Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free
Today, the world lost one of the greats: Albert Finney died at the age of 82.
Finney leaves behind a splendid career that spanned five decades. He began in theatre as a Shakespearean performer before switching to films in 1960. That year alone, he made a startling impression with roles in The Entertainer and Alan Sillitoe adaptation, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning . He won Most Promising Newcomer for the latter at that year’s Baftas.
He earned five Oscar nominations throughout his career – four times of which were in the Best Actor category – ranging from 1963’s Best Picture winner Tom Jones , right through to his role opposite Julia Roberts in Stephen Soderbergh film Erin Brockovich (2000).
Throughout his life, Finney worked with a wide range of filmmakers: John Huston, Alan Parker, Tim Burton and Sam Mendes to name a few.
Below, are the actor’s 10 best roles.
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)
Finney plays Arthur Seaton, the archetypal Angry Young Man, in this classic of the late Fifties/early Sixties wave of British “kitchen sink” drama. Based on the novel by Alan Sillitoe, Saturday Night sees Finney downing many pints, getting into fights, and shamelessly womanising. But his character’s appetite for life is still intoxicating, half a century on.
Tom Jones (1963)
Tony Richardson’s adaptation of Henry Fielding’s classic novel required a lead who could leap straight into the comedy’s irreverent, fourth-wall-demolishing tone. Finney was the man with the right bravado for the job, earning him an Oscar nomination in the process.
Scrooge (1970)
Finney may not have made for the most natural musical star, but he still brings all the desired grump and malcontent to the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in Ronald Neame’s 1970 musical. It’s an impressive feat considering the actor was only 34 at the time, having to act his way through all layers of age-enhancing makeup and a wig of balding hair.
Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
There have been many onscreen Hercule Poirots (Kenneth Branagh and John Malkovich being the latest) and, although Finney’s take in Sidney Lumet’s 1974 film may not be everyone’s definitive version, he brings such theatricality to the role that he lands the more unlikely of Agatha Christie’s plot twists with perfect style.
Show all 37 1 /37The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Jake Gyllenhaal Jake Gyllenhaal has been nominated for one Oscar – for Brokeback Mountain. And while his performance in that film was certainly worthy of the accolade, you could argue the actor deserved nominations just as much for Nightcrawler, Nocturnal Naimals, Stronger, Prisoners, Enemy, and Donnie Darko.
Getty
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Pam Grier Pam Grier was not only robbed of an Oscar for Quentin Tarantino’s classic thriller Jackie Brown, she was robbed of a nomination full stop. Conversely, her co-star Robert Forster picked up a Supporting Actor nomination. Certainly, an oversight from the Academy.
Miramax Films
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Jim Carrey Jim Carrey has been nominated for more Grammy Awards than Oscars, having picked up a nomination for "Best Spoken Word Album for Children" in 2006 for A Series of Unfortunate Events. The academy, sadly, has never given Carrey a fair chance, despite winning over the world in the likes of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Man on the Moon and The Truman Show.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Jessica Chastain Chastain has the aura of an Oscar winner. Somewhere down the line, surely one her roles won her an Oscar? Yet, despite nominations for The Help and Zero Dark, plus stand-out leading roles in films such as Molly’s Game, the actor still does not have a statuette.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar James Dean Of James Dean’s three credited film roles, two were nominated for Oscars – Giant and East of Eden (Rebel Without a Cause was not nominated). Only one of his films, Eden, was released before his tragic passing in 1955.
Magnum Photos
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar John Goodman The Academy members should hang their heads in shame for never nominating John Goodman, one of the finest ever character actors, for an award. Considering his brilliant performances in Raising Arizona (1987), Barton Fink (1991), The Big Lebowski (1998), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) – and those are just his collaborations with the Coen Brothers – he must be wondering what he has to do to be acknowledged by the Academy.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Salma Hayek Salma Hayek’s career highlight, Frida, came within inches of bringing her an Oscar. Yet, it was not to be – the actor was beaten by Nicole Kidman in The Hours, and Hayak has since been ignored by the Academy.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Michelle Pfeiffer Michelle Pfeiffer was one of the most popular actors working in the 1980s and 1990s, nabbing Oscar nominations for Dangerous Liaisons (1988), The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) and Love Field (1992). However, as the ceremonies came and went, no victory followed.
Getty
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Rosario Dawson That Rosario Dawson has become more associated with Superheroes than awards is a tragedy. Her roles in Rent, 25th Hour and Sin City have won her praise from critics and fans alike, but there’s still not an Oscar or Golden Globe mention on her IMDB page.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Angela Lansbury You'd think that Angela Lansbury, having won five Tony Awards and six Golden Globes, would have at least one Oscar at home. Not so. Despite her three nominations – for Gaslight (1944), The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) and The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – the Dame is yet to triumph at the Academy Awards.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Oscar Isaac Oscar Isaac, his many fans argue, was robbed of an Oscar nomination for Inside Llewyn Davis. The critically acclaimed Coen brothers film failed to make the Best Picture cut, and poor Isaac, who played the eponymous struggling folk singer to perfection, was left without a nod. He was also overlooked for Ex Machina and A Most Violent Year.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Robin Wright The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump, Moneyball: Robin Wright has consistently left critics and audiences impressed. And while no Oscars have followed, her work on the TV series House of Card has earned her seven primetime Emmy award nominations.
AFP/Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Bradley Cooper Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut, A Star is Born, had won acclaim across the board and looked set for Oscars glory (with a Best Actor award almost within grasp). However, Rami Malek stole victory away from him at the last moment. Perhaps the best run of his career came between 2013 and 2015, when he was nominated for three consecutive acting Oscars: Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle and American Sniper.
Rex Features
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Angela Bassett Angela Bassett has had one of the most prolific careers in Hollywood history, starring in dozens of TV shows and films. Her roles in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), Malcolm X (1992) and Music of the Heart (1999) won awards elsewhere – but not with the Academy.
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Sigourney Weaver Sigourney Weaver on the set of the original Alien film in 1979
Corbis
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar David Oyelowo Despite playing multiple roles that seem like certain Oscar winners, David Oyelowo has never even been nominated for an award. His role as Martin Luther King Jr in 2014’s Selma has gone down as one of the biggest snubs in recent history and was one of many incidents that led to the #OscarsSoWhite movement.
Getty
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Marilyn Monroe One of the most iconic actors of all time, Marilyn Monroe never received an Oscar nomination. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) and Some Like It Hot (1959) may have gone down as classics, but Monroe never stood out enough for the Academy.
Rex
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Steve Buscemi The Big Lebowski, Fargo, Reservoir Dogs, Miller's Crossing, Con Air, Armageddon, Big Fish, The Death of Stalin and Barton Fink... just several films Steve Buscemi was not nominated for an Oscar for. In fact, Buscemi has never been nominated for an Academy Award.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Woody Harrelson Three Oscar nominations for Woody Harrelson, and three loses for Woody Harrelson – Larry Flynt in The People vs Larry Flynt (1996), The Messenger (2009) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017). But, like that widely shared Zombieland GIF, Harrelson will be wiping away the tears with a wedge of dollar bills, his films having made more than $3 billion at the box office worldwide.
Frederick M Brown/Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Mia Farrow Mia Farrow may have starred in the classics Rosemary’s Baby, Broadway Danny Rose and The Purple Rose of Cairo, but not a single nomination followed. Surprising for someone who has won three Baftas and a Golden Globe.
Getty
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Idris Elba While many people suspected Idris Elba would score an Oscar nomination for Beasts of No Nation, the Academy’s hatred for Netflix proved too strong (Bafta and the Globes nominated him instead). Even other prime Oscar-bait – Molly’s Game, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Second Coming – failed to land Elba any nominations. No wonder, perhaps, that the actor has stuck primarily to multi-million-dollar blockbusters.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Edward Norton Having had acclaimed roles in American History X, Fight Club and Birdman, Edward Norton will no doubt go down as one of America’s most talented actors. Unfortunately, the actor has no Oscars to show it.
AFP/Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Scarlett Johansson By starring in both Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring, Scarlett Johansson shot herself slightly in the foot in 2003. For the two roles, she landed double Leading Actress nominations at Bafta (winning for Translation) and two Globes nominations. The Oscars? Not one. And despite standout roles in Lucy, Under the Skin, Match Pint, A Love Song for Bobby Long, she still has never been nominated for an Oscar.
Getty
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Samuel L Jackson Samuel L Jackson is one of the most prolific actors working in Hollywood and has one Oscar nomination – for Pulp Fiction (1995). Considering he’s ranked as the highest all-time box office star, having made over $12 billion worldwide, the Avengers actor’s probably not all that upset.
GettySamuel L Jackson poses at a portrait session during day three of the 13th annual Dubai International Film Festival
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Michelle Williams With four Oscar nominations under her belt, Michelle Williams somehow still has no statuette placed on her mantelpiece. Her closest call came in 2016, when she starred in Manchester By the Sea, when she was up against the supreme Viola Davis, who went on to win the award for Fences.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Annette Bening Few actors can attest to being as hardworking as Annette Bening. Revered for her work onstage, she also won acclaim for Oscar-nominated on-screen roles in The Grifters (1990), American Beauty (1999) and The Kids Are Alright (2010). That she was completely overlooked for 20th Century Women in 2017 was a glaring oversight.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas was a leading man in Hollywood’s Golden Age, his roles in Spartacus, Lust for Life and Champion inspiring a generation of actors after him. Still, the actor never won a competitive Oscar – only an honorary one in 1996, for his 50 years in the creative industry.
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Irene Dunne Irene Dunne – nominated five times – is one of the few recipients of the Kennedy Centre Honours for her service to the performing arts. Yet her performances in Cimarron (1931), Theodora Goes Wild (1936), The Awful Truth (1937), Love Affair (1939) and I Remember Mama (1948) all went unrewarded by the Academy.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Arthur Kennedy One of the world’s most accomplished character actors, Arthur Kennedy was best known for his supporting roles in films such as Champion (1949), Trial (1955), Peyton Place (1957) and Some Came Running (1958), all of which won him Oscar nods. And despite a leading actor nomination in 1951 for Lights Out, Kennedy still couldn’t manage a win.
United Artists
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Albert Finney One of Britain’s premiere Shakespearean actors, Albert Finney was nominated five times across almost four decades, for Tom Jones (1963), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The Dresser (1983), Under the Volcano (1984) and Erin Brockovich (2000).
Rex
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Deborah Kerr Six-time nominee Dame Deborah Kerr famously failed to win for the musical The King and I – losing to Ingrid Bergman in Anastasia. Thankfully, the Academy realised their error years later, awarding Kerr an honorary award and calling her “a dedicated actress whose motion picture career has always stood for perfection, discipline and elegance".
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Thelma Ritter Another actor with six nominations and no wins. Even a role in 1950s All About Eve, which would win Best Picture, couldn’t push Thelma Ritter to victory. She went on to be nominated four more times that decade, for The Mating Season (1951, With a Song in My Heart (1952), Pickup on South Street (1953), and Pillow Talk (1959).
20th Century Fox
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Glenn Close Another much-nominated actor without a win, Glenn's most recent Close shave came at the 2019 Oscars, when she was nominated for The Wife. She has previously been nominated six time, including roles in The World According to Garp (1982). Fatal Attraction (1987), and Dangerous Liaisons (1988) .
Dave M. Benett
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Amy Adams Amy Adams comes just behind Close, with six nominations (including The Fighter, The Master and American Hustle). None of those were for Arrival, the sci-fi film that saw Adams pick up Bafta, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations. Unfortunately, that same year, she was competing against herself in Nocturnal Animals, which likely split the Oscars vote.
AFP/Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Richard Burton Richard Burton holds the record for second-most Oscar nominations without a win (seven to Peter O’Toole’s eight). While Burton’s performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is often heralded as his best, the actor lost out to Paul Scofield in A Man for All Seasons.
Getty Images
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Peter O'Toole Peter O'Toole is the Oscar’s most-nominated actor without a win, with eight nods in total. Although the actor did not take home a trophy for Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion in Winter and Goodbye, Mr Chips, O'Toole was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2002.
Getty
The 37 best actors who have never won an Oscar Ian McKellen He may be one of the most revered stage and screen actors of this generation, but Sir Ian McKellen's two Oscar nominations to date – for Gods and Monsters (1998) and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) – failed to turn into wins.
AFP via Getty Images
The Duellists (1977)
Ridley Scott’s filmmaking debut, historical drama The Duellists , featured Finney as Joseph Fouché, the pompous Minister of Police who gets involved in a long-running feud between two men. The Duellists was shot on location in Franch and Scotland on a small budget – reportedly, Finney accepted a case of champagne in lieu of payment.
Annie (1982)
What would the 1982 musical be without Finney’s Daddy Warbucks? It’s his work that provides the film with much of its emotional backbone, as we watch his hardened heart melt when Aileen Quinn’s copper-haired orphan enters his life and breaks into an angelic rendition of “Tomorrow”.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Try for free Miller’s Crossing (1990)
In the Coen brothers’ booze-soaked Prohibition-era gangster flick, Finney brings a rich authority to the role of the Irish-born crime boss of Big Town Leo O’Bannon. Finney was only cast after Trey Wilson, the actor for whom the part was written, died two days before production began, but his performance has gone down in cinematic lore: mainly because of the scene in which he rolls out of his bedroom window with a tommy gun to the strains of “Danny Boy”.
Erin Brockovich (2000)
As the lawyer who represents, and then hires, Julia Roberts’s Erin Brockovich – a single mother who takes on a morally corrupt energy corporation – Finney is crumpled, curmudgeonly and kind. A scene towards the end, in which he hands Erin her $2m bonus cheque, is one of the film’s most memorable moments – as poignant as it is funny.
Show all 10 1 /10Albert Finney's best roles Albert Finney's best roles Murder on the Orient Express (1974) There have been many onscreen Hercule Poirots (Kenneth Branagh and John Malkovich being the latest) and, although Finney’s take in Sidney Lumet’s 1974 film may not be everyone’s definitive version, he brings such theatricality to the role that he lands the more unlikely of Agatha Christie’s plot twists with perfect style.
Rex Features
Albert Finney's best roles Miller’s Crossing (1990) In the Coen brothers’ booze-soaked Prohibition-era gangster flick, Finney brings a rich authority to the role of the Irish-born crime boss of Big Town Leo O’Bannon. Finney was only cast after Trey Wilson, the actor for whom the part was written, died two days before production began, but his performance has gone down in cinematic lore: mainly because of the scene in which he rolls out of his bedroom window with a tommy gun to the strains of "Danny Boy".
Rex
Albert Finney's best roles Scrooge (1970) Finney may not have made for the most natural musical star, but he still brings all the desired grump and malcontent to the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in Ronald Neame’s 1970 musical. It’s an impressive feat considering the actor was only 34 at the time, having to act his way through all layers of age-enhancing makeup and a wig of balding hair.
Getty
Albert Finney's best roles The Gathering Storm (2002) Finney joined the ranks of the numerous actors who have portrayed Winston Churchill on-screen when he starred in The Gathering Storm, a TV movie co-produced by BBC and HBO. He prepared meticulously to portray the iconic statesman, and was rewarded with widespread acclaim, with a trophy haul that included a Bafta and a Golden Globe award. For many, Finney’s Churchill is the definitive screen version of the former Prime Minister.
Alamy Stock Photo
Albert Finney's best roles Tom Jones (1963) Tony Richardson’s adaptation of Henry Fielding’s classic novel required a lead who could leap straight into the comedy’s irreverent, fourth-wall-demolishing tone. Finney was the man with the right bravado for the job, earning him an Oscar nomination in the process.
Rex
Albert Finney's best roles Annie (1982) What would the musical be without Finney’s Daddy Warbucks? It’s his work that provides the film with much of its emotional backbone, as we watch his hardened heart melt when Aileen Quinn’s copper-haired orphan enters his life and breaks into an angelic rendition of “Tomorrow”.
Alamy Stock Photo
Albert Finney's best roles Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960) Finney plays Arthur Seaton, the archetypal Angry Young Man, in this classic of the late Fifties/early Sixties wave of British “kitchen sink” drama. Based on the novel by Alan Sillitoe, Saturday Night sees Finney downing many pints, getting into fights, and shamelessly womanising. But his character’s appetite for life is still intoxicating, half a century on.
Rex
Albert Finney's best roles Big Fish (2003) Tim Burton’s 2003 fantasy drama may not stand out as one of Finney’s most critically acclaimed films, but there’s a deep tenderness to his role as Edward Bloom, a man who has reached the end of his life still holding on tight to the tall tales he constructed for himself.
Rex
Albert Finney's best roles The Duellists (1977) Ridley Scott’s filmmaking debut, historical drama The Duellists, featured Albert Finney as Joseph Fouché, the pompous Minister of Police who gets involved in a long-running feud between two men. The Duellists was shot on location in Franch and Scotland on a small budget – reportedly, Finney accepted a case of champagne in lieu of payment.
Alamy Stock Photo
Albert Finney's best roles Erin Brockovich (2000) As the lawyer who represents, and then hires, Julia Roberts’s Erin Brockovich – a single mother who takes on a morally corrupt energy corporation – Finney is crumpled, curmudgeonly and kind. A scene towards the end, in which he hands Erin her $2 million bonus cheque, is one of the film’s most memorable moments – as poignant as it is funny.
Alamy
The Gathering Storm (2002)
Finney joined the ranks of the numerous actors who have portrayed Winston Churchill on-screen when he starred in The Gathering Storm , a TV movie co-produced by BBC and HBO. He prepared meticulously to portray the iconic statesman, and was rewarded with widespread acclaim, with a trophy haul that included a Bafta and a Golden Globe award. For many, Finney’s Churchill is the definitive screen version of the former Prime Minister.
Big Fish (2003)
Tim Burton’s 2003 fantasy drama may not stand out as one of Finney’s most critically acclaimed films, but there’s a deep tenderness to his role as Edward Bloom, a man who has reached the end of his life still holding on tight to the tall tales he constructed for himself.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies