The Oscar nominations delivered some pleasant surprises, but overall, it was business as usual in the Best Director category. The usual suspects –Steven SpielbergforThe Fabelmans,the DanielsforEverything Everywhere All at Once,Martin McDonaghforThe Banshees of Inisherin– made it in, leaving little room for surprises.
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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.
1Quentin Tarantino
Although he is one of cinema’s most acclaimed directors,Quentin Tarantinohas yet to claim a directing Oscar. He’s been nominated three times forPulp Fiction,Inglourious Basterds, andOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood, failing to win each time.
Tarantino has won two Oscars, however, forhis acclaimed and now-iconic screenplaysforPulp FictionandDjango 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.
2Jordan Peele
Althoughformer comedian-turned-filmmakerJordan Peeledoesn’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 hitGet Out, winning the award for Best Original Screenplay.
However, Peele didn’t receive an Oscar nomination for either of his next critically-acclaimed films,UsandNope. 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.
3Stanley Kubrick
Widely considered one of the best directors in history,Stabley Kubrickhelmed some of the all-time most acclaimed and iconic movies. From2001: A Space OdysseytoBarry Lyndon, Kubrick was a director unlike any other, whose influence can still be felt today.
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Kubrick received four Oscar nominations for Best Director forDr. Strangelove,2001: A Space Odyssey,A Clockwork Orange, andBarry Lyndonwithout 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 for2001: A Space Odyssey.
4Céline Sciamma
A leading figure in European cinema, French writer and directorCéline Sciammahas 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 acclaimedPortrait of a Lady on Fireand the recentPetite Maman.
Sciamma’s snub forPortrait,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.
5Alfred Hitchcock
The Master of Suspense is behind some of the most recognizable thrillers in film history. FromRebeccatoPsycho, Hitchcock made a name for himself as the undisputed king of the genre. Hitchcock received five Best Director nominations:Rebecca,Lifeboat,Spellbound,Rear Window, andPsycho, 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.
6Ingmar Bergman
Swedish filmmakerIngmar Bergmanis the man behind classicslikeThe Seventh SealandPersona. 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 inCries & Whispers,Face to Face, andFanny and Alexander.
7Ridley Scott
SirRidley Scottbegan his career in the late ’70s, rising to prominence with the 1979 sci-fi classicAlien.Scott directed several underrated moviesthroughout the ’80s, withBlade Runnerbeing his most acclaimed project in the decade. It wasn’t until 1992 that he received his first Oscar nomination for directingThelma & Louise.
Scott received two more Best Director nominations:Gladiator, which won Best Picture in 2001, andBlack 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.
8Nora Ephron
The lateNora Ephronwrote and directed some of cinema’s most beloved romantic comedies, including theTom HanksandMeg RyanvehiclesSleepless in SeattleandYou’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.
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Ephron did receive Oscar nominations for three of her now-iconic screenplays:Silkwood,When Harry Met Sally…, andSleepless in Seattle. Ephron sadly passed in 2012, meaning the Academy never got to recognize her writing or directorial skill.
9Spike Lee
The legendarySpike Leereceived his first Oscar nomination in 1990 forDo the Right Thing’s groundbreaking screenplay. He received another nomination eight years later for his documentary4 Little Girlsbefore earning an Honorary Oscar in 2016 for his contributions to cinema.
Lee’s first Best Director nomination came two years later forBlacKkKlansman, 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.
10Agnès Varda
Agnès Vardahad a prolific and acclaimed career. The late director was a crucial figure in the French New Wave era, with her now-iconic 1962 filmCléo from 5 to 7acting as one of the movement’s most recognizable and celebrated examples. She is also behind renowned documentaries likeThe Gleaners and IandFaces 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.
