In the days leading up to the 86th Academy Awards, FilmBuffOnline will be offering profiles on all the nominees in the major categories. Some may be well known, others might be new to you, but if you need a refresher on these talented nominees, here it is.

Amy Adams

Nominated for: Playing a con man’s partner in crime in American Hustle.

Other honors for this role:

Nominated, Best Actress, Australian Film Institute

Nominated, Best Leading Actress, 2014 BAFTA Awards.

Won, Best Actress in a Comedy, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, Central Ohio Film Critics Association.

Won, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards.

2nd Place, Best Actress, New York Film Critics Circle Film Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, Online Film Critics Society Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Satellite Awards.

Where you might know her from:

Amy Adams has made a name for herself if films such as Enchanted, The Muppets and Man of Steel.

History with Oscar:

Amy Adams is well on her way to becoming the Susan Lucci of the Oscars.

2006: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Junebug (Lost to Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardner).

2009: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Doubt (Lost to Penelope Cruz, Vicki Christina Barcelona).

2011: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, The Fighter (Lost to Melissa Leo, The Fighter).

2013: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, The Master(Lost to Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables).

Cate Blanchett

Nominated for: Playing an emotional distraught ex-society maven in Blue Jasmine.

Other honors for this role:

Won, Best Actress, Austin Film Critics Association.

Nominated, Best Actress, Australian Film Institute

Won, Best Leading Actress, 2014 BAFTA Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Boston Society of Film Critics Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, Central Ohio Film Critics Association.

Won, Best Actress, Chicago Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Best Actress, 2014 Critics’ Choice Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Florida Film Critics Circle Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, Gotham Awards.

Won, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Nominated, Best Female Lead, Independent Spirit Awards.

Won, Actress of the Year, London Critics Circle Film Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Best Actress, National Society of Film Critics Awards.

Won, Actress of the Year, New York Film Critics Circle Film Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Online Film Critics Society Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards.

Won, Best Actress, San Diego Film Critics Society Awards.

Won, Best Actress, San Francisco Film Critics Circle.

Nominated, Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Satellite Awards.

Won, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, 2014 Screen Actors Guild Award.

Won, Best Actress, Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Toronto Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards.

Won, Best Actress, Washington DC Area Film Critics Association.

Where you might know her from:

Blanchett is known for her large body or work, the most popular of which is as Galadriel in Peter Jackson’s movies and the Russian operative in Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.

History with Oscar:

Cate Blanchett has five prior Oscar nominations and one win.

1999: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Elizabeth (Lost to Gweneth Paltrow, Shakespeare in Love).

2005: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, The Aviator (Won).

2007: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Notes on a Scandal (Lost to Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls).

2008: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, I’m Not There (Lost to Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton).

2008: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Lost to Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose).

Sandra Bullock

Nominated for: Playing an astronaut stranded in space in Gravity.

Other honors for this role:

Nominated, Best Actress, Australian Film Institute.

Nominated, Best Leading Actress, 2014 BAFTA Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress in an Action Movie, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, Chicago Film Critics Association Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, 2014 Critics’ Choice Awards.

2nd Place, Best Actress, Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards.

Nominated, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Won, Actress of the Year, Hollywood Film Festival Awards.

Won, Best Actress,Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards.

Nominated, Actress of the Year, London Critics Circle Film Awards.

Won, Desert Palm Achievement Award, Palm Springs International Film Festival.Nominated, Best Actress, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards.Nominated, Best Actress, San Diego Film Critics Society Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, San Francisco Film Critics Circle.

Nominated, Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Satellite Awards.

Nominated, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, 2014 Screen Actors Guild Award.

Nominated, Best Actress, Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, Washington DC Area Film Critics Association.

Where you might know her from:

Bullock is one of America’s most popular actresses stemming from her role in films such as Speed, Hope Floats and Miss Congeniality. 

History with Oscar:

Sandra Bullock has one prior Oscar nomination and one win.

2010: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, The Blind Side (Won)

Judi Dench

Nominated for: Playing a woman searching for the son that was taken away from her decade ago in Philomena.

Other honors for this role:

Nominated, Best Actress, Australian Film Institute.

Nominated, Best Leading Actress, 2014 BAFTA Awards.

2nd Place, Best Actress, Boston Society of Film Critics Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, British Independent Film Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, 2014 Critics’ Choice Awards.

3rd Place, Best Actress, Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards.

2nd Place, Best Actress, Florida Film Critics Circle Awards.

Nominated, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Nominated, Actress of the Year, London Critics Circle Film Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, San Francisco Film Critics Circle.

Nominated, Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Satellite Awards.

Nominated, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, 2014 Screen Actors Guild Award.

2nd Place, Best Actress, Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, Washington DC Area Film Critics Association.

Where you might know her from:

Dench has had a long and storied career, from numerous appearances on British television to playing M in the James Bond franchise.

History with Oscar:

Judi Dench has six prior Oscar nominations and one win.

1998: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Mrs. Brown (Lost to Helen Hunt, As Good As It Gets).

1999: Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Shakespeare in Love (Won).

2001: Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Chocolat (Lost to Marcia Gay Harden, Pollock).

2002: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Iris (Lost to Halle Berry, Monster’s Ball).

2006: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Mrs. Henderson Presents (Lost to Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line).

2007: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Notes on a Scandal (Lost to Helen Mirren, The Queen).

Meryl Streep

Nominated for: Playing the demanding matriarch of a dysfunctional family in August: Osage County.

Other honors for this role:

Nominated, Best Actress, Australian Film Institute

Nominated, Best Actress, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Capri Actress Award, Capri,. Hollywood.

Nominated, Best Actress, Chicago Film Critics Association Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, 2014 Critics’ Choice Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards.

Nominated, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards.

Nominated, Best Actress, San Francisco Film Critics Circle.

Nominated, Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Satellite Awards.

Nominated, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, 2014 Screen Actors Guild Award.

Nominated, Best Actress, Washington DC Area Film Critics Association.

Where you might know her from:

Streep is one of the most decorated actresses in movie history. If you’ve seen an Oscar nominated film in the last thirty years, odds are you’ve seen her in it.

History with Oscar:

Meryl Streep has 17 previous Oscar nominations and three wins. If you need to have a pee break or get a snack, you should probably do so now. This is going to take a while.

1979: Best Actress in a Supporting Role, The Deer Hunter (lost to Maggie Smith, California Suite).

1980: Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Kramer vs. Kramer (Won).

1982: Best Actress in a Leading Role, The French Lieutenant’s Woman (lost to Katharine Hepburn, On Golden Pond).

1983: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Sophie’s Choice (Won).

1984: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Silkwood (lost to Shirley McLaine, Terms of Endearment).

1986: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Out of Africa (lost to Geraldine Page, A Trip to Bountiful).

1988: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Ironweed (lost to Cher, Moonstruck).

1989: Best Actress in a Leading Role, A Cry in the Dark (lost to Jodie Foster, The Accused).

1991: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Postcards from the Edge (lost to Kathy Bates, Misery).

1996: Best Actress in a Leading Role, The Bridges of Madison County (lost to Susan Sarandon, Dead Man Walking).

1999: Best Actress in a Leading Role, One True Thing (lost to Gwyneth Paltrow, Shakespeare in Love).

2000: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Music of the Heart (Lost to Hilary Swank, Boys Don’t Cry).

2003: Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Adaptation (lost to Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago).

2007: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, The Devil Wears Prada (lost to Helen Mirren, The Queen).

2009: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Doubt (lost to Kate Winslet, The Reader).

2010: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Julie & Julia (lost to Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side).

2012: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, The Iron Lady (Won)