17 Actors Who Were So Freaking Good In Movies But Got Zero Credit For It

Amy Adams deserved an Oscar for Enchanted, tbh!

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their absolute favorite performances in recent years that somehow weren't nominated for Oscars. Here are the incredible results.

1. Toni Collette in Hereditary (2018)

A24

Why she should have been nominated: "Toni Collette's performance was so engaging and disturbing! That iconic speech at the dinner table gave me chills. I still watch that movie just to watch her do her thing."

Who was nominated (and who won*) for Best Lead Actress instead: Olivia Colman* in The Favourite, Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born, Yalitza Aparicio in Roma, Glenn Close in The Wife, and Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?

—jehuffman and ashleighb4214e0de6

2. Robert Downey Jr. in Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Marvel

Why he should have been nominated: "Robert Downey Jr. pulled off a spectacular and heart-wrenching performance in a movie that had wildly high expectations. His performance was emotional and raw (especially for a superhero movie), but he was still able to maintain that trademark Tony Stark wit."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead: Brad Pitt* in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Anthony Hopkins in The Two Popes, Al Pacino in The Irishman, Joe Pesci in The Irishman, and Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

—campbells4dbe23c87

3. Andrew Garfield in The Social Network (2010)

Sony Pictures Releasing

Why he should have been nominated: "Andrew Garfield was absolutely phenomenal in The Social Network, and his 'Lawyer up' scene is the best one in the entire movie. He was charismatic and believable, and it was such an emotional and raw performance. I remember when I first watched it, I replayed that scene over and over again. His performance still holds up."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead: Christian Bale* in The Fighter, Jeremy Renner in The Town, Geoffrey Rush in The King's Speech, John Hawkes in Winter's Bone, and Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right

—emariasheldon

4. Amy Adams in Enchanted (2007)

Disney

Why she should have been nominated: "Amy Adams perfectly pulled off an animated personality without being too over the top. She made a Disney princess come to life, and she found a way to be both silly and serious at the same time (also without being absurd or campy). She remained straight-faced without downplaying any of the hilarity or ridiculousness that happened to and around her character, AND she sang everything herself. Leo DiCaprio could never!"

Who was nominated for Best Lead Actress instead: Marion Cotillard* in La Vie en Rose, Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Elliot Page in Juno, Julie Christie in Away From Her, and Laura Linney in The Savages

—Spencer Althouse

5. Michael Stuhlbarg in Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Sony Pictures Classics

Why he should have been nominated: "His performance was so natural and perfect. No other actor could have pulled off that level of compassion, love, and empathy. Timothée Chalamet captured everyone's heart in two hours, but Michael only needed five minutes."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead: Sam Rockwell* in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Richard Jenkins in The Shape of Water, Christopher Plummer in All the Money in the World, Willem Dafoe in The Florida Project, and Woody Harrelson in Three Billboards

—nonexistant_knight

6. Taraji P. Henson in Hidden Figures (2016)

20th Century Fox

Why she should have been nominated: "Honestly, that short scene with her bathroom speech is the only reason I need to give. She was absolutely incredible in the movie."

Who was nominated for Best Lead Actress instead: Emma Stone* in La La Land, Isabelle Huppert in Elle, Meryl Streep in Florence Foster Jenkins, Natalie Portman in Jackie, and Ruth Negga in Loving

—Nora Dominick

7. Jacob Tremblay in Room (2015)

A24

Why he should have been nominated: "Jacob Tremblay was so incredible in that role! It was so demanding and intense, and it was especially impressive for him to pull it all off at such a young age."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead: Mark Rylance* in Bridge of Spies, Christian Bale in The Big Short, Mark Ruffalo in Spotlight, Sylvester Stallone in Creed, and Tom Hardy in The Revenant

—vickyyyyy01

8. Javier Bardem in Skyfall (2012)

Columbia Pictures

Why he should have been nominated: "He gave me chills and freaked me out as the Bond villain. His monologue about the rats on the island and his speech to M about how he was tortured completely won me over. Those scenes prove how amazing his performance was."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead: Christoph Waltz* in Django Unchained, Alan Arkin in Argo, Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master, Robert De Niro in Silver Linings Playbook, and Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln

—generalhux

9. Emily Blunt in A Quiet Place (2018)

Paramount Pictures

Why she should have been nominated: "The movie itself is an excellent concept, and it's heightened even more by the actors. Emily Blunt really blew me away, though. She did an extraordinary job of capturing the fear and determination to protect her kids that a mother would feel in that situation. And that bathtub scene and that scream??? Enough said."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress instead: Regina King* in If Beale Street Could Talk, Amy Adams in Vice, Emma Stone in The Favourite, Marina de Tavira in Roma, and Rachel Weisz in The Favourite

—hawkeyefan0215

10. Michael Fassbender in Shame (2011)

Film4

Why he should have been nominated: "It's such an uncomfortable movie to watch, but Michael Fassbender makes it worth it. Sex addiction isn’t something you see much in TV or film, but he plays the part just perfectly, with a subtle self-loathing."

Who was nominated for Best Lead Actor instead: Jean Dujardin* in The Artist, Demián Bichir in A Better Life, Brad Pitt in Moneyball, Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and George Clooney in The Descendants

—snmurphy5000

11. Awkwafina in The Farewell (2019)

A24

Why she should have been nominated: "Awkwafina won the Golden Globe that year for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy, but her performance was overlooked by the Oscars. In The Farewell, she really proved to everyone that she's a well-rounded actress."

Who was nominated for Best Lead Actress instead: Renée Zellweger* in Judy, Cynthia Erivo in Harriet, Charlize Theron in Bombshell, Scarlett Johansson in Marriage Story, and Saoirse Ronan in Little Women

—nonexistant_knight

12. George MacKay in 1917 (2019)

Entertainment One

Why he should have been nominated: "Even though there wasn't much dialogue in the film, his performance was still astounding. He should've gotten an Oscar just for the physicality of the role alone. He really brought the character to life, not to mention the months of planning and training that went into the scenes. He had to memorize every action, step by step, and focus on giving an emotional performance. He deserved at least a nomination."

Who was nominated for Best Lead Actor instead: Joaquin Phoenix* in Joker, Adam Driver in Marriage Story, Antonio Banderas in Pain and Glory, Jonathan Pryce in The Two Popes, and Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

—z92

13. Trevante Rhodes in Moonlight (2016)

A24

Why he should have been nominated: "It's tragic that Trevante Rhodes got snubbed. His restrained and heartbreaking performance was incredible and truly helped make Moonlight what it was."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead: Mahershala Ali* in Moonlight, Jeff Bridges in Hell or High Water, Dev Patel in Lion, Lucas Hedges in Manchester by the Sea, and Michael Shannon in Nocturnal Animals

—hemmannm

14. Patrick Stewart in Logan (2017)

Marvel

Why he should have been nominated: "His performance was impeccable. Unfortunately, superhero movies aren't typically considered serious Oscar contenders, but thankfully, that's slowly starting to change. His portrayal of Professor X was so layered in this movie. He brought vulnerability and emotion, along with haughtiness and a little humor, to this complex patriarchal character. I still cry watching his performance."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead: Sam Rockwell* in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Richard Jenkins in The Shape of Water, Christopher Plummer in All the Money in the World, Willem Dafoe in The Florida Project, and Woody Harrelson in Three Billboards

—golupe

15. Brie Larson in Short Term 12 (2013)

Cinedigm

Why she should have been nominated: "This was such a phenomenal film that paved the way for so many others, including the entire cast (Rami Malek, Stephanie Beatriz, Kaitlyn Dever, and Lakeith Stanfield), who are all super famous and adored now. Brie Larson was especially good in this film and was able to subtly peel back each layer for the audience. Her character dealt with grief, depression, anxiety, and isolation, all while trying to help everyone else."

Who was nominated for Best Lead Actress instead: Cate Blanchett* in Blue Jasmine, Judi Dench in Philomena, Amy Adams in American Hustle, Meryl Streep in August: Osage County, and Sandra Bullock in Gravity

—Madeline Lauzon

16. Jennifer Lopez in Hustlers (2019)

STXfilms

Why she should have been nominated: "She was robbed. I heard so much about how wonderful she was, and was finally able to see it for myself and was absolutely blown away. Every single fiber of her being was in that character. I was SHOCKED that she didn't even get nominated."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress instead: Laura Dern* in Marriage Story, Kathy Bates in Richard Jewell, Florence Pugh in Little Women, Margot Robbie in Bombshell, and Scarlett Johansson in Jojo Rabbit

—j458091739

17. And Alan Rickman in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two (2011)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Why he should have been nominated: "He was fantastic in every single movie in the franchise, but a Supporting Actor nod for the final movie would have been a nice way to honor his entire career, which the Oscars often do. He gave the character so much more than met the eye, and I truly don’t think there was another actor who could have played Snape as well as he did. He added so much of his own touch to it, and he was absolutely brilliant in the films."

Who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor instead: Christopher Plummer* in The Beginners, Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn, Jonah Hill in Moneyball, Max von Sydow in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, and Nick Nolte in Warrior

—grumpyscissors88

Did your favorite performance not make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.