Thursday, March 13, 2014

Editorial: Why Leonardo DiCaprio hasn't won an Oscar

        In the 86 year history of the Academy Awards there have been numerous talented actors who have never won or have even been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor/Supporting Actor (i.e. Donald Sutherland, Peter O'Toole, Charlie Chaplin). It took Al Pacino (who is considered one of the top 5 greatest actors of all-time) 21 years after his first nomination in The Godfather (1972) to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for Scent of a Women (1993). But one actor everyone seems to be in an uproar about not winning an Academy Award is Leonardo DiCaprio and rightfully so. DiCaprio is one of the top 5 actors working in the business today and has been in some of the greatest films of all-time.

        So the question ha been asked numerous times... why hasn't Leonardo DiCaprio won an Oscar? There is one small simple answer to the question... in the years he was nominated he just simply did not give the best performance of that given year. Let's take a look at the 4 times he has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor/Supporting Actor...

Leo will be Italicized and the winner of he award in that year will be in BOLD


1994 66th Academy Awards- Best Supporting Actor

Tommy Lee Jones – The Fugitive as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard
Leonardo DiCaprio – What's Eating Gilbert Grape as Arnie Grape
Ralph Fiennes – Schindler's List as Amon Goeth
John Malkovich – In the Line of Fire as Mitch Leary
Pete Postlethwaite – In the Name of the Father as Giuseppe Conlon

        Now in this year I honestly believe that DiCaprio should have won for his performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. But I can see why the Academy gave the award to Tommy Lee Jones. His performance in The Fugitive was amazing and memorable and that's why he won. If you look at the other nominees they also gave really good performances. Here's how I would have ranked the 5 nominees...

1. Leonardo DiCaprio
2. Tommy Lee Jones
3. Ralph Fiennes
4. Pete Postlethwaite
5. John Malkovich

2005 77th Academy Awards- Best Actor

Jamie Foxx – Ray as Ray Charles
Don Cheadle – Hotel Rwanda as Paul Rusesabagina
Johnny Depp – Finding Neverland as J.M. Barrie
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Aviator as Howard Hughes
Clint Eastwood – Million Dollar Baby as Frankie Dunn

        This years Best Actor category was stacked with amazing performances, 4 of which were based of real-life people. In all honesty Leo had no chance in winning the award this year. Jamie Foxx's performance as Ray Charles was breathtakingly amazing and one of the most memorable performances of all-time. Here's how I would rank the nominees...

1. Jamie Foxx
2. Clint Eastwood
3. Don Cheadle
4. Johnny Depp
5. Leonardo DiCaprio

2007 79th Academy Awards- Best Actor

Forest Whitaker – The Last King of Scotland as Idi Amin
Leonardo DiCaprio – Blood Diamond as Danny Archer
Ryan Gosling – Half Nelson as Dan Dunne
Peter O'Toole – Venus as Maurice
Will Smith – The Pursuit of Happyness as Chris Gardner

        For this year I think Leo was nominated for the wrong movie. I figured he would've been nominated for The Departed along with his co-star Matt Damon. I particularly wasn't to keen on Blood Diamond (it's not a great film but it has some really good performances) but I feel that if Leo was nominated for The Departed then I believe that he would have won this year. Anyway, this year's nominees was won of the weaker list of performances with only two standing out from the rest, those being Forrest Whitaker and Will Smith. Here's how I would rank the nominees...

1. Forrest Whitaker
2. Will Smith
3. Leonardo DiCaprio
4. Ryan Gosling
5. Peter O'Toole

2014 86th Academy Awards- Best Actor

Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club as Ron Woodroof
Christian Bale – American Hustle as Irving Rosenfeld
Bruce Dern – Nebraska as Woody Grant
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street as Jordan Belfort
Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave as Solomon Northup

        Speaking of a stacked category of nominees, this year's nominees all gave the best performances of their careers and it will be hard to them. Seeing Matthew McConaughey whittle down all the way to 136 pounds and give an emotionally moving performance was just amazing. Also Chiwetel Ejiofor gave a marvelous performance. This is also another year that Leo had no chance in winning, plus with all of the controversy that surrounded The Wolf of Wall Street that also hurt Leo's chances as well. Here's how I would rank the nominees...

1. Matthew McConaughey
2. Chiwetel Ejiofor
3. Leonardo DiCaprio
4. Bruce Dern
5. Christian Bale

        So there is your answer ladies and gentlemen, Leonardo DiCaprio hasn't won an Acting Oscar simply because he did not give the best performance of the year. If you compare him and Al Pacino's award careers, they virtually look the same they both were first nominated for Best Supporting Actor and then were nominated for 3 (Pacino was nominated for 4) Best Actor awards, then Pacino was nominated for two more Best Supporting Actor awards until he finally won one in his 8 combined attempt and it took Pacino 21 years from his first nomination to his Oscar win while Leo has waited 20 years since being nominated for Best Supporting Actor. I'm a huge fan of Leonardo DiCaprio and I firmly believe that he will eventually win an Academy Award.

        So ladies and gentlemen what are you thoughts and opinions on Leonardo DiCaprio not winning an Academy Award? Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Jonah Sparks

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