These are the Hollywood Stars and Filmmakers With the Most Oscar Wins
Ahead of the 2024 Oscars, take a look at which actors and directors have scooped up the most Academy Awards in history.
The 2024 Oscars are tonight! As much as the Academy Awards are a pleasure to watch, they are also the cause of occasional controversy. Whether it be announcing an incorrect winner (La La Land and Moonlight style), or Leonardo DiCaprio's countless Oscar snubs, if this year's ceremony follows a similar pattern it is bound to cause some drama. As we prepare ourselves for a night unlike any other, take a moment to revisit the talented actors and actresses that broke Oscar records with their historic wins.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney holds the absolute record for most Oscars awarded in Academy Award history. The iconic filmmaker has accumulated 26 Oscars, four of which were honorary awards bestowed to honor his everlasting memory. Disney, the man behind the eponymous mass media company, also holds the record for the most Oscar nominations, which is 59.
Katharine Hepburn
Actress Katharine Hepburn currently holds the record for the most Oscars for acting. She has won won four Academy Awards in the Best Actress category for her performances in the films Morning Glory (1933), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968) and On Golden Pond (1981). Additionally, she has earned a total of 12 nominations. Hepburn, who passed away in June of 2003, is remembered for her dazzling 60-year-long career in Hollywood.
Daniel Day-Lewis
British actor, Daniel Day-Lewis, has won three Academy Awards for Best Actor, causing him to hold the record in that category. However, actors Jack Nicholson and and Walter Brennan have also received three Oscars, but some were for Best Supporting ctor. Nicholson is the most-nominated actor with a total of 12 thus far.
Meryl Streep
With 21 nominations, acclaimed actress Meryl Streep has earned the most Oscar nods of any actor or actress in history. She has taken home three golden statues, including Best Actress for Sophie's Choice (1983) and Iron Lady (2012) and Best Supporting Actress for Kramer vs. Kramer (1980). Many expect her to match or even surpass Hepburn's record.
John Ford
The American actor and director, John Ford, holds the Best Director record for the films The Informer (1935), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941) and The Quiet Man (1952). He was nominated for five awards overall, so his win to loss ratio is impressive.
Woody Allen
The infamous actor, director, and screenwriter, Woody Allen, has won four Oscars throughout his career. Three of those awards were given in recognition of his screenwriting abilities—and consequently allowed him to hold the title of screenwriter with the most Academy Awards. While his position within Hollywood has been rendered problematic, the prominent figure has been an asset to the Academy Awards for years, which has been the source of much controversy.