15 times actors gave incredible performances that didn't receive Academy Award nominations

Modified Jan 05, 2025 09:43 ET

Leonardo DiCaprio in Shutter Island| Image via Paramount Pictures

9) Joaquin Phoenix- Her (2013)

Joaquin Phoenix in Her| Image via Warner Bros. Picture

The actor Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly who happens to be a heartbroken, lonely fellow trying to survive in a not-too-distant future when technology has taken over our lives. The most striking thing about Phoenix's portrayal is how vulnerable he makes Theodore. This is a man who is grappling with an impending divorce and trying to come to terms with that pain, which Phoenix conveys with such subtlety and nuance. In this portrayal, Phoenix brings out empathy, vulnerability, and the human condition. Although Joaquin Phoenix didn't get this nominated for the Academy Awards, it would still count as one of his strong performances.