Worst Oscar Winners: Best Actress In A Leading Role

Hey everyone! So I was brainstorming for a new post series to keep me busy and to keep content flowin (I've gotta keep you all interested right?). Since we're coming towards the end of Oscar season, and we pretty much know who's going to win in the major categories, why not revisit some past years? In particular, the years in which we had some pretty terrible nominees and even worse winners.

The series will cover the acting categories and Best Picture. My favorite category, Best Actress, will kick it off. I'll be posting Supporting Actress sometime next month, but in the mean time, send me some winners you feel shouldn't have won and explain why! Maybe you'll find your choices on this list.

Without further adieu, I give you, the worst Best Actress winners.



#10.) Holly Hunter in The Piano over Angela Bassett in What's Love Got to Do With It?

Unlike a lot of "actors playing famous people" performances, Angela Bassett's performance as Tina Turner is one that transcends the mimicry. In fact, her Tina feels like a character of her creation, with more depth and complexity than many performances that have won over the years. Holly Hunter's win as a mute in the acclaimed The Piano had more to do with giving the film an award (so it didn't go home empty handed) than it did with being that strong of a performance. Though far from as horrible as many of the winning performances on this list, Hunter's win doesn't hold a candle to Bassett's, which still remains the best in a very varied resumé.

#9.) Nicole Kidman in The Hours over Julianne Moore in Far From Heaven

I'm not one who feels Nicole Kidman's work for The Hours is less than awards worthy. What could have been mere mimicry was actually a deeply convincing performance... of the supporting category. That's right. The Hours is divvied up between Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore (who was nominated in the supporting category) and Kidman. That train station scene alone is masterful, and would have easily won my vote had we been voting for her in Supporting Actress. Not only is Moore's work in Far From Heaven a true leading performance, but it is a deeply layered and heartfelt effort from Moore who already showed what she was made of in Boogie Nights.

Julianne Moore remains Oscarless, and though some argue she should have won for Boogie Nights, this performance was definitely worthy of a win. She cleared through the critics awards (and even won a Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival), but Nicole Kidman's category fraud (and that prosthetic nose) was too much for Oscar to pass up.

#8.) Cher in Moonstruck over Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction

People hear the phrase "Academy Award Winner Cher" and laugh, as if Cher is not deserving of an Academy Award. However, that is simply not the case. In fact, Cher should have been nominated (and possibly should have won) for her role as Rusty Dennis in the film Mask (she won the Cannes Film Festival's award for Best Actress, but Oscar snubbed her from a nomination). The sheer popularity of Moonstruck was enough to propel Cher to a win.

While Cher's performance in Moonstruck isn't the worst win, it looks highly unfavorable when you have a complex characterization of mental illness that was Glenn Close's performance in Fatal Attraction. Close researched and worked very hard for the role, to make her anything but a caricature or simply "a crazy woman". Her Alex is deeply intricate, and masterfully executed.  Close should have won a few different times, but most of all for this. Not only is it an iconic character, but a tricky and hard performance, much more difficult than Cher's loudmouthed Loretta.


#7.) Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Lining's Playbook over Emmanuelle Riva in Amour and Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty

Jennifer "The Girl on Fire" Lawrence had a lot of help winning her Oscar for Silver Lining's Playbook:

1. Harvey "The Terminator" Weinstein
2. The Hunger Games explosive popularity

Without those 2 things, Lawrence wouldn't have won (especially without THG). Her charming down to earth personality made her a breath of fresh air in a industry full of narcissists, but her performance in Silver Lining's Playbook was nothing more than a mis-cast, underwritten mess. The role definitely called for someone at least 10 years older than 22 (at the time) Lawrence, and the role itself was nothing more than an overblown and thankless kooky romantic comedy female character we've all seen before. But the power of Weinstein elevated it to a prestige picture for reasons unknown. How does Harvey do it?


Jessica Chastain's Maya and Emmanuelle Riva's Anne are not only much more complex and fully realized characters, but are acted with such precision and mastery that it's almost mind blowing to think Lawrence's character (entertaining but albeit not very deep) could be considered better and more memorable. In the case of Riva, however, she gives arguably the performance of 2012. However, the fact the film's premise was sad and it was in French was reason enough for voters to throw their weight behind Lawrence (nominated again for another overrated performance in American Hustle), who was leagues better in her first nominated performance in Winter's Bone (and actually, I wouldn't have an issue with nominating her for The Hunger Games, which is stronger and more consistent work). Riva is a living legend in French cinema, who gave a performance that doesn't come to female actors very often. Chastain took a character with almost no backstory, and made her the strongest man in a room full of intimidating men. Either would have made a better and more memorable winner than Lawrence.


#6.) Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side over Gabourey Sidibe in Precious and Carey Mulligan in An Education

Now, I'm not as angered over Bullock's win here (I'll admit.. it's because I admire her so much) as some are. However, I can't defend it when you have Carey Mulligan's star making performance as Jenny in An Education and a completely different star making performance from Gabourey Sidibe in Precious in the same category. Most pundits had it down to Streep vs Bullock that year, as they're the biggest stars. But if there was any justice in the world, it would have been Mulligan vs. Sidibe for the win.

Precious was most talked about for Monqiue's monster of a performance, but it wouldn't have succeeded without Sidibe. As Precious, she is quietly powerful; she owns the film (even when Monique is grabbing it away from her) and is our guide through this bleak and awful world Lee Daniels is guiding us through. Her subtle intensity is more impressive than Helen Mirren's scenery chewing performance in The Last Station (also nominated), proving that less is really more. And in Mulligan, we have a performance that's just downright bright as a star; her Jenny is not only lovable, but Mulligan plays her perfectly, charming us with her inherent innocence and nativity.

Though The Blind Side was Bullock's best chance at an Oscar at that point in her career, it's not a performance that should have won, and doesn't hold a candle to her nominated work in Gravity this year (even her work in The Heat is stronger). I personally would've given the win to Tilda Swinton in Julia (not nominated), but of this crop of nominees, Sidibe and Mulligan would've made the best winners.

#5.) Kate Winslet in The Reader over Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married

I not only have an issue with Kate Winslet's boring performance winning over Anne Hathaway's ferocious, brave and raw turn, but with the Academy ignoring Rachel Getting Married in general. Not only one of the best films of its year, but it will be remembered as one of the greatest movies ever made. But I digress.

The Reader is lazy filmmaking at its most simple definition, but it plays right into the Academy's wheelhouse; they love Nazis and the Holocaust, and lots of naked Kate Winslet. Rachel Getting Married is hard to look at, it's uncomfortable and raw, but it's all the more compelling and interesting for it. This was Kate Winslet's 6th nomination (the overdue factor) and the fact she campaigned very hard (boy did she want this thing) was too much for Hathaway's first nominated performance to overcome. Winslet has been better, way better (even her Titanic performance) and In fact, her performance in Revolutionary Road (released the same year) was much better. If she was going to win it should've been for that performance. Hathaway is the reigning Best Supporting Actress winner for her incredible performance in Les Miserables, but this should have been her moment; it's a performance for the ages, and still the greatest work of her very eclectic career.

#4.) Geraldine Paige in The Trip to the Bountiful over Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple

Whoopi Goldberg's performance as Celie in Spielberg's highly underrated The Color Purple is something that should have been an awards magnet. Her first acting role, Goldberg brings an iconic character to life, perfectly executing her character's arc from abused and feeble housewife to strong and independent woman. The film itself had a great deal to say, exploring themes of sexism/feminism, racism and poverty. Compare that to Geraldine Paige's forgettable performance in the equally forgettable The Trip to the Bountiful, and you can see why it's such an outrage. Though Goldberg would go on to win in the Supporting category for her hilarious work in Ghost, it shoud've been this performance that should have been honored instead. The Color Purple may be filled with stars such as Oprah and Margaret Avery, but it is Goldberg's film; she carries the thing on her own 2 shoulders.

#3.) Jessica Tandy in Driving Miss Daisy over Michelle Pfeiffer in The Fabulous Baker Brothers

The fact that we live in a world where Michelle Pfeiffer doesn't have an Academy Award is a travesty, and embarrassment to the practice of awarding performances. Having turned in many great and worthy performances before (even as Catwoman in Tim Burton's Batman Returns), no performance compares to her career defining role as Susie Diamond in The Fabulous Baker Brothers. It's easy to say Pfeiffer is just eye candy (and is she ever), but she brings so much intensity and fire to this role that it's amazing it didn't win her an Oscar. Roger Ebert himself said of the performance that it "will be used as a document, years from now, when they begin to trace the steps by which Pfeiffer became a great star."

Naturally, the Oscars decided they'd reward longtime veteran actress Jessica Tandy for a thankless role as a bitter and foul mouthed old woman who learns life lessons from her black driver (played by Morgan Freeman). Tandy's performance was fine, but compared to Pfeiffer's white hot supernova performance, it pales greatly; a huge blemish on Oscar's track record.


#2.) Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady over Viola Davis in The Help

Now, we all know Meryl Streep is a living legend. This year she broke her own record with the most Oscar nominations; with August: Osage County she has collected 18 nominations. Before The Iron Lady, Streep had 2 Oscars: 1 Best Supporting Actress award for Kramer vs. Kramer and 1 Best Actress award for Sophie's Choice.

Streep's performance in The Iron Lady is nothing remarkable, and what I mean when I say that is it's another case of an actor playing dress up and simply mimicking the real person they're playing. The resemblance (thanks to the makeup) is uncanny, and Streep nails the accent (as expected). But the film leaves her with little to do other than imitate the iconic Iron Lady; the plot fast forwards through her most difficult decisions as the divisive leader and her rise to power is blurred by clumsy direction and an even clumsier screenplay. If played by anyone else, this performance would never be in contention for any awards. But since Streep is an Academy favorite and had come close to winning her 3rd Oscar with Doubt and Julie and Julia, it pushed her over the edge to victory.

Viola Davis' performance in The Help, however, is something special. She takes her first leading role, and runs away with it in a film filled with already strong performances. As Aibileen Clark, Davis' performance is very internalized and subtle, but all the more heartbreaking. The film is not only stronger than The Iron Lady's, but Davis' work runs circles around Streep's; Streep is simply phoning it in compared to Davis. What could've been the chance to reward a deserving performance given by a long working character actor, soon turned into "just give it to her already she deserves a third on I guess". What's all the more embarrassing, is that Streep's work in The Iron Lady doesn't even come close to her other winning performances.

#1.) Grace Kelly in The Country Girl over Judy Garland in A Star Is Born

The only Oscar win that incites more hatred and anger than Crash over Brokeback Mountain is Princess Grace Kelly's victory over then favorite Judy Garland. Garland's career best performance was so heavily predicted to win, that camera crews were sent to her hospital room to record her reaction for when she won (she was recovering from giving birth). However, it was Kelly who was triumphant, in a moment that had comedian Groucho Marx calling it "the biggest robbery since Brinks."

Kelly's performance was fine, don't get me wrong, but compared to her delightful performance in Hitchcock's Rear Window, it was rather boring. What pushed her to victory was probably the "deglamorization factor"; Kelly, a strikingly beautiful woman, de-glamed herself considerably for the role of a woman dealing with her boozy husband.

However, Garland's performance had no such help, in fact, Garland's performance was all the more commendable for using no such gimmick. She gave just about everything she had, channeling much of her own real life drama to give what TIME magazine called "just about the greatest one-woman show in modern movie history."