13 Unexpected Actors Who Might Win Oscars Next Year

3. Johnny Depp - Black Mass

The Actor: Johnny Depp's reputation speaks for itself, having starred in some of the most successful movie franchises of all time. While he might not seem like the most unexpected actor to be Oscar nominated (given his three nominations between 2004 and 2008), he's been phoning it in for at least the last five years, and with five box office flops in a row, it seems like the actor's ability to headline a movie just isn't what it used to be. The Role: Depp plays Whitey Bulger, the most infamous gangster in the history of South Boston, who eventually became an FBI informant in order to bring down the Mafia. As you can tell, it's pretty make-up heavy too. Why They Might Win: The Academy loves transformative performances, and though excessive make-up can often encroach upon a performance (just look at Leonardo DiCaprio in J. Edgar), they'll surely appreciate Depp actually trying something ambitious and interesting for the first time in forever. It's extremely worthy material and a fascinating story, so hopefully Depp can remind everyone why he became so beloved in the first place...