Whatculture: 10 Actors Who Tried Like Hell to Win an Oscar (But Failed)

"It usually isn't hard to spot when an actor is making a concerted effort to net themselves an Oscar. If they're a big name, they're most likely taking a dip in pay on a smaller, less glossy production dealing with edgier, more topical subject matter. Very often it will be a drama based on true events, maybe with a role who is/was a public figure.
...surely in some instances the actors in question are entirely genuine in expressing such sentiments. But it's even more likely that they're casting their line and fishing for an Oscar with their name on it.
However, that isn't always the way things turn out, even for the hottest stas in Hollywood." - WhatCulture