13 Unexpected Actors Who Might Win Oscars Next Year

10. Kurt Russell - The Hateful Eight

The Actor: Despite starring in so many iconic movies over the years, indelible leading man Kurt Russell has never so much as been nominated for an Oscar, and in recent years, his cinematic appearances have been decidedly less frequent. Even so, his memorable turn as Stuntman Mike in Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof endeared him to a whole new generation. The Role: John "The Hangman" Ruth, a bounty hunter who transports fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) towards the town of Red Rock in order to administer justice, but of course, nothing is ever that easy in a QT movie. Why They Might Win: Because it's a rare chance to actually reward Russell with an Oscar. He hasn't been in a remotely prestige-worthy role in years, and as anyone who has read the script knows, Ruth is imbued with the classic grit everyone expects from a quintessential Tarantino character these days. Russell is superbly cast for the part, so there's just no chance of him not nailing it. Hopefully it plays as well on screen as it read on the page...