Andrea Riseborough received an Oscar nomination for her performance in the indie film To Leslie. Her last-minute campaign worked, and she earned AMPAS' favor with a nomination that seemingly came out of nowhere.

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Just like Riseborough, many other actors have received unexpected Oscar nominations. Despite not receiving any major nominations from the guilds or critics' organizations, these actors defied the odds and received the industry's biggest acknowledgments. And while these nominations shocked everyone, most are fondly remembered, if only because of how impressive it was for them to beat other better-positioned and better-known contenders.

1 Lana Turner

Best Actress in 'Peyton Place' (1957)

Lana Turner in a promo photo for Peyton Place

It's hard to believe, but Lana Turner, one of classic Hollywood's most iconic femme fatales, only received one Oscar nomination throughout her career. Despite delivering iconic turns in films like Somewhere I'll Find You and The Postman Always Rings Twice, Turner's sole Oscar nod came in 1958 for her role as a suburban widow in 1957's drama Peyton Place.

Turner's performance in Peyton Place is good, but her placement in the Lead Actress category was questionable. Equally puzzling was her inclusion in the category, considering she received no attention from other organizations like the Golden Globes or BAFTAs. At least she received a nomination, but considering the strength of her well-respected filmography, it's odd that it came from such a forgettable film.

2 Marisa Tomei

Best Supporting Actress in 'My Cousin Vinny' (1992)

Marisa Tomei as Mona Lisa Vito looking intently
Image Via 20th Century Fox

The Supporting Actress race in 1993 came to a shocking ending when Marisa Tomei won the coveted statuette despite having no previous precursor to back her up. Joan Plowright won the Globe, Miranda Richardson won the BAFTA, and there was no SAG back then. Tomei went into the Oscars without so much as a nomination from any precursor, only to walk past her competition and claim the victory.

Her win was so unexpected that it was even questioned in the following years. Mean-spirited and unjustified rumors claimed presenter Jack Palance read the wrong name. However, the truth is Tomei gave an unforgettable, dynamic, scene-stealing performance that ranks among the best and most inspired wins in her category. Comedy should be rewarded more at the Oscars, and Tomei's win is the perfect proof.

3 James Cromwell

Best Supporting Actor in 'Babe' (1995)

Farmer Arthur Hoggatt and Babe the pig posing for a promo photo for the film Babe.

George Miller has mastered many genres, including the family comedy 1995's Babe. The film is very much the antithesis of "Oscar bait" yet performed spectacularly come awards season, earning seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and winning Best Visual Effects.

Babe's most unexpected nomination was James Cromwell's Best Supporting Actor mention. The veteran actor plays Farmer Hoggett, Babe's owner. Cromwell missed every major precursor, but the 1996 Supporting Actor race was all over the place, with no actor hitting the trifecta of Golden Globes, SAG and BAFTA. Still, Cromwell's inclusion among the Oscar 5 was a pleasant, albeit surprising, development.

4 Marcia Gay Harden

Best Supporting Actress in 'Pollock' (2000)

Lee Krasner looking surprised in Pollock

And speaking of all-over-the-place races, 2001's Best Supporting Actress has gone down in Oscars history. Kate Hudson won the Globe, Judi Dench the SAG, Julie Walters the BAFTA and Frances McDormand the Critics Choice. No one knew who among them would prevail at the Oscar, with everyone having a genuine shot at victory.

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And then Marcia Gay Harden won. The actress wasn't nominated anywhere for her work in Pollock; she quite literally came out of nowhere to secure the nomination, which no one thought would amount to anything, considering her lack of previous support. Harden's victory was and is shocking and remains a popular discussion topic among Oscar aficionados. In a 2021 interview, Harden claimed one of her fellow nominees wasn't happy about her victory, cementing it among Oscar's most notorious choices.

5 Laura Linney

Best Actress in 'The Savages' (2007)

The-Savages

Laura Linney received the third of her three Oscar nominations for her leading role in the 2007 black comedy The Savages, one of the many great hidden gem comedies of the 2000s. Linney's performance was acclaimed but received little attention throughout the season; she didn't even get a Golden Globe nomination, whereas her co-star Philip Seymour Hoffman did.

And yet, it was Linney's name that was called on nominations morning. The actress took Angelina Jolie's place, who got in everywhere thanks to her work in the drama biopic A Mighty Heart. Unfortunately, The Savages was Linney's last Oscar nomination, but hopefully, she'll get another vehicle worthy of her talents soon.

6 Tommy Lee Jones

Best Actor in 'In The Valley Of Elah' (2007)

A woman and a man drinking coffee at a café bar in In The Valley of Elah

Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones received the third of his four Oscar nominations – the only one in the Lead category – for his work in the 2007 crime drama In the Valley of Elah. Jones missed every major precursor on his way to the nomination, and the film itself was also a non-starter.

As it happens in these situations, Jones bumped two actors who were vying for the fifth slot. The first was James McAvoy, contending for his work in the Best Picture nominee Atonement. The second was Ryan Gosling, hoping for his second consecutive Oscar nomination for his performance in the quirky indie Lars and the Real Girl.

7 Maggie Gyllenhaal

Best Supporting Actress in 'Crazy Heart' (2009)

A young woman facing a man in Crazy Heart

If life were fair, Maggie Gyllenhaal would have at least one Oscar for The Lost Daughter's adapted screenplay – CODA's win will haunt the Academy for years to come. However, Gyllenhaal's acting career is equally impressive, with memorable turns in Secretary and The Kindergarten Teacher. Still, her sole Oscar nomination came in 2010 for her supporting work in Scott Cooper's drama Crazy Heart.

Jeff Bridges swept every major award for his performance in the film, but Gyllenhaal's work went unrecognized at every major ceremony. However, AMPAS gave her their favor, and she received a richly-earned nomination in the Supporting Actress category.

8 Jonah Hill

Best Supporting Actor in 'The Wolf Of Wall Street' (2013)

Donnie Azoff laughing while on the phone in The Wolf of Wall Street.
Image via Paramount

Following his Oscar-nominated turn in 2011's Moneyball, Jonah Hill entered the "prestige" era of his career. His next high-profile job was opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese's 2013 black comedy The Wolf of Wall Street. Based on real events, the film chronicles the rise and fall of stockbroker Jordan Belfort.

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Scorsese, DiCaprio and the film itself received numerous nominations throughout the seasons, with DiCaprio winning the Golden Globe. However, Hill earned no recognition from the Globes, SAG, BAFTA or Critics Choice, with Rush's Daniel Brühl usually getting the coveted fifth spot in the Supporting Actor category. Hill ultimately had the last laugh when his name got called on Oscar nominations morning.

9 Michael Shannon

Best Supporting Actor in 'Nocturnal Animals' (2016)

Detective Andes and Ray Marcus sitting inside a car in Nocturnal Animals.

Michael Shannon came out of nowhere at the 2017 Oscars. The Oscar-nominated actor co-starred in Tom Ford's divisive neo-noir Nocturnal Animals, playing a fictional no-nonsense detective pursuing the deranged and violent criminal Ray Marcus, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

Throughout the season, Taylor-Johnson received the most attention, even winning the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. His eventual inclusion in the supporting category was far from certain, but if any actor from Nocturnal Animals stood a chance at a nomination, it was him. However, the Academy had other plans and gave the category's fifth slot to Shannon. Both performances were memorable, and it's hard to argue against a still underrated actor like Shannon getting his dues.

10 Marina De Tavira

Best Supporting Actress in 'Roma' (2018)

Sofia walking on a street full of soldiers in Roma

Alfonso Cuarón's semi-biographical masterpiece Roma positioned itself as a leading contender at the 2019 Oscars following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. However, most of the attention went to Cuarón and the film's lead actress, newcomer Yalitza Aparicio. Supporting actress Marina de Tavira received no nominations from the major organizations, with the fifth slot in the category usually filled by First Man's Claire Foy.

Alas, de Tavira surprised everyone by showing up in Best Supporting Actress, bumping Foy out of the category. Her inclusion was shocking, but Roma's performance throughout the season should've been a clear indicator. De Tavira had no chance of winning, but in her case, the nomination was the win.

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