The Academy Award is the most prestigious in the film industry. The statuette represents the pinnacle of cinema, and every actor dreams of joining the league of elites who have won the trophy before them and etched their names in the annals of history. While winning the trophy is something that every budding actor aspires to work towards in their career, even an Oscar nomination holds value.
Hollywood has seen many stars come and go over the years, but very few have truly left a mark. Here are nine actors with the most nominations, whose incredible body of work forced the Academy to acknowledge their effort.
1. Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks is one of the most venerated actors in the industry. Throughout his career, Hanks has displayed his acting range, from comedic to dramatic roles, and has nailed them all. The Forrest Gump star has seven Oscar nominations, winning two of them as Best Actor in two consecutive years.
2. Kate Winslet
The Titanic star is the next thespian on the list. Winslet made her acting debut at the age of fifteen, starring in a BBC series, before taking Hollywood by storm. The English actress selects her roles very carefully, thus showing off her versatility. Kate Winslet has seven Academy Award nominations so far, winning once for her role in The Reader.
3. Jane Fonda
Jane Seymour Fonda is a Hollywood icon. With a career that has spanned almost six decades, Fonda has brushed shoulders with the best. In addition to being an actress, Fonda is also an activist and has often lent her voice to important causes.
Jane Fonda features on this list because the octogenarian has seven nominations for films such as They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, and The Morning After. She walked away with the golden statuette twice, with her last win being for her role in Coming Home in 1978.
4. Robert De Niro
De Niro is easily one of the most influential Hollywood actors of all time. His frequent collaborations with directors like Martin Scorsese have changed the landscape of the film industry.
Robert De Niro has been part of several notable films throughout his career, such as Taxi Driver and Killers of the Flower Moon. He has delivered a powerful performance each time. He has seven Academy Award nominations and has won the trophy twice.
5. Glenn Close
Glenn Close is one of the best-known faces in Hollywood, and one of the more talented ones too. She has left her mark in the industry and has eight Oscar nominations. Unfortunately, she has not won even a single statuette so far in her career. This only proves that not every deserving actor has a trophy to flaunt.
6. Cate Blanchett
The Australian is one of the most brilliant actresses in Hollywood at present. With every role, ranging from a villain in Thor: Ragnarok to the Queen of England in Elizabeth, Blanchett has pushed the boundaries of her talents.
Cate Blanchett is a force to be reckoned with if her arms-length list of awards is anything to go by. She has eight Oscar nominations, winning two of them, with her last award being for her role in Blue Jasmine in 2014.
7. Al Pacino
Al Pacino is easily the most influential actor of the 20th century. His body of work speaks for itself; from his turn in The Godfather to The Irishman, Al Pacino has stamped his authority. Al Pacino has nine Academy Award nominations, winning the statuette just once for his role in Scent of a Woman in 1993.
8. Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington is the male actor with the most Academy Award nominations in Hollywood. He is a gifted actor and has brought to life characters that movie lovers will talk about for years to come. Washington has nine nominations, winning the award twice so far for Glory and Training Day. However, he still trails behind one acting legend by a huge margin.
9. Meryl Streep
With 21 Academy Award nominations, Meryl Streep is in a league of her own. From Tonys to Grammys to Oscars, Streep has won it all, and her records are not about to be broken anytime soon.
Meryl Streep has a jaw-dropping 17 nominations for Best Actress and four for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She has won the golden statuette three times, with the last one being for The Iron Lady, where she played Margaret Thatcher.
