5. Annette Bening
Annette Benning has received rave reviews in just about anything she has been in, so much so that one would be forgiven for simply assuming she's won an Oscar. However curiously, despite 4 nominations, a much deserved Oscar has evaded her. Bening actually beat co-star Julianne Moore to a Best Actress nomination for The Kids Are All Right in 2010, however this was to no avail as she narrowly lost out to Natalie Portman for her haunting performance in Black Swan. She has mustered 3 other Oscar nominations for her roles in The Grifters, American Beauty and Being Julia, but remains unfruitful in her quest for the famous golden statuette. Many people assumed Bening was a shoe-in to walk away with the gold for her performance as Carolyn in American Beauty, but she was in my opinion unfairly pipped at the post by Hilary Swank for Boys Don't Cry. All Bening needs is a bit of luck and good timing to get her Oscar career up and running, because there is no doubt that she has the talent needed in abundance. Also, I have every right to assume that with age, she will only expand her acting reputé and this added Oscar heartache can only succor her in surpassing the nomination barrier in the future.