Academy Awards: Actors with most Oscar nominations but least wins

Annette Bening

Nominations: 4

  • Actress in a Supporting Role – 1991 – “The Grifters”
  • Actress in a Leading Role – 2000 – “American Beauty”
  • Actress in a Leading Role – 2005 – “Being Julia”
  • Actress in a Leading Role – 2011 – “The Kids Are All Right”

Annette Bening was a Tony-nominated stage actress before ever stepping in front of the camera. Once in Hollywood, quickly established a reputation for delving into unexpected, emotional places with her characters, as seen in “American Beauty” and “The Kids Are All Right.”

As a rule, she never took on more than one project per year, allowing her to choose her films wisely and also balance her work with her family life. Bening sits on the Board of Governors for the Oscars.