8 Actors Who Should Have Won Oscars (But Never Will)

1. Samuel L. Jackson

Why They Should Have Won: Since his first on-screen role in 1972's Together For Days, Samuel L. Jackon has racked up over one-hundred and fifty acting credits, appearing in countless beloved films and franchises, and known for his repeated collaboration with writer / director Quentin Tarantino.

It's that collaboration with Tarantino that secured his first and only Oscar nomination. Jackson was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 1994's Pulp Fiction. In the film, Jackson played Jules Winnfield, a hilarious character who is nevertheless deeply intimidating.

In the end, he lost out to Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's brilliant Ed Wood. And while Ed Wood is indeed brilliant, Jackson's role far outshines Landau's both in skill and memorability.

Why They Never Will: Samuel L. Jackson has yet to receive a single other Academy Award nomination, despite his extremely prolific career. While Jackson continues in immense success, his roles are not particularly dramatic, and are often franchise-based (he played Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequels and currently plays Nick Fury in the Marvel superhero franchise). Aside from that, Jackson continues to play bit parts in Tarantino films and show up in more light-hearted, action-orientated roles. Miramax Films pushed heavily for Jackson's nomination in Pulp Fiction, but there just hasn't been a role critics have deemed particularly worthy since.