Eighteen Brilliant But Unawarded Acting Performances
17. James Dean – East of Eden
James Dean, in the lead role of Cal Trask, brings a surprising skill and depth of emotion to his first major role.
This Cain and Abel story is both familiar and unexpected, and the addition of a love interest makes the jealousy and hatred between Cal and his brother Aron that much more plausible.
Although “East of Eden” was well-received by critics and viewers alike, the only Oscar awarded for the movie went to Jo Van Fleet for Best Supporting Actress. James Dean was nominated for Best Actor after his tragic death in 1955, but failed to win the award.
Dean was the first actor to earn a posthumous Oscar nomination, and so far the only to have earned two, but as far as we’re concerned, he should have been the first to earn a posthumous win. Unfortunately, he lost out to Ernest Borgnine for his performance in the far lesser-known “Marty.”
Despite never having won an Oscar, James Dean is still a household name to this day, and one of the most famous actors of his time.
