10 Most Surprising Underdog Oscar Victories

10. Marisa Tomei

Before her Best Supporting Actress win for her role as Joe Pesci’s feisty, fast-talking Italian American fiancée Mona Lisa Vito in the 1992 comedy My Cousin Vinny, Marisa Tomei had only a few bit roles in movies – including an uncredited role Troma’s cult classic The Toxic Avenger – and a handful of TV jobs under her belt.

So, her win came as quite a surprise especially considering the calibre of the fellow nominees she triumphed over like esteemed British actresses Vanessa Redgrave and Miranda Richardson. Even more surprising was that while her fellow contenders were nominated for more dramatic roles, Tomei’s was a comedic performance – not something usually rewarded with an Oscar.

That isn’t to say Tomei’s performance wasn’t fantastic and her subsequent Best Supporting Actress nominations in 2002 for In the Bedroom and The Wrestler in 2009 are proof she’s definitely an Oscar-worthy actress. Nevertheless, her win was still quite the feat.

In fact, her win was so surprising that it actually spawned its own conspiracy theory involving a drunken Jack Palance reading the wrong name from the teleprompter while presenting the award and the Academy being too embarrassed to admit the error.

The theory has been debunked, however, so Tomei can rest assured that her award was fully deserved.