingly) won Actor and Actress this year.

For me, I love Winslet, but she hasn't deserved to win for any of her noms yet. LC was her one role to date where I think it was arguably close to a winning-caliber performance, but even there I would've gaven the award to Mirren or Cruz if given the decision. I think very soon she's going to give a career-defining knockout, a performance that along with Rose will be what people will remember and reference her by when they say "Kate Winslet is one of the best actresses..."

I agree, but the Academy gives out of alot of career Oscars disguised as performance Oscars. I just don't think you keep passing people over because they can win later, everyone told Dan Marino that when he lost the Superbowl as a rookie and he never made it back.

I would this was a year when the acting noms were really for the performance, which is nice but so much else factors into it.

I hope.....

Clive Owen
Ed Harris
Jeff Bridges

Peter O'Toole...I wish...

clive owen, shia lebouf, joseph gordon-levitt, ryan gosling, brad pitt.

PARKER POSEY!

Wouldn't it be awesome if Winslet and DiCaprio both win for Revolutionary Road?