Oscars: The Most Jaw-Dropping Snubs & Surprises Of All Time!

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Alfred Hitchcock filming 'The Man Who Knew Too Much'

Late director Alfred Hitchcock gifted the world with iconic films that continue to set benchmarks in Hollywood, yet despite five nominations—for 'Rebecca' (1940), 'Lifeboat' (1944), 'Spellbound' (1945), 'Rear Window' (1954), and 'Psycho' (1960)—he never won a single Oscar.

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Whoopi Goldberg and Steven Spielberg filming 'The Color Purple'

Steven Spielberg missed out on a Best Director nomination for his powerful film 'The Color Purple' at the 1985 Oscars, despite the movie earning 11 nominations. Shockingly, it won none. He also wasn't nominated for 'Jaws', and even though his 1983 blockbuster 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' garnered nine nominations, it only took home awards in technical categories.

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Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick directed some of the most iconic films in cinema history, including 'Spartacus' (1960), 'The Shining' (1980), and 'Full Metal Jacket' (1987), yet he never won a Best Director Oscar, despite receiving four nominations.

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Audrey Hepburn in 'My Fair Lady'

Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Eliza Doolittle in *'My Fair Lady'* remains one of her most iconic roles, yet the Academy overlooked her, leaving her out of the Best Actress nomination at the 1965 Oscars. To add insult to injury, it was Julie Andrews—who had starred in the stage production but was not offered the film role—who won the Oscar for her performance in the rival musical *'Mary Poppins'*.

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Glenn Close

Despite her incredible and varied body of work, Glenn Close holds the unfortunate record of being the most-nominated actress with no wins. She has been nominated eight times: four for supporting roles in 'The World According to Garp', 'The Big Chill', 'The Natural', and 'Hillbilly Elegy', and four for leading roles in 'Fatal Attraction', 'Dangerous Liaisons', 'Albert Nobbs', and 'The Wife'.

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Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, the iconic American actress, model, singer, and producer, became a "blonde bombshell" and sex symbol in the 1950s and early 1960s. Despite her memorable performances in films like 'Gentleman Prefer Blondes,' 'The Seven Year Itch,' 'How to Marry a Millionaire,' and 'Some Like It Hot,' she never received an Oscar nomination or win.

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Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in 'The Shawshank Redemption'

Often called one of the greatest prison drama films of all time, 'Shawshank Redemption' went home from the 1995 Oscars empty-handed, despite seven nominations, including Morgan Freeman for Best Actor and Best Picture.

The competition was fierce, with 'Forrest Gump' sweeping most of the awards.

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Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger in 'Brokeback Mountain'

The 2005 film 'Brokeback Mountain', starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, was a game-changer upon its release, yet it lost the Best Picture Oscar at the 2006 Academy Awards, despite director Ang Lee winning Best Director. 'Crash' ultimately took home the top honor, a win that even surprised its own writer-director, Paul Haggis, who remarked in 2015, "Was it the best film of the year? I don't think so.

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Amy Adams

Amy Adams, with six nominations for 'Junebug', 'Doubt', 'The Fighter', 'The Master', 'American Hustle', and 'Vice', has yet to take home an Oscar. Many were also surprised when she was snubbed for her role in 'Arrival', which earned critical acclaim but no nomination for Adams.

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Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan in 'Little Women'

Despite 'Little Women' (2019) receiving nominations for Best Picture and Best Actress, Gerwig was notably snubbed for Best Director. This led to renewed discussions about gender disparity in the Oscars.