Being nominated for an Academy Award is one of the strongest indicators that a film creative, either in front of or behind the scenes, has ultimately made it. If you don’t believe me, watch the countless reaction videos of people receiving their first nomination and how much it means to them. Even worldwide, Latvia embraced Flow and director Gints Zilbalodis by showcasing the award for citizens to see, and Brazil held massive watch parties to cheer on Fernanda Torres in I’m Still Here, erupting after the film’s Best International Feature win. Even recently, Paul Thomas Anderson and Christopher Nolan were able to get the weight off their backs by finally winning their long-elusive Oscars. Suffice to say, no matter what people may say or how the award is perceived online, the Oscars matter. Especially for an actor, being nominated can make the difference in a career filled with better roles and stronger paychecks, with the title “Academy Award Nominee/Winner” linked to their name, bannered across posters and trailers for the rest of their life, and even past.
For some actors, this honor can also be seen as recognition from their peers, signifying a job well done. We’ve seen longtime actors finally gain recognition over the years, such as Demi Moore (The Substance), Bill Nighy (Living), Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value), and Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), who earned their first nominations in their respective careers. This year, a plethora of actors are in some of the highest-grossing and best-received movies, or are working for directors who know how to get actors onto the big stage.
Pedro Pascal (Behemoth!)
Pedro Pascal could be following the TV star-to-Oscar-nominee pipeline we have seen with actors such as Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice), and Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain). Pascal has been a decent film character actor in the past, but his leading-man television roles in hit shows like The Mandalorian and The Last of Us made the actor a household name, and the Oscars could be the next hurdle he jumps. In Behemoth!, Pascal plays a cellist from a family of musicians in a film that is getting early ties to Tar from 2022. Tony Gilroy has his best shot to get back to the Oscars since Michael Clayton, and Pascal could be right alongside him.
John Turturro (The Only Living Pickpocket in New York)
John Turturro has been a working actor since the ’80s, debuting in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull, and finding a real career thanks to the Coen Brothers, who took the character actor and made him into a star. Turturro’s closest encounter with the Oscars came in Robert Redford’s Quiz Show, where Turturro played a game show contestant who was cheated off the show and fought to return. While the role gave the actor his first Golden Globe nomination, he has not had a role with the same heft in 30 years. Coming off two Emmy nominations for the hit show Severance, Turturro is back as a leading man in The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, which takes Turturro on a chase through the city that never sleeps to reclaim a theft that has gone wrong. The long-time goodwill could propel the actor to his first nomination.
John Goodman (Digger)
Another Coen Brothers star is also looking for his first Oscar nomination after an illustrious career. He has played in Oscar-winning films and lent his voice to some of the most recognizable characters of the last 30 years, but he has never quite come close to hearing his name listed as an Oscar nominee. He earned some critical praise for his terrifying turn in 10 Cloverfield Lane, but most of his recognition has come from his television work in the hit series Rosanne, not on the silver screen. After leading in the hit HBO Show The Righteous Gemstones, the actor is positioning himself for an awards run playing the off-kilter president in Digger. Like Turturro, could the goodwill from his career catapult him into Oscar territory, or will he need to wait for the next big chance to come along?
Steve Buscemi (Wild Horse Nine)
The final actor from the Coen Brothers pipeline seeking his first nomination is Steve Buscemi. Buscemi has been all over the place in his acting work, crafting a filmography that includes Fargo, Pulp Fiction, and Reservoir Dogs, as well as Grown Ups, Hubie Halloween, and The Boss Baby. Buscemi seems to work when the work is coming, which has taken his talents across the spectrum from Oscar-heavyweights to Adam Sandler comedies, and even dabbling in indie dramas. He’s a jack of all trades as a performer and will be leading the way in Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine alongside John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, and Parker Posey. McDonagh knows how to get actors nominated and win this prestigious award, and the next hurdle he can cross as a director is getting a household name, face, and voice such as Buscemi his first nomination.
Parker Posey (Wild Horse Nine)
Parker Posey also stars in Wild Horse Nine and has been on a recent run, regaining traction in the industry. The comedic actor had never been close to award fame until the 2020s, when she was nominated for an Emmy for White Lotus and TV’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith. She might be a name one wouldn’t associate with an Academy Award just yet, but she is well-known and has been making herself a stronger figure among her peers over the past few years. Once dubbed “The Queen of Indies” in the ’90s, she could be looking at her first Academy Award nomination over her 30+ year career.
Robert Pattinson (Primetime)
Robert Pattinson’s career has been all over the place in the best of ways. He has starred in franchises such as Harry Potter, Batman, and the infamous Twilight saga while also taking on lower-budget projects like Good Time, The Lighthouse, and this year’s Primetime. In Primetime, Pattinson plays a fictionalized version of the real-life Chris Hanson, the journalist behind the Dateline NBC show To Catch a Predator – a hidden-camera reality program with the intention of catching adults trying to have sex with minors. It’s no secret that Pattinson has developed one of the more interesting acting catalogs, starring in low-budget experimental indies and lending his talents to franchises and IPs alike. The Oscars love a biopic, and with one that still carries a strong social relevance as Primetime seems to do, a nomination could be next.
Olivia Wilde (The Invite)
Before her directorial debut Booksmart, Olivia Wilde was best known as a comedic character actor. She did not have the career she was searching for, so she set out to build the career she wanted by stepping behind the camera rather than just in front of it. While the results haven’t always been the strongest, her newest film, The Invite, is positioning itself as the breakthrough the actor needs as she hits her prime as both a performer and a director. The Invite has taken the world by storm for its small-scale filmmaking, coupled with an interesting plot and performances that are themselves searching for Oscars. As an actor/director, she has a chance in multiple categories to earn her first nomination, and with the trajectory this film has had, it could be coming soon.
Seth Rogen (The Invite)
Her co-star Seth Rogen is also looking for his first nomination, and while it might seem fitting that the funny man who gets high and has a comedic laugh doesn’t have an Oscar nomination, he’s been closer than people think. Seth Rogen has been all over the place, producing films such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which seemed to be where his first nomination would come from, while also starring in films such as The Fabelmans from none other than Steven Spielberg. He has also ventured into prestige television, delivering dramatic work in Pam & Tommy and serving as the actor, writer, director, producer, and showrunner for The Studio, which won 13 Emmys, including four for the actor alone. If the small cast of The Invite is garnering recognition for their roles, who’s to say Rogen won’t come along for the ride.
John Leguizamo (The Odyssey)
John Leguizamo might not be a household name, but I would be shocked if people didn’t at least recognize the actor from something he’s done. Whether it be his work on ER, John Wick, the Ice Age series, or even his stand-ups in the ’90s, Leguizamo has remained consistent throughout his career. This year, he stars as Eumeaus in The Odyssey, which has taken the world by storm and will likely be called out several times for nominations and wins at this year’s Academy Awards. As the emotional backbone of the film, he delivers a performance never before seen from the actor. There are a plethora of actors to pull from in this film who give worthy performances, but my bet is on Leguizamo becoming a nominee when it’s all said and done.
Now, of course, not all of these actors can be nominated, and there is a chance none of them hear their names called out early Oscar nomination morning. However, as a token for their notable careers and directors’ willingness to take a chance on them, I would be shocked if these performers didn’t hear their names called at some point before it’s all said and done.
