In the days leading up to the 87th 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.

Robert Duvall

Nominated for: Playing a cantankerous and cancer stricken small town judge accused of murder in The Judge.

Other awards for this role:

Won, Supporting Actor of the Year, Hollywood Film Awards.

Won, Icon Award, Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Where you might know him from:

Robert Duvall is one of America’s greatest actors, with an almost sixty year career of quality work on his resume. Making his big screen debut as Boo Radley in 1962’s To Kill A Mockingbird, Duvall has appeared in a number of important films over his career, including, but not limited to, True Grit, The Godfather, Part I & II,M*A*S*H, Apocalypse Now, and The Great Santini.

History with Oscar:

This is Robert Duvall’s seventh Oscar nomination. He has won one Oscar.

1973: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, The Godfather (Lost to Joel Grey, Cabaret)

1980: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Apocalypse Now (Lost to Melvyn Douglas, Being There)

1981: Best Actor in a Leading Role, The Great Santini (Lost to Robert DeNiro, Raging Bull)

1984: Won, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Tender Mercies.

1998: Best Actor in a Leading Role, The Apostle (Lost Jack Nicholson, As Good As It Gets)

1999: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, A Civil Action (Lost to James Coburn, Affliction)

Ethan Hawke

Nominated for: Playing the divorced father in  Boyhood.

Other awards for this role:

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

3rd Place, Best Supporting Actor, Village Voice Film Poll.

Where you might know him from:

Ethan Hawke started as a child actor in Explorers and has built an eclectic career for himself, starring in such films as Dead Poets Society, Reality Bites, The “Before” Trilogy, and The Purge.

History with Oscar:

This is Ethan Hawke’s fourth Oscar nomination.

2002: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Training Day (Lost to Jim Broadbent, Iris)

2005: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, Before Sunset (with Richard Linklater, Julie Delphy and Kim Krizan) (Lost to Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Sideways)

2014: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, Before Midnight (with Richard Linklater & Julie Delphy) (Lost to John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave)

Edward Norton

Nominated for: Playing a overly committed method actor in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Other awards for this role:

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Boston Online Film Critics Association.

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

2nd Place, Best Supporting Actor, Florida Film Critics Circle Awards.

3rd Place, Best Supporting Actor, Iowa Film Critics Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards.

2nd Place, Best Supporting Actor, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, National Board of Review.

3rd Place, Best Supporting Actor, National Society of Film Critics Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, San Francisco Film Critics Circle.

3rd Place, Best Supporting Actor, Toronto Film Critics Association Awards.

2nd Place, Best Supporting Actor, Utah Film Critics Association Awards.

2nd Place, Best Supporting Actor, Village Voice Film Poll.

Where you might know him from:

Edward Norton has appeared in mainstream fare such as Fight Club, The Incredible Hulk, and The Bourne Legacy and independent offerings such as Frieda, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

History with Oscar:

This is Edward Norton’s third Oscar nomination.

1997: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Primal Fear (Lost to Cuba Gooding Jr., Jerry Maguire)

1999: Best Actor in a Leading Role, American History X (Lost to Roberto Benigni, Life Is Wonderful)

Mark Ruffalo

Nominated for: Playing the doomed wrestling champion and coach in Foxcatcher.

Other awards for this role:

2nd Place, Best Supporting Actor, National Society of Film Critics Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, San Diego Film Critics Society Awards.

Where you might know him from:

Mark Ruffalo is the second man to play Bruce Banner/the Hulk on this list of nominees, having taken over the role from Norton in The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Ruffalo has also appeared in 54, We Don’t Live Here Anymore, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Now You See Me.

History with Oscar:

This is Mark Ruffalo’s second Oscar nomination.

2011: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, The Kids Are Alright (Lost to Christian Bale, The Fighter).

J. K. Simmons

Nominated for: Playing an abusive drum teacher in  Whiplash.

Other awards for this role:

Won, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, 2015 BAFTA Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, 2015 Critics Choice Awards.

Won, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, 2015 Screen Actors Guild Award.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, African-American Film Critics Association.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Alliance of Women Film Journalists.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Austin Film Critics Association.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Boston Society of Film Critics Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Central Ohio Film Critics Association.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Chicago Film Critics Association Awards.

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

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Denver Film Critics Society.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Florida Film Critics Circle Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Georgia Film Critics Association.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Houston Film Critics Society Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Indiana Film Journalists Association, US.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Iowa Film Critics Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards.

Won, Supporting Actor of the Year, London Critics Circle Film Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards.

2nd Place, Best Supporting Actor, National Society of Film Critics Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, New York Film Critics Circle Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, New York Film Critics, Online.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, North Texas Critics Association, US.

Won, Spotlight Award, Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards.

Won, Virtuoso Award, Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, St. Louis Film Critics Association, US.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Toronto Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Utah Film Critics Association Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Village Voice Film Poll.

Won, Best Supporting Actor, Washington DC Area Film Critics Association.

Where you might know him from:

As sad as this is to say about an actor of Simmons caliber, but I’d guess most people recognize him from those Farmer’s Insurance commercials. Comic book film fans will remember him as the definitive J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films and television watchers will know him from Oz and Law & Order.

History with Oscar:

This is J.K. Simmons’ first Oscar nomination.