Top Actresses of Color Who Were Snubbed at the Oscars

Many incredible acting performances haven’t been acknowledged by the Academy Awards in recent years. This is particularly true for actresses of color who delivered exceptional work that received praise from critics, generated excitement at film festivals, and seemed poised for nominations. These performances – ranging from independent films to blockbuster hits – sparked important discussions, appeared on many ‘best of’ lists, and left a lasting impact on cinema, even without full recognition from the Academy.

Viola Davis

Viola Davis delivered a powerful performance in ‘The Woman King,’ leading a large-scale historical film with both physical strength and emotional nuance. She received important awards consideration from several film organizations and critics. The movie was a commercial and critical success, bringing attention to a previously untold story. However, despite all the praise and recognition, she wasn’t nominated for Best Actress.

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong’o’s performance in ‘Us’ was remarkable, using her physicality and voice to create the film’s unsettling atmosphere. Critics loved it, and she was featured on many ‘best of the year’ lists. The role became widely discussed, particularly as an example of excellent genre acting. Despite all the praise, she wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award.

Alfre Woodard

In the film ‘Clemency,’ she delivered a powerful and moving performance as a prison warden struggling with the weight of her job. The film won a top prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and her acting received praise at festivals everywhere. She was also recognized by the Independent Spirit Awards and critics loved her work. Despite all the acclaim, the Academy Awards notably overlooked her performance, a snub that many people pointed out.

Greta Lee

Greta Lee’s nuanced performance in ‘Past Lives,’ delivered with authenticity in both English and Korean, brought a realistic feel to the film’s decades-spanning love story. She received significant recognition with nominations from the Golden Globes and Independent Spirit Awards, and the film was highly praised by critics and considered a top contender for screenplay awards. Despite all this acclaim, however, she wasn’t nominated for Best Actress.

Danielle Deadwyler

Many praised her performance in ‘Till’ for its subtle portrayal of grief and strong moral message. She received nominations from several important awards groups, including major guilds and the British Academy. Her work sparked discussions about who gets recognized during awards season, but surprisingly, she wasn’t included in the final Oscar nominations.

Tang Wei

In ‘Decision to Leave,’ she gave a captivating performance filled with nuance, which drove the film’s mysterious and atmospheric feel. She was nominated for a leading award by the British Academy and received several accolades from regional film critics. The film gained significant international attention and was well-received at various film festivals. However, the Academy Awards did not acknowledge her performance.

Zhang Ziyi

Zhang Ziyi gained worldwide recognition for her impressive performances in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ and ‘2046’, earning her numerous international awards and critical praise. While both films received significant accolades, she surprisingly never received an Academy Award nomination for her acting in either of them.

Gong Li

Gong Li is a celebrated international film star, famous for her roles in classics like ‘Raise the Red Lantern’ and ‘Farewell My Concubine.’ These films received widespread acclaim and awards recognition worldwide. She’s been a major force in bringing global art-house cinema to a wider audience, yet surprisingly, she has never been nominated for an Academy Award despite her decades of impact.

Michelle Yeoh

You know, it’s crazy looking back. Before Michelle Yeoh finally got the Oscar for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ she was totally snubbed for ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.’ That movie was huge – a global sensation and nominated for a ton of Oscars! She was incredible in it, seamlessly blending amazing action skills with real emotional depth. It just feels wrong that the Academy didn’t even recognize her performance back then.

Tessa Thompson

Rebecca Hall’s nuanced performance in ‘Passing’ was widely praised for its subtle power and strong chemistry with her fellow actress. The film itself received a lot of recognition for its quality and skillful filmmaking during awards season, appearing on many critics’ lists and being discussed as a potential winner at the Independent Spirit Awards. However, despite the acclaim, she didn’t receive an Oscar nomination for her work.

Angela Bassett

Angela Bassett received significant awards recognition for her role in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,’ winning prizes from several important critics’ groups and regional organizations. She also received nominations from major awards shows and a key industry guild. The film’s success kept her performance in the spotlight throughout awards season. Although many expected her to win, she ultimately did not receive the Oscar.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez received significant critical acclaim for her role in ‘Hustlers,’ earning numerous awards and nominations from major film organizations. Critics particularly praised her performance for taking a popular, commercially successful film to another level and appealing to a broad adult audience. She consistently appeared on ‘best of’ lists and won awards from many regional film critic groups. Despite all the positive attention throughout awards season, she wasn’t nominated for an Oscar.

America Ferrera

Her performance in ‘Barbie’ quickly became a major talking point, particularly a memorable monologue that sparked a lot of discussion online. She received nominations from important awards organizations and was praised by critics. While the film was a huge box office success and received many awards nominations, she unfortunately did not receive an Oscar nomination herself.

Thuso Mbedu

Viola Davis received praise for her powerful and dedicated performance in ‘The Woman King,’ with critics noting both her physical commitment and strong acting. She was recognized by groups that spotlight emerging talent, and the film itself proved popular with audiences as a fresh take on historical action. Despite this positive attention, she wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award.

Teyana Taylor

The actress earned the highest award from a jury at a prominent American film festival thanks to the success of ‘A Thousand and One’. Critics groups also recognized her performance with breakthrough and leading actress awards. The film continued to gain attention with its limited release and during awards season. However, she was not nominated for an Oscar.

Kiki Layne

Kiki Layne’s performance in ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ was highly acclaimed for being the film’s emotional center. She received awards and recognition from groups celebrating rising stars. While the film was nominated for several Oscars, she wasn’t personally nominated for an Academy Award.

Dominique Fishback

Dominique Fishback received excellent reviews and several awards from local critics for her role in ‘Judas and the Black Messiah.’ The film was a major awards contender and did well with industry groups, and Fishback’s performance was often highlighted when discussing the cast as a whole. Despite this, she wasn’t personally nominated for an Oscar.

Carmen Ejogo

Carmen Ejogo’s performance in ‘Selma’ was key to how the film depicted both leadership and the personal lives of those involved. While critics’ groups acknowledged her strong supporting role and she was part of the cast recognized with several awards, she wasn’t personally nominated for an Academy Award, despite the film’s nominations for major honors like Best Picture.

Sanaa Lathan

Her starring role in ‘Love and Basketball’ has remained popular with audiences through streaming and on television. She received awards from film festivals and groups that celebrate up-and-coming actors. The movie became well-known in the sports romance genre and is often discussed in academic circles for its portrayal of different groups of people. Despite this, the Academy Awards did not nominate her for her performance.

Maggie Cheung

As a huge movie fan, I’m always a little baffled by awards season. Maggie Cheung gave an absolutely stunning performance in ‘In the Mood for Love,’ and the film itself swept up awards and praise all over the world – it’s considered a classic now, and they’ve even worked to preserve it! She won best actress at so many important European awards and was everyone’s pick for the year’s best performance. It still blows my mind that she never even got an Oscar nomination for it, honestly.

Rinko Kikuchi

Her performance in ‘Babel’ gained her international recognition and several award nominations. While she won awards from various critics’ groups and stood out among a diverse cast, she didn’t win an Oscar, despite the film’s multiple Academy Award nominations.

Shohreh Aghdashloo

I was so impressed with her work in ‘House of Sand and Fog’! Everyone seemed to notice – she received a lot of nominations and won several awards from critics. The movie really resonated with people, and she was a huge part of why it was so well-received. It even got recognized by the Academy Awards in a few different categories, though unfortunately, she didn’t win on Oscar night. Still, her performance really stuck with me and many others, consistently appearing in ‘best of the year’ lists.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste

Her performance in ‘Secrets and Lies’ gained international recognition, earning her nominations for major awards in both Britain and the United States. She received numerous critic’s awards and the film was well-received at several film festivals. While the film received a lot of honors and stayed in the spotlight throughout awards season, she didn’t win an Oscar.

Naomie Harris

Naomi Harris received significant awards buzz for her role in ‘Moonlight,’ including recognition from several important industry groups. She filmed her scenes quickly and received a lot of media attention for how convincingly she changed for the part. The film itself was a major success, winning Best Picture and earning nominations in many other categories. However, she didn’t win an Oscar for her performance.

Cynthia Erivo

Cynthia Erivo’s performance in ‘Harriet’ was highly acclaimed, earning her nominations from several major award groups. She also wrote and performed an original song for the film, which received separate award consideration. ‘Harriet’ was nominated for both acting and music awards by the Academy, though she didn’t win in either category.

Yalitza Aparicio

Yalitza Aparicio’s performance in ‘Roma’ was groundbreaking for indigenous representation in acting, earning her recognition from many prestigious awards organizations and significant international media attention. The film itself received numerous Academy Award nominations and won several major awards, though Aparicio did not win an Oscar for her role.

Ruth Negga

Her performance in ‘Loving’ received a lot of recognition from awards groups in both the UK and the US, appearing on many critics’ lists for biographical dramas. The film stayed in the awards conversation thanks to promotional screeners and events. However, she didn’t win an Academy Award.

Stephanie Hsu

The actress received significant awards attention for her performance in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ including nominations from a major awards show often seen as a preview of the Oscars. While the film itself won numerous awards at the Academy Awards, including several top prizes, she didn’t win an award in her individual category, though she and her fellow cast members were recognized as a group by many critics.

Janelle Monáe

Naomi Harris’s work in both ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Hidden Figures’ helped both films become Best Picture nominees that same year. While the films received a lot of praise and awards attention from various groups, including industry guilds and critics, Harris herself wasn’t nominated for an individual acting award.

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright gained recognition for her performance in ‘The Silent Twins,’ where she played two characters, earning praise from film critics and awards buzz. She also received significant attention for her role in ‘Black Panther’ and its sequels. The film was released with a special rollout that included exclusive screenings and discussions with audiences. Despite the positive reception, she wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

She received widespread praise for her performance in ‘Beyond the Lights,’ which showcased both her musical talent and acting ability. The role earned her recognition from the Independent Spirit and Gotham awards, as well as several accolades celebrating up-and-coming actors. While the film gained a dedicated following through streaming and cable, she did not receive an Academy Award nomination.

Awkwafina

Awkwafina’s Golden Globe win for ‘The Farewell’ was a significant achievement, marking a first for an Asian American actress in that category. Her performance was key to the film’s positive reviews and popularity with audiences, earning it numerous accolades throughout the year. Despite this success, she wasn’t nominated for an Oscar.

Jodie Turner-Smith

I was completely blown away by Jodie Turner-Smith in ‘Queen & Slim’. She brought this incredible mix of fragility and strength to the role, and it really stuck with me. Everyone started talking about her – she was the rising star, popping up on so many ‘best of’ lists. The whole movie was just beautifully made, the soundtrack was amazing, and it definitely got a lot of awards buzz. It was a shame, though, she didn’t get an Oscar nomination, honestly. She deserved one!

Sônia Braga

The actress received widespread praise for her performance in ‘Aquarius’ after the film premiered at Cannes. She earned many international awards and accolades from critics for the role. However, the film’s chances at the Oscars were hindered when Brazil chose a different movie to submit, and ultimately, she didn’t receive an Oscar nomination despite the positive reception.

Regina Hall

Regina Hall received critical acclaim for her role in ‘Support the Girls,’ winning a top award from the New York Film Critics Circle – a rare achievement for a comedy about work. She also received recognition from the Independent Spirit Awards, helping to establish her as a versatile dramatic actress. While the film gained popularity through streaming and appeared on many recommended lists, the Academy Awards didn’t nominate her performance.

Park So-dam

Su Ye-jin’s memorable performance in ‘Parasite’ was key to the film’s pacing and humor. The entire cast received awards from major industry groups, and the film won numerous Oscars. However, surprisingly, none of the actors received individual Oscar nominations. Despite the film’s success, her performance wasn’t personally recognized with an acting nomination.

Lily Gladstone

Let’s talk about Lily Gladstone’s performance in ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’ It was truly historic – she became the first Native American woman nominated for a leading role. The buzz was incredible, she racked up major wins from critics’ groups and even a prominent televised award, which felt like a strong indicator of where things were headed. The film itself was a big contender at the Academy Awards, earning nominations in a lot of categories. But, sadly, despite all the momentum, she didn’t take home the Oscar on the night. Still, it was a groundbreaking moment, and her performance deserves all the praise it’s received.

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

I was really captivated by ‘Origin.’ It wasn’t just a story, but a deep dive into a life, presented like a compelling investigation. Everyone seemed to love how bold and ambitious it was, and I thought the lead actress was absolutely phenomenal – she truly carried the film. She was getting so much praise and winning awards from various groups, it felt like a sure thing. I was honestly surprised and disappointed when the Academy didn’t nominate her for a major award, though.

Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek received Independent Spirit Award recognition for her performance in ‘Beatriz at Dinner,’ which also highlighted her versatility as an actress. The film generated important cultural conversations and remained a contender during awards season. While promotional efforts and screenings with voting groups gained traction, it ultimately didn’t result in an Academy Award nomination.

Taraji P. Henson

I was so thrilled when ‘Hidden Figures’ came out – it was a huge success, even landing a Best Picture nomination! The whole cast won an award from a major guild, which was fantastic. Critics and awards bodies definitely noticed everyone’s work, especially my co-star’s performances which got them recognized by the Academy. It was just a little disappointing, though, that I didn’t get a Best Actress nomination myself.

Share your picks and the performances you think were overlooked in the comments.

2025-11-11 18:20