The Oscar nominations delivered some pleasant surprises, but overall, it was business as usual in the Best Director category. The usual suspects -- Steven Spielberg for The Fabelmans, the Daniels for Everything Everywhere All at Once, Martin McDonagh for The Banshees of Inisherin -- made it in, leaving little room for surprises.
Over the years, the Academy has recognized many worthy filmmakers in the Best Director category. However, some of the business's most respected and revered helmets have never won a competitive Oscar. And although some have won Oscars in writing and producing, they have never prevailed in the competitive Best Director line-up.
1 Quentin Tarantino
Although he is one of cinema's most acclaimed directors, Quentin Tarantino has yet to claim a directing Oscar. He's been nominated three times for Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, failing to win each time.
Tarantino has won two Oscars, however, for his acclaimed and now-iconic screenplays for Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained. The prolific writer and director could eventually win a Directing Oscar, especially if he keeps building an overdue narrative and indeed retires after his next film.
2 Jordan Peele
Although former comedian-turned-filmmaker Jordan Peele doesn't have the lengthy career as some other overdue directors, he has made a name for himself as one of the business's most innovative and distinctive creators. Peele received an Oscar nomination for his breakthrough hit Get Out, winning the award for Best Original Screenplay.
However, Peele didn't receive an Oscar nomination for either of his next critically-acclaimed films, Us and Nope. Still, he has built a reputation as a true original, and while AMPAS does not usually reward horror films, it seems like a matter of time until the Academy rewards Peele's genius again.
3 Stanley Kubrick
Widely considered one of the best directors in history, Stabley Kubrick helmed some of the all-time most acclaimed and iconic movies. From 2001: A Space Odyssey to Barry Lyndon, Kubrick was a director unlike any other, whose influence can still be felt today.
Kubrick received four Oscar nominations for Best Director for Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and Barry Lyndon without winning once. In fact, Kubrick received thirteen Oscar nominations overall for his producing, directing, and writing abilities and only won once: Best Special Visual Effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey.
4 Céline Sciamma
A leading figure in European cinema, French writer and director Céline Sciamma has never been nominated for an Oscar. The director, famous for her films exploring womanhood and sexual identity, is behind some of the best modern films, including the universally acclaimed Portrait of a Lady on Fire and the recent Petite Maman.
Sciamma's snub for Portrait, one of the rare sapphic films that doesn't end in tragedy, still stings, especially considering the film was one of 2019's most celebrated films. Still, she has twice been nominated for the César for Best Director, so perhaps -- hopefully -- the Academy will follow suit in the future.
5 Alfred Hitchcock
The Master of Suspense is behind some of the most recognizable thrillers in film history. From Rebecca to Psycho, Hitchcock made a name for himself as the undisputed king of the genre. Hitchcock received five Best Director nominations: Rebecca, Lifeboat, Spellbound, Rear Window, and Psycho, but didn't win any.
Some of Hitchcock's most acclaimed efforts -- Vertigo, North by Northwest, Dial M for Murder -- went completely unnoticed by the Academy. However, he eventually won an Honorary Oscar in 1968 for his lasting contributions to cinema.
6 Ingmar Bergman
Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman is the man behind classics like The Seventh Seal and Persona. Bergman was one of the leading filmmakers of his time, working in over sixty films and documentaries and cementing himself as one of the most influential directors of the 20th century.
Bergman earned a whopping nine Oscar nominations throughout his career and won an Honorary Oscar in 1971. His three Best Director nominations came after that, for his efforts in Cries & Whispers, Face to Face, and Fanny and Alexander.
7 Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott began his career in the late '70s, rising to prominence with the 1979 sci-fi classic Alien. Scott directed several underrated movies throughout the '80s, with Blade Runner being his most acclaimed project in the decade. It wasn't until 1992 that he received his first Oscar nomination for directing Thelma & Louise.
Scott received two more Best Director nominations: Gladiator, which won Best Picture in 2001, and Black Hawk Down. However, he didn't win and hasn't received another nomination in twenty years. Still, Scott's career is already iconic, even without AMPA's recognition.
8 Nora Ephron
The late Nora Ephron wrote and directed some of cinema's most beloved romantic comedies, including the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan vehicles Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail. However, Ephron never received an Oscar nomination for her directorial abilities, which speaks about the Academy's ridiculous bias against female filmmakers.
Ephron did receive Oscar nominations for three of her now-iconic screenplays: Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally..., and Sleepless in Seattle. Ephron sadly passed in 2012, meaning the Academy never got to recognize her writing or directorial skill.
9 Spike Lee
The legendary Spike Lee received his first Oscar nomination in 1990 for Do the Right Thing's groundbreaking screenplay. He received another nomination eight years later for his documentary 4 Little Girls before earning an Honorary Oscar in 2016 for his contributions to cinema.
Lee's first Best Director nomination came two years later for BlacKkKlansman, for which he won his first competitive Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Lee is still working and shows no signs of stopping, so there's time for the Academy to recognize this visionary and trailblazing director.
10 Agnès Varda
Agnès Varda had a prolific and acclaimed career. The late director was a crucial figure in the French New Wave era, with her now-iconic 1962 film Cléo from 5 to 7 acting as one of the movement's most recognizable and celebrated examples. She is also behind renowned documentaries like The Gleaners and I and Faces Places.
However, Varda never received an Oscar nomination for her directing abilities. In fact, her sole nomination was for Best Documentary Feature in 2018; that year, she received an Honorary Academy Award for her contributions to the film industry. Sadly, Varda passed the following year.