Ariana Grande
(never nominated)
WICKED

wins: NBR (Creative Collaboration), Atlanta, Michigan, San Diego,

noms: CCA,

Zoe Saldana
(never nominated)
EMILIA PEREZ

wins: Cannes (shared), Las Vegas,

noms: CCA,

Isabella Rossellini
(never nom'ed)
CONCLAVE

wins: --

noms: CCA,

Coattails probability for a frontrunning film. Plus she's a big screen mainstay and it'll be a classic "career honor" if she's nominated. Her mother is of course an Oscar/Hollywood legend.

Felicity Jones
(1 nom)
THE BRUTALIST

wins: --

noms: --

She's missing from the entire first act, but a major player in the second as the disabled strong willed wife of a tortured artist. Will her absence in the first half hurt her chances?

Selena Gomez
(never nominated)
EMILIA PEREZ

wins: Cannes (shared)

noms: --

She's having a big year . and this category loves double-nominees from the same film but it is easy to see her being a surprise 'snub' if Danielle or Aunjanue or Margaret get enough voters on their side.

Danielle Deadwyler
(never nom'ed)
THE PIANO LESSON

wins: Boston, DC, 

noms: Gotham  CCA,

ARGUABLE LEAD ROLE. Deadwyler has been rising and they owe her for that narrow miss with Till. Plus August Wilson plays offer up meaty roles.

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
(1 nomination)
THE NICKEL BOYS

wins: St Louis,

noms: CCA,

Playing the grandmother to the protagonist. Even for those who find the POV framing alienating, she radiates warmth and pulls you in. Could surprise on nomination morning!

Margaret Qualley
(never nom'ed)
THE SUBSTANCE

wins: Boston Online, Phoenix,

noms: CCA,

ARGUABLE LEAD ROLE. The precursors have gone wild for The Substance. It *could* catapult her to a nomination. But Demi feels more likely as a shortlister.

Joan Chen
(never nom'ed)
DIDI

wins: San Francisco,--

noms: 

She won raves as an underappreciated mom in this Sundance coming-of-age hit. Unfortunately "underappreciated" is still happening to her. Shame since this is the platonic ideal of a Best Supporting Actress contender! 

Carol Kane
(1 nom)
BETWEEN THE TEMPLES

wins: --

noms: --

LEAD ROLE. It's wonderful to see her again and in such a good / large role, too. Wonderful persistent chemistry with her duet partner Jason Schwartzmann.

Elle Fanning
(never nom'ed)
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

noms: -- 
wins: NBR

That surprise NBR win doesn't seemed to have raised her status in this race. But she's good in this film albeit in a stock role.

Monica Barbaro
(never nom'ed)
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

noms: -- 
wins: --

She gets a lot of plot / musical attention in this Dylan 'vibes' film. But she doesn't have a lot to do other than sing and react to Chalamet's sexist treatment of her.

Saoirse Ronan
(4 noms)
BLITZ

noms: -- 
wins: --

LEAD ROLE. Top billed but neither of Saoirse's headlining efforts this year have caught on. When will she return and win? Will she have to wait as long as Winslet (another young sensation that became a perennial nominee)

Michele Austin
(never nom'ed)
HARD TRUTHS

wins: --
noms: BIFA

Mike Leigh movies always offer up great acting opportunities. But precursors have been ignoring her work with Jean-Baptiste getting the only attention for the film.

Leonie Benesch
(never nominated)
SEPTEMBER 5

noms: -- 
wins: --

A rising international star (see Babylon Berlin and The Teacher's Lounge) but September 5 has stubbornly remained on the fringes of the Oscar race.

• Maria Bakalova - The Apprentice
• Lady Gaga - Joker Folie a Deux
• Juliette Lewis - The Thicket
• Fernanda Montenegro - I'm Still Here
• Tilda Swinton - Problemista
• Tilda Swinton - The End
• Emily Watson - Small Things Like These

Never Nominated

• Aubrey Plaza - Megalopolis
• Carrie Coon - His Three Daughters
• Jennifer Grey - A Real Pain
• Catherine O'Hara - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
• Natasha Lyonne - His Three Daughters Chicago win, 
• Connie Nielsen - Gladiator 2
• Bridgette Lundy-Paine -I Saw the TV Glow Gotham nominee
• Katy O'Brian - Love Lies Bleeding Gotham nominee
• Elisabeth Olsen - His Three Daughters
• Lily Rose-Depp - Nosferatu
• Moses Ingram - The End
• Nathalie Emmanuelle - Megalopolis
• Rachel Sennott - Saturday Night
• Valeria Golino - Maria