The Academy Award is probably the most commercial prize in Hollywood – especially at the beginning of a career; winning an Oscar implies a flourishing career full of possibilities, development opportunities and, inseparable from it: a lot of money. Along with the “Palme d’Or”, the highest prize of the Cannes Film Festival, Oscar is the most prestigious prize in the film industry. Many filmmakers and actors wait a lifetime for one of these awards.
This circumstance is also because only 2 actors can win an Oscar every year: One for Best Leading Role, and one for Best Supporting Role, each taken into account separately by gender – this equally implies that the remaining 8 actors go home with empty pockets. One has been privileged to watch many great personalities play throughout recent film history.
Hollywood is like the history books: everybody remembers the winner, not the second-place finisher or even the third-place finisher. Plus, you will be surprised how many highly respected actors have yet to take home an Oscar! So, this is the list of 10 actors who have never won an Oscar, even though they are universally revered as iconic for their performing arts.
Liam Neeson wanted to become a teacher because he loves children and considers the transmission of knowledge and values extremely important. In fact, he even took courses at St. Mary’s Teaching College in Newcastle, England. However, in 1976 he decided against it when he joined the “Belfast Lyric Player’s Theater”. He also later made his professional acting debut.
Two years later, he moved to Dublin, to Dublin’s renowned Abbey Theater, where John Boorman, a famous producer, spotted him and cast him for the movie Excalibur. Since then, Liam Neeson has made a great name for himself and gained an extremely well-paid status, often appearing in major productions, most recently for example “Clash of the Titans” and “The A-Team”.
Oscar nominations:
- 1994: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Schindler’s List)