10 Great Actors Never Nominated For An Oscar

The daughter of silver screen legend Ingrid Bergman and filmmaker Roberto Rossellini, Isabella Rossellini’s best known performances come in the films Blue Velvet and Death Becomes Her.

In 1986’s Blue Velvet, Rossellini portrayed terrorised wife and mother, Dorothy Vallens. Subjected to all manner of abuse at the hands of Dennis Hopper’s Frank Booth, she also begins a rather left of centre love affair with Kyle MacLachlan’s Jeffrey Beaumont. A dark and disturbing surrealist mystery, Blue Velvet showcased both the dramatic value of Rossellini’s acting abilities and just how far she’d go on camera in the name of cinema.

She would follow that up with the romantic comedy Cousins in 1989. In stark contrast to Blue Velvet, Rossellini’s work here is as the initially downtrodden Maria Hardy and her budding romance with Ted Danson’s Larry Kozinski. The warmer, more romantic role earned her glowing reviews from critics who were impressed by the total 180 in film and style from her previous breakout role.

Another great example of her work comes in Robert Zemeckis’ 1992 cult classic, Death Becomes Her. Portraying a mysterious, sinister and seemingly immortal socialite by the name of Lisle Von Rhuman, Rossellini bagged a Saturn award for her fantastical performance.