Awards season has several events considered milestones on the journey towards Oscar glory. The Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Critics Choice, and BAFTAs are the most crucial precursors, and any nominee that hits them all is considered a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination.
However, it's not an exact science, and many of the eventual Oscar nominees often come out of the blue. Whether because their film had a late surge or the Academy simply chose to reward their performance when no one else would, these acting nominees seemingly came out of nowhere to secure an Academy Award nomination.
Marcia Gay Harden - Pollock (2000)
In the years since her shocking victory at the 2001 Oscars, Marcia Gay Harden has become a legend among awards pundits. ing Actress was already the most competitive category of the 2000-2001 awards season, with a different performer claiming one of the major awards: Kate Hudson won the Globe, s McDormand won the Critics Choice, Julie Walters claimed the BAFTA, and Judi Dench prevailed at SAG.
However, it was Marcia Gay Harden's stunning turn in Pollock that eventually claimed the Oscar. What's most shocking is that she missed nominations from any of the previous ceremonies; she literally out-of-the-blue'd her way into the Oscar nomination and eventual win, a feat that remains impressive to this day.
Ed Harris - Pollock (2000)
And speaking of Pollock, Marcia Gay Harden's co-star, Ed Harris, also received a surprising Best Actor nomination at the 2001 ceremony. Harris, who also directed the movie, was absent from every precursor, and many believed Billy Elliot's Jamie Bell would be the fifth nominee in the category.
A long-time ion project from Harris, Pollock is a biographical drama that follows the life of its renowned titular character. The film received mostly positive reviews, and while no one expected to see either Harris or Gay Harden at the Oscars, hardly anyone complained, considering the strength of their performances.
Keisha Castle-Hughes - Whale Rider (2003)
The Best Actress category at the Oscars is famous for rewarding several young performers. Marlee Matlin remains the youngest Best Actress winner, claiming the award when she was just 21, but the category has recognized even younger performers with a nomination. In 2003, Keisha Castle-Hughes became the second-youngest nominee in the category for her turn in Niki Caro's Whale Rider.
The film follows a twelve-year-old who ambitions to become the chief of her tribe. Castle-Hughes's sole nomination at any of the precursors was at the 2004 SAG Awards in the ing Actress category. Few thought she'd make it into that category, let alone Best Actress. Her inclusion was a welcome one, especially considering she came from a smaller film in a year when The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King dominated the ceremony.
Samantha Morton - In America (2003)
The 2003 ceremony brought another surprise to the Best Actress category in the form of Samantha Morton. In In America, the actress plays Sarah, a wife and mother from Ireland who moves to the United States with her family to fulfill her husband's dream of being an actor.
Morton received a Critics Choice nomination for her performance, but no one expected to see her in the Oscars final five. Co-star Djimon Hounsou's nomination in ing Actor was equally surprising, considering he too was absent from every precursor.
Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Million Dollar Baby, and he did. However, few predicted he would also show up in the Best Actor category, especially considering he was snubbed by every major organization leading up to the Oscars.
The film chronicles the relationship between an experienced but underrated boxing trainer and a gifted underdog boxer. Million Dollar Baby was one of the big winners at the 2005 ceremony, claiming Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Actress for Hilary Swank, and ing Actor for Morgan Freeman. The Academy clearly loved the film, explaining Eastwood's surprise inclusion in Best Actor.
William Hurt - A History Of Violence (2005)
William Hurt is one of the most iconic actors of the 1980s, known for classics like Body Heat and Broadcast News. He won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in 1985's Kiss of the Spider Woman and received two more nominations before the decade ended.
Still, eighteen years would before he returned to the Oscars. His fourth nomination came as a surprise, thanks to his menacing ing turn in David Cronenberg's A History of Violence. The film, which follows a small-town diner owner whose life changes after confronting two robbers, received positive reviews but little awards attention, so when Hurt's name came up in ing Actor, more than a few jaws hit the floor.
Tommy Lee Jones - In The Valley Of Elah (2007)
Already an Academy Award winner for his role in 1993's The Fugitive, Tommy Lee Jones received a surprise Best Actor nomination for 2007's In the Valley of Elah. Co-starring Charlize Theron, the movie follows a father's attempts to hunt down his son's killers.
Tommy Lee Jones' surprise inclusion provided some excitement to an otherwise predictable category. 2007 was always going to be the year of There Will Be Blood was undeniable.
Laura Linney - The Savages (2007)
Despite having a prolific career filled with unforgettable roles, Laura Linney remains one of Hollywood's most underrated actresses. She's received three Oscar nominations, the last of which came in 2008 for her leading role in the black comedy-drama film The Savages. The film follows two estranged siblings who reunite to care for the ailing father.
2007 was particularly competitive. Several contenders were vying for the fifth spot in Best Actress, including Enchanted's Amy Adams, Atonement's Keira Knightley, and to a lesser degree, A Mighty Heart's Angelina Jolie. Alas, it was Linney who prevailed in the end, despite having no previous nominations at any of the major precursors.
Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road (2008)
Titanic. Directed by Winslet's then-husband, Sam Mendes, the film follows the crumbling marriage of a suburban upper-middle-class couple living in 1950s Connecticut.
The film attracted praise for its two leads' performances, and while Michael Shannon's scene-stealing ing turn also received rave reviews, no one thought he'd ever get any love from the Oscars. Indeed, Shannon missed every major precursor, with everyone from Tom Cruise in Slumdog Millionaire, receiving awards attention before him. Alas, it was Shannon who got the last laugh.
Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart (2009)
The 2010 awards season was when everyone agreed Jeff Bridges would finally win an Oscar. Crazy Heart wasn't exactly his best performance, but he had an overdue narrative, and the industry believed it was his time. As such, he steamrolled through every major ceremony, claiming the Globe, SAG, and Critics Choice for his performance.
His co-star, Inglourious Basterds' Diane Kruger or A Single Man's Julianne Moore were expected to snag the fifth spot in the category. And while Gyllenhaal's performance was worthy of recognition, hardly anyone saw her nomination coming.
