Tom Cruise (yahoo photo)

The British public have voted for their favourite stars who have failed to win an Oscar.

Samuel L Jackson, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Sharon Stone and Demi Moore are some of the actors who are deemed the most deserving of an Academy Award - but still have that empty space on the mantelpiece.

With the Oscars just around the corner, a poll has revealed those stars who've never quite managed to bag themselves an Oscar despite some of them being nominated several times. Tom Cruise has received three nods from the Academy but has never been able to convert the nominations into one of the prized statues - but at least he can rest easy knowing that the British public are rooting for him.

The 42-year-old actor was nominated for his performances in Magnolia, Jerry Maguire and Born On The Fourth Of July, while Brad Pitt makes the list after being nominated for his role in Twelve Monkeys.