10 Actors Who Tried Like Hell To Win An Oscar (But Failed)

10. Tom Cruise - Born On The Fourth Of July

After blasting his way to the A-list with 1986's Top Gun, Tom Cruise was anxious to prove there was more to him than shirtless volleyball scenes. His next two movies, The Color of Money and Rain Man, were both Best Actor Oscar winners - albeit for his co-stars, Paul Newman and Dustin Hoffman.

As such, Cruise clearly had his eye on the Oscar as soon as he signed on for director Oliver Stone's next film after Platoon (itself a huge Oscar winner). The star was cast in the lead as Ron Kovic, a real-life Vietnam veteran who was paralysed in combat, and ultimately became an anti-war activist.

Anxious for authenticity, Cruise and Stone were both reportedly keen on the actor having some form of temporary paralysis induced. As no safe means of doing this could be found, Cruise had to be content with going method, remaining wheelchair-bound whilst filming the post-injury scenes.

It didn't pay off for the actor, though. While Born on the Fourth of July bagged him his first nomination, and grabbed the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars, Cruise lost out to Daniel Day-Lewis for My Left Foot.

Subsequently, Cruise has had two Oscar nominations, for Jerry Maguire in 1997 and Magnolia in 2000.