Poll: Most Surprising Oscar-Nominated Transformations

Results of 6,138 votes:

1. 1.
   

   Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (2008)

    

   Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008).
2. 2.
   

   Charlize Theron in Monster (2003)

    

   Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos in Monster (2003).
3. 3.
   

   Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder (2008)

    

   Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder (2008).
4. 4.
   

   Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

    

   Jared Leto as Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club (2013).
5. 5.
   

   Ben Kingsley in Gandhi (1982)

    

   Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi (1982).
6. 6.
   

   Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything (2014)

    

   Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything (2014).
7. 7.
   

   Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln (2012)

    

   Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln (2012).
8. 8.
   

   Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl (2015)

    

   Eddie Redmayne as Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl (2015).
9. 9.
   

   Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant (2015)

    

   Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass in The Revenant (2015).
10. 10.
    

    Linda Blair and Max von Sydow in The Exorcist (1973)

     

    Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist (1973).
11. 11.
    

    Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie (1982)

     

    Dustin Hoffman as Michael Dorsey in Tootsie (1982).
12. 12.
    

    Tom Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

     

    Tom Cruise as Ron Kovic in Born on the Fourth of July (1989).
13. 13.
    

    Rooney Mara in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

     

    Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011).
14. 14.
    

    Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver (1976)

     

    Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976).
15. 15.
    

    Best Supporting Actress

     

    Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan in I'm Not There (2007).
16. 16.
    

    Nicole Kidman in The Hours (2002)

     

    Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf in The Hours (2002).
17. 17.
    

    Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs (2011)

     

    Glenn Close as Albert Nobbs in Albert Nobbs (2011).
18. 18.
    

    Hilary Swank in Boys Don't Cry (1999)

     

    Hilary Swank as Brandon Teena in Boys Don't Cry (1999).
19. 19.
    

    Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady (2011)

     

    Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady (2011).
20. 20.
    

    Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot (1959)

     

    Jack Lemmon as Jerry in Some Like It Hot (1959).
21. 21.
    

    Mo'Nique in Precious (2009)

     

    Mo'Nique as Mary in Precious (2009).
22. 22.
    

    Alec Guinness in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

     

    Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977).
23. 23.
    

    Best Actress

     

    Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I in Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007).
24. 24.
    

    Helen Mirren in The Queen (2006)

     

    Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (2006).
25. 25.
    

    Cate Blanchett in The Aviator (2004)

     

    Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator (2004).
26. 26.
    

    Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love (1998)

     

    Judi Dench as Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love (1998).
27. 27.
    

    Joan Cusack in Working Girl (1988)

     

    Joan Cusack as Cyn in Working Girl (1988).
28. 28.
    

    Anthony Hopkins and Joan Allen in Nixon (1995)

     

    Joan Allen as Pat Nixon in Nixon (1995).