Sometimes the Oscars strike like lightning, blessing performers like Mo'Nique and Trent Reznor and Three 6 Mafia who might never again appear in a statuette-worthy film. For others, the Oscars are a cruel tease. Here are 10 actors you'd totally expect to have won an Oscar by now. By Amy Nicholson

Leonardo DiCaprio

The world would be a different place if Leonardo DiCaprio had won his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1993's 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape?' He did score three more nominations but not even 'The Wolf of Wall Street' has gotten him an Oscar.

Kenneth Branagh

The Academy decided Branagh didn't merit an award for Best Actor or Best Director for 'Henry V', Best Action Live Short ('Swan Song'), Best Adapted Screenplay ('Hamlet'), or Best Supporting Actor ('My Week With Marilyn'). It's no wonder he ditched Shakespeare for pulp, helming 'Thor' and the Tom Clancy reboot 'Jack Ryan.'

Glenn Close

Five-time nominee and zero-time winner, Close started slumming in Disney pics and TV movies. Two years ago she made one last push for recognition with the period drama 'Albert Nobbs,' a part that required her to spend the whole film in drag and got her a sixth nom. Oh well, at least cable TV appreciates her.

Ralph Fiennes

Sure, he spent much of the last 15 years playing Voldemort, but he's also been a grieving diplomat ('The Constant Gardener'), a mentally disturbed  hero ('Spider'), a cheating duke ('The Duchess') and a Shakespearean general ('Coriolanus'), and a morally wrecked lawyer who slept with Kate Winslet's ex-Nazi in 'The Reader.' C'mon, what's a guy got to do to get some recognition?

Amy Adams

Amy Adams came to fame as an Oscar contender as a perky unknown when she was nominated for 2006's 'Junebug.' She's since been nominated four more times. If you're keeping record, she's on track for a nomination every two years. 

Joaquin Phoenix

 In October of 2013, he legendarily called the Oscars “total, utter bull----,” which had most prognosticators betting that the Academy wouldn't even deign to give him his third nomination for 'The Master' following two losses for 'Gladiator' and 'Walk the Line.' But they did...and he showed up at the ceremony.

Annette Bening

Annette Bening's name in the credits gives a film instant credibility, but the prestige isn't there on her own mantel. Bening has dressed up for the big show four times for 'The Grifters,' 'Being Julia,' 'American Beauty' and 'The Kids Are All Right,' but the Academy sent her home empty-handed.  

Julianne Moore

At least Annette Bening got an Oscar nom for 'The Kids Are All Right.' Her co-star and fictional wife Julianne Moore was shut out. Four-time nominee Moore once seemed like one of the Oscars' sure things—especially in 2003 when she was tapped twice: once for Best Actress in 'Far From Heaven,' and again for Best Supporting Actress in 'The Hours.' Alas...

Robert Downey Jr.

You probably weren't surprised in 2008 when Robert Downey Jr. lost the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award to Heath Ledger. But, wait—didn't Downey Jr. already win for 'Chaplin?' Uh, no. After his one last emo Oscar bid for 2009's 'The Soloist' flopped, he decided to devote his talents to superheroes and Sherlock Holmes.

Johnny Depp

Sure, everybody wants Johnny Depp to stop playing pirates or working with Tim Burton. But in his defense, two of his three Best Actor Oscar nominations were for 'The Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl' and 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.' (The third was for the twee 'Finding Neverland.')