5. Maggie Gyllenhaal
Here is another former nominee whose list of credits belies her still youthful age. She is also someone who has had the benefit/hindrance of a more famous sibling. Maggie is stubbornly loyal to independent cinema. As evidence of this, IMDb lists roles in 38 films, and yet the part that most people know her from is the supporting role in The Dark Knight she inherited from Katie Holmes. This indie streak has both allowed her to get some meaty roles, but has also kept her out of the public eye enough to probably hurt her Oscar chances. Her one nomination thus far came in support of Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart, but I would suggest thats not been her most dynamic performance to date. Her role as a young mother on parole in Sherrybaby was heartbreaking and her acting in Secretary was as brave as it was impressive. Maggie has also had impressive turns in Donnie Darko, Riding in Cars with Boys, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Mona Lisa Smile, Away We Go, World Trade Center, and Adaptation. Stranger Than Fiction ranks about my favorite romantic comedies of all time, and Hysteria absolutely deserved a bigger audience. Her performance in Wont Back Down was one of the strengths in an otherwise uneven film. Coming up, Maggie braves the mainstream waters again with White House Down before returning to more quirky fare with the music comedy Frank. There is a chance that Maggie may never again happen into the sort of role that the Academy takes notice of, but with still a long career ahead of her and talent to spare, Im convinced she deserves a spot in the upper half of this list.