The Oscars are the most prestigious award in Hollywood. Every year, millions of fans tune in hoping to see their favorite stars finally win. Some of the most talented actors in history have walked away empty-handed over and over again.
It is hard to believe that a star can earn five, six, or even twelve nominations and still go home without a win. These stories are shocking, fascinating, and honestly a little heartbreaking.
Bradley Cooper has 12 nominations and still waits
Bradley Cooper is the most nominated person in Oscar history without a single win. He earned nominations across five categories, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Picture, and Best Adapted and Original Screenplay. His films include Silver Linings Playbook and Maestro.
His first nomination came in 2013 for Silver Linings Playbook. He later earned three nominations alone for Maestro in 2024. Cooper has more Oscar losses than almost anyone else alive in Hollywood today.
Glenn Close holds the record among actresses
Glenn Close has eight Oscar nominations and zero wins. That makes her the most nominated actress in Academy history without a competitive win. She earned nominations for films like Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, Albert Nobbs, and Hillbilly Elegy.
Her nominations span four for Best Actress and four for Best Supporting Actress. Despite never winning, Close has won three Emmys, three Tony Awards, and three Golden Globes. She remains one of the most respected performers in all of entertainment.
Amy Adams has been nominated six times
Amy Adams is one of the most decorated actresses never to win an Oscar. She has earned six nominations total. Five were for Best Supporting Actress, and one was for Best Actress for American Hustle in 2014.
Her supporting nods came for Junebug, Doubt, The Fighter, The Master, and Vice. Each time she was nominated, a different actress took home the prize. Adams remains one of the most consistent performers the Academy has ever recognized.
Michelle Williams keeps getting nominated
Michelle Williams has five Oscar nominations and zero wins. She received two Best Supporting Actress nods for Brokeback Mountain and Manchester by the Sea. She also earned two Best Actress nominations for Blue Valentine and My Week with Marilyn.
A fifth nomination came for her role in the 2022 film The Fabelmans. Williams has also won an Emmy, two SAG Awards, and three Golden Globes. Her award shelf is impressive even without that golden Oscar statue.
Saoirse Ronan made history at just 25 years old
Saoirse Ronan became the second youngest performer ever to earn four Oscar nominations. She received her first nod at age 13 for Atonement in 2008. Her other three nominations came for Brooklyn, Lady Bird, and Little Women.
All four of her nominations were in acting categories. She was competing against some of Hollywood’s biggest stars each time. Even without an Oscar win, Ronan is widely seen as one of the best actresses of her generation.
Edward Norton has four nominations and No Win
Edward Norton first earned an Oscar nomination for Primal Fear in 1997. He received a Best Supporting Actor nod for that debut performance. He later earned a Best Actor nomination for American History X in 1999.
In 2025, Norton earned his fourth Best Supporting Actor nomination for A Complete Unknown. He played folk legend Pete Seeger in that film. Norton continues to prove his range decades after his very first nomination.
Cynthia Erivo is still chasing her first win
Cynthia Erivo earned her first two Oscar nominations in 2020 for the film Harriet. She was nominated for both Best Actress and Best Original Song. In 2025, she earned a third nomination for Best Actress for her role in Wicked.
Erivo has already won a Tony Award, a Grammy Award, and a Daytime Emmy Award. She is close to completing the coveted EGOT achievement. An Oscar win would complete that legendary milestone in her impressive career.
Willem Dafoe has four nominations and no wins
Willem Dafoe has earned four Oscar nominations across decades of acclaimed work. He was first nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Platoon in 1987. He later earned nominations for Shadow of the Vampire, The Florida Project, and At Eternity’s Gate.
Each of his performances was praised by critics and audiences alike. Despite never winning, Dafoe is considered one of the most versatile character actors alive. His nominations reflect a level of consistency very few actors ever achieve.
Paul Thomas Anderson keeps getting nominated
Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the most critically respected filmmakers working today. He has earned 11 Oscar nominations for films like Boogie Nights, Magnolia, There Will Be Blood, Licorice Pizza, and Inherent Vice. Yet he has never taken home a win.
His nominations span the Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Screenplay categories. In 2026, Anderson earned additional nominations for his film One Battle After Another. He remains one of the most nominated directors in history without a competitive win.
Diane Warren owns the all time record
Songwriter Diane Warren holds the all-time record for the most Oscar nominations without a win. She has earned 17 nominations for Best Original Song across her legendary career. Her nominated songs appeared in films like Armageddon, Bohemian Rhapsody, and The Six Triple Eight.
Warren has been nominated every few years since the early 1990s. The Academy keeps recognizing her work, but has never handed her the trophy. She remains the ultimate symbol of a Hollywood career defined by recognition without the ultimate reward.
Featured Image: Photo by Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons.
