2016 Oscar Nominees Forever Known For Other Roles

Regina George is heading to the Oscars, people

By Julia Hays Jan 14, 2016 9:07 PMTags
Oscar Nominees Forever Known For Other Roles

Regina George is about to get her Oscars moment.

Rachel McAdams has starred in several successful projects leading up to her 2016 Academy Award nomination for Spotlight, in the Best Supporting Actress category, but we can't help but see her as that iconic Mean Girls character Regina George.

McAdams and other stars may have been nominated for Oscars today, but they'll forever be known for these memorable roles we just can't get over...

McAdams as the catty queen bee in Mean Girls is the perfect high school bully.

She has a crew of "Plastics" that follow her inane rules, like wearing pink on Wednesdays, a "cool mom" who lets her get away with anything, and says sweet, considerate things to her pals, like: "boo, you whore."

With a movie as quotable as the 2004 teen comedy, it's understandable why Rachel will always be Regina for so many of us.

The good news at least? She knows it's an awesome flick, too.

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, who has nabbed another Best Actress nomination for her work in Joy, knows how to land a good film franchise.

As Mystique in the new X-Men movies or the go-to actress in David O. Russell's films (can we count those as a franchise?), Lawrence has had several hits on her hands for such a young star.

Her portrayal of Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games series, though, is by far the role we associate most with her.

All we're saying is... if she wears the braid and a girl on fire-inspired red carpet gown, we'd probably lose it.

Now that the series has wrapped up, it would be the perfect homage.

One of Lawrence's costars in the X-Men prequels, Michael Fassbender is an Oscar-nominated actor (for his starring role as the titular character in Steve Jobs), but we can't stop thinking of him as Marvel antihero Magneto.

The archenemy of the X-Men, Magneto has also been portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen in four X-Men films.

That's not bad company to be in.

Another superhero star, nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Spotlight, Mark Ruffalo has landed a Marvel franchise as well playing Dr. Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk, in the Avengers films.

Ruffalo brings a depth, and a lot of emotion, to a character who is notorious for getting green and angry.

Congratulations on your Best Supporting Actor nom for The Big Short, Christian Bale!

Can we be honest? We have a hard time forgetting the actor's starring role as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.

It's unforgettable for two reasons: He did a great job... oh, and that movie is an actual nightmare.

Patrick Bateman haunts our dreams—which is a real achievement for an actor to embody a role so horrifying. This is the Bale movie we always think of first when we hear his name.

Another nominee this year with an iconic horror role under their belt?

Jennifer Jason Leigh is up for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in The Hateful Eight, but it's her creepy roommate role Hedra Carlson in Single White Female that always sticks with us.

The '90s thriller is what everyone fears when looking to live with someone new.

When she reveals that she got the same haircut as Bridget Fonda's character? Ughhhhh.

Though we're totally happy for Trumbo star Bryan Cranston scoring a Best Actor nomination, it's hard to separate the TV actor turned film star from his older roles.

We know fans still catch Malcolm in the Middle reruns, and we love them too, but it's Cranston's role as Walter White in Breaking Bad that sealed the deal for us.

If Cranston starts yelling "say my name!" when it's time to reveal the Academy Award winner,  they can just call it a night. Do it for the die-hard Breaking Bad fans, Cranston!

Fresh off his Golden Globes win, Matt Damon is up for a Best Actor Oscar for his role in The Martian.

But his most memorable role (outside of being Ben Affleck's loyal BFF) is his take as CIA assassin Jason Bourne in the Bourne film series.

Astronaut Matt is great and all, but assassin Matt is pretty badass, too.

Plus, he is returning for the fifth installment in the series, which means we get to see him back in action as Bourne.

The Revenant's Leonardo DiCaprio has had a long, successful Hollywood career, and this could finally be the year he takes home that Oscar gold for Best Actor.

But of Leo's many films, we still see him as "King of the World" Jack Dawson from Titanic.

Maybe it's the romantic in us?

That doesn't just go for Leo.

Kate Winslet, who has received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her work in Steve Jobs, is still Titanic's Rose DeWitt Bukater to us.

You know you've created one of Hollywood's most memorable couples ever when both stars have had illustrious careers, but you still freak out whenever they reunite.

We have to hand it to Sylvester Stallone.

The Golden Globes Best Supporting Actor winner for Creed, Stallone's career kicked off with his legendary Rocky Balboa character in the first Rocky film, and that's the role that's nabbed him a nom for the franchise's spin-off movie.

"I want to thank my imaginary friend, Rocky Balboa, for being the best friend I ever had," Stallone joked at the Globes this past Sunday.

It's the same role that's taking him to the big show yet again. Rocky was the Best Picture winner in 1977 and was overall nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Actor for Sly.