8 Actors Robbed Of An Oscar

5. Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth, 1999)

Cate Blanchett gives a towering performance as the young Queen Elizabeth I in Shekhar Kapur's 1998 film Elizabeth. It is truly a commanding and revelatory turn as she channels the spirit and tenacity of one of England's most famous monarchs. Blanchett plays, with aplomb, the part a young woman finding her way in life and learning what is required to be a monarch.

She allowed her character to blossom before our eyes, slowly transforming from girlhood into maturity as she grasped the role of Queen, while impressively emparting her Elizabeth with great heart and tenderness.Yet she was unthinkably denied the Oscar win by Gwyneth Paltrow's insipid and one note performance in Shakespeare in Love. Paltrow's performance was by no means poor but it was something that you would find in an above average romantic comedy. Blanchett's performance was full of fire and steely intelligence. She exuded an inner power that lit up the screen where as Paltrow's role, while at times charming, was bland in comparison. The Academy also chose to honor to Shakespeare in Love, giving it the gong for Best Picture over more serious contenders such as Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line and Elizabeth. There is no other rational explanation; the Academy are blatant romantics.