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Weird10 Actors Who Totally Disappeared After Their Oscar Nominations
By Meghan O'Keefe
@megsokay
Published
Feb. 25, 2017, 9:00 a.m. ET
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people-who-disappeared-after-oscars-gallery
Photo: Getty images ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps
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Barkhad Abdi
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actor, 2013, Captain Phillips
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Somali-American actor Barkhad Abdi was the feel-good story of the 2013-2014 Oscar season. Before going toe-to-toe with Tom Hanks on a boat, Abdi drove limos and sold cellphones. However, the phone wasn't exactly ringing off the hook for Abdi after his Oscar nomination. Even though he's worked a little in small roles since then (Hey! Eye In The Sky!), he's also suffered disappointment at the hands of one Amy Schumer. He was cut out of Trainwreck. Still, there's hope for Abdi. He's set to appear in Blade Runner 2049 and Marjane Satrapi's next film, The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir.
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actor, 2013, Captain Phillips
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Somali-American actor Barkhad Abdi was the feel-good story of the 2013-2014 Oscar season. Before going toe-to-toe with Tom Hanks on a boat, Abdi drove limos and sold cellphones. However, the phone wasn't exactly ringing off the hook for Abdi after his Oscar nomination. Even though he's worked a little in small roles since then (Hey! Eye In The Sky!), he's also suffered disappointment at the hands of one Amy Schumer. He was cut out of Trainwreck. Still, there's hope for Abdi. He's set to appear in Blade Runner 2049 and Marjane Satrapi's next film, The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir.
Photo: Everett Collection/Getty Images
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Berenice Bejo
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, 2011, The Artist
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: A few years ago this French-Argentine sylph tap danced into our hearts without a word in The Artist. Her co-stars Jean Dujardin and Uggie the Dog managed to stay relevant in Hollywood, but Bejo seemed to disappear, again without a word. Well, without a word in English. Bejo is still a hugely relevant star in France and in 2013 she won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Maybe this is a case where Bejo didn't go away -- she was never even really here.
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, 2011, The Artist
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: A few years ago this French-Argentine sylph tap danced into our hearts without a word in The Artist. Her co-stars Jean Dujardin and Uggie the Dog managed to stay relevant in Hollywood, but Bejo seemed to disappear, again without a word. Well, without a word in English. Bejo is still a hugely relevant star in France and in 2013 she won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Maybe this is a case where Bejo didn't go away -- she was never even really here.
Photo: Everett Collection/Getty Images
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Adriana Barraza
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, 2006, Babel
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Barraza was one of the many compelling parts of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Babel, but unlike her Babel co-star and fellow 2006 Best Supporting Actress nominee, Rinko Kikuchi, she wasn't really able to translate that attention into the cockpit of a Jaegar. Sure, she's continued to work in both American and Mexican productions, but she didn't get the chance to elbow her way into the big leagues (or name recognition). I mean, her biggest role to date? The witch in Drag Me To Hell! She carried Elle Fanning through the desert (and then got deported) for that?
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, 2006, Babel
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Barraza was one of the many compelling parts of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Babel, but unlike her Babel co-star and fellow 2006 Best Supporting Actress nominee, Rinko Kikuchi, she wasn't really able to translate that attention into the cockpit of a Jaegar. Sure, she's continued to work in both American and Mexican productions, but she didn't get the chance to elbow her way into the big leagues (or name recognition). I mean, her biggest role to date? The witch in Drag Me To Hell! She carried Elle Fanning through the desert (and then got deported) for that?
Photo: Everett Collection/Getty Images
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Joan Hackett
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, 1981, Only When I Laugh
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Celebrated stage, film, and TV actress Joan Hackett capped off an impressive career with her first Oscar nomination for Only When I Laugh, a bittersweet Neil Simon film. She followed up that buzz with a turn in The Escape Artist, but then, well, um, she died of ovarian cancer. So, uh, that's where she went.
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, 1981, Only When I Laugh
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Celebrated stage, film, and TV actress Joan Hackett capped off an impressive career with her first Oscar nomination for Only When I Laugh, a bittersweet Neil Simon film. She followed up that buzz with a turn in The Escape Artist, but then, well, um, she died of ovarian cancer. So, uh, that's where she went.
Photo: Everett Collection
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Carrie Snodgress
Oscar Nomination: Best Actress, 1970, Diary of a Mad Housewife
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Carrie Snodgress has a really interesting story. She was an ingenue on the rise in 1970 after her turn in Diary of a Mad Housewife put her on the map. Then she decided to quit acting to live with her then-boyfriend Neil Young and their special needs son on a ranch. Seriously. She eventually got back into acting in the 1980s and continued to work in both film and TV. However, she never regained her former celebrity. Bizarre twist? Sylvester Stallone pursued her to play Adrian in Rocky, but Snodgress turned the job down because it wasn't enough money! It's the kind of comeback role that could have put her in the same league as contemporaries like Jessica Lange or Faye Dunaway. Oh, well... She was on one episode of The West Wing.
Oscar Nomination: Best Actress, 1970, Diary of a Mad Housewife
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Carrie Snodgress has a really interesting story. She was an ingenue on the rise in 1970 after her turn in Diary of a Mad Housewife put her on the map. Then she decided to quit acting to live with her then-boyfriend Neil Young and their special needs son on a ranch. Seriously. She eventually got back into acting in the 1980s and continued to work in both film and TV. However, she never regained her former celebrity. Bizarre twist? Sylvester Stallone pursued her to play Adrian in Rocky, but Snodgress turned the job down because it wasn't enough money! It's the kind of comeback role that could have put her in the same league as contemporaries like Jessica Lange or Faye Dunaway. Oh, well... She was on one episode of The West Wing.
Photo: Everett Collection
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Catalina Sandino Moreno
Oscar Nomination: Best Actress, 2004, Maria, Full of Grace
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Moreno should have been a breakout ingenue in Hollywood after her star turn in Maria, Full of Grace, but the parts never clicked. She appeared in Soderbergh's two-part epic about Che Guevara and had a bit part in The Twilight Saga (which was uncredited). Lately, though, she's enjoyed modest success on the small screen with turns in Falling Skies and The Affair. Still, it's baffling why such a beautiful and talented actress (who speaks fluent English!) never clicked in Hollywood. Oh, wait -- racism.
Oscar Nomination: Best Actress, 2004, Maria, Full of Grace
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Moreno should have been a breakout ingenue in Hollywood after her star turn in Maria, Full of Grace, but the parts never clicked. She appeared in Soderbergh's two-part epic about Che Guevara and had a bit part in The Twilight Saga (which was uncredited). Lately, though, she's enjoyed modest success on the small screen with turns in Falling Skies and The Affair. Still, it's baffling why such a beautiful and talented actress (who speaks fluent English!) never clicked in Hollywood. Oh, wait -- racism.
Photo: Everett Collection/Getty Images
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Elisabeth Shue
Oscar Nomination: Best Actress, 1995, Leaving Las Vegas
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Elisabeth Shue was an '80s darling who should have seen her career skyrocket after earning an Oscar nomination for Leaving Las Vegas. Instead, it sputtered. Don't get us wrong, Shue's continued to work steadily, but she's mostly racked up thankless girlfriend and mom roles in a string of bad movies. Hollow Man, The House At The End of the Street, THE SAINT!?!?!?. (JK, I kind of love The Saint.)
Oscar Nomination: Best Actress, 1995, Leaving Las Vegas
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Elisabeth Shue was an '80s darling who should have seen her career skyrocket after earning an Oscar nomination for Leaving Las Vegas. Instead, it sputtered. Don't get us wrong, Shue's continued to work steadily, but she's mostly racked up thankless girlfriend and mom roles in a string of bad movies. Hollow Man, The House At The End of the Street, THE SAINT!?!?!?. (JK, I kind of love The Saint.)
Photo: Everett Collection/Getty Images
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Roberto Benigni
Oscar Nominations: Best Actor (WON), Best Foreign Language Film (WON), Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, 1998, Life Is Beautiful
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: One minute you're climbing over Tom Hanks to snatch up your Oscars and next you're nowhere. Roberto Benigni was the toast of Hollywood after Life is Beautiful dazzled everyone, but he made one major misstep: his next film was a turkey. Pinocchio pooped on Benigni's American career.
Oscar Nominations: Best Actor (WON), Best Foreign Language Film (WON), Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, 1998, Life Is Beautiful
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: One minute you're climbing over Tom Hanks to snatch up your Oscars and next you're nowhere. Roberto Benigni was the toast of Hollywood after Life is Beautiful dazzled everyone, but he made one major misstep: his next film was a turkey. Pinocchio pooped on Benigni's American career.
Photo: Everett Collection/Getty Images
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Keisha Castle-Hughes
Oscar Nomination: Best Actress, 2004, Whale Rider
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Ah, the Whale Rider girl. This adorable child star became the youngest Best Actress nominee in history when she nabbed a nom at the age of 13. For a few years, things were fine. She had a cameo as the new queen of Naboo in Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith (a nod that she was also Hollywood's heir apparent to Natalie Portman) and then played an all-too-human version of the Virgin Mary in The Nativity Story opposite some recent Juilliard grad named Oscar Isaac. Then, came the revelation the 16-year-old actress was pregnant with her 20-year-old boyfriend's baby. After delivering her daughter, Castle-Hughes fell off everyone's radar. Recently, though, she's been trying to claw her way back in Hollywood with guest star roles on The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones.. Yes, she is a Sand Snake. No, not the sexy one. Or the cute one who's going to be on Iron Fist. The other one.
Oscar Nomination: Best Actress, 2004, Whale Rider
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: Ah, the Whale Rider girl. This adorable child star became the youngest Best Actress nominee in history when she nabbed a nom at the age of 13. For a few years, things were fine. She had a cameo as the new queen of Naboo in Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith (a nod that she was also Hollywood's heir apparent to Natalie Portman) and then played an all-too-human version of the Virgin Mary in The Nativity Story opposite some recent Juilliard grad named Oscar Isaac. Then, came the revelation the 16-year-old actress was pregnant with her 20-year-old boyfriend's baby. After delivering her daughter, Castle-Hughes fell off everyone's radar. Recently, though, she's been trying to claw her way back in Hollywood with guest star roles on The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones.. Yes, she is a Sand Snake. No, not the sexy one. Or the cute one who's going to be on Iron Fist. The other one.
Photo: Everett Collection/Getty Images
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June Squibb
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, 2013, Nebraska
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: As my colleague, Joe Reid, pointed out, Queen Squibb hasn't gone anywhere since her Oscar nomination for Nebraska. The Squibbsy's been burning it up on the small screen. I only added her to this mix because we should be talking more about Ms. Squibb. I'm not saying that she should have beaten out last year's Best Supporting Actress winner Alicia Vikander for the part of Lara Croft, but I am saying that June Squib needs her star-vehicle.
Oscar Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, 2013, Nebraska
What Happened? Where Did They Go?: As my colleague, Joe Reid, pointed out, Queen Squibb hasn't gone anywhere since her Oscar nomination for Nebraska. The Squibbsy's been burning it up on the small screen. I only added her to this mix because we should be talking more about Ms. Squibb. I'm not saying that she should have beaten out last year's Best Supporting Actress winner Alicia Vikander for the part of Lara Croft, but I am saying that June Squib needs her star-vehicle.
Photo: Everett Collection/Getty Images
