Stars Who Won Every Oscar They Were Nominated For

Winning an Academy Award is a massive achievement for anyone in the film industry. Many actors work their entire careers for a single nomination, and many more never get that chance at all. The competition is always tough, with countless talented performers vying for the prestigious golden statuette each year. A nomination itself is a huge honor, celebrating a performance that stood out to the members of the Academy.

However, a small and exclusive group of actors has managed an incredible feat: they have won an Oscar for every single time they have been nominated. These stars didn’t just get a nomination; they went all the way and took home the award. This list celebrates ten such actors who hold a perfect record at the Academy Awards, turning every one of their nominations into a celebrated win.

10. Anna Paquin

Anna Paquin started her acting career with a huge win. She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her very first role in the film ‘The Piano’. In the movie, she played the daughter of a mute woman, and her performance was praised for its depth and maturity.

Her win was a big surprise, as she was only 11 years old at the time, making her the second-youngest Oscar winner in history. Paquin was not expecting to win and was famously speechless when she went up to accept her award. This single nomination and win give her a perfect Oscar record.

9. Jared Leto

Jared Leto is known for his intense acting style and for transforming himself for his roles. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in ‘Dallas Buyers Club’. In the film, he played a transgender woman with AIDS, a role for which he lost a significant amount of weight.

This was Leto’s first and only Oscar nomination so far. His dedication to the role was widely recognized, and his powerful performance earned him the award. This win places him on the list of actors with a 100% success rate at the Oscars.

8. Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson rose to fame on the singing competition show ‘American Idol’, but she quickly proved her talents extended to acting. She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her debut film role in ‘Dreamgirls’. Hudson played Effie White, a talented singer who is pushed out of her own group.

Her powerful voice and emotional performance were the highlights of the movie. The role was her first-ever film appearance, and it earned her first and only Oscar nomination and win. Hudson’s victory was a celebrated moment, showcasing her incredible talent.

7. Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong’o made a powerful feature film debut that led to her winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She earned the award for her role as Patsey in the historical drama ’12 Years a Slave’. Her portrayal of an enslaved woman was heartbreaking and powerful.

This was Nyong’o’s first nomination and first win, placing her in this exclusive club of actors with a perfect Oscar record. The win launched her into stardom, and she has since appeared in many successful films.

6. Christoph Waltz

Christoph Waltz has the rare distinction of winning two Oscars for the two times he has been nominated. He won his first Best Supporting Actor award for his role in ‘Inglourious Basterds’. In the film, he played a charming but terrifying SS officer.

He won his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar for another collaboration with director Quentin Tarantino in ‘Django Unchained’. In this film, he played a German bounty hunter who helps a freed slave. Both performances were praised for their complexity and charisma.

5. Mahershala Ali

Mahershala Ali also holds a perfect record with two Oscar wins from two nominations. He won his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ‘Moonlight’. In the film, he played a kind drug dealer who becomes a father figure to a young boy.

He won his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar for ‘Green Book’. In this film, he portrayed the real-life classical pianist Don Shirley. Both of his wins were in the same category, showcasing his incredible talent in supporting roles.

4. Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank has won the Best Actress Oscar twice, for both of her nominations. Her first win was for ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, where she played a transgender man. Her transformative performance was widely acclaimed by critics.

She won her second Best Actress Oscar for ‘Million Dollar Baby’. In the film, she portrayed a determined boxer who rises from poverty. Swank’s dedication to her roles and her powerful performances have secured her a perfect 2-for-2 record at the Academy Awards.

3. Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh is a classic Hollywood star who also won the Best Actress Oscar for both of her nominations. Her first win was for playing the iconic Scarlett O’Hara in ‘Gone with the Wind’. This role remains one of the most famous in cinema history.

Her second Oscar came for her role as Blanche DuBois in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Both performances are considered some of the greatest in film history, cementing her legacy as an actress with a flawless Oscar record.

2. Luise Rainer

Luise Rainer was the first actor to ever win two Academy Awards. She achieved this with her only two nominations, making her the first to have a perfect winning streak. Her first Best Actress win was for ‘The Great Ziegfeld’.

She won her second Best Actress Oscar the very next year for ‘The Good Earth’. This made her the first person to win acting Oscars in consecutive years. Her back-to-back wins remain a historic achievement in the Academy’s history.

1. Helen Hayes

Helen Hayes had a long and successful career and, like others on this list, won an Oscar for every nomination she received. She won the Best Actress award for ‘The Sin of Madelon Claudet’. This was one of the early Academy Awards ceremonies.

Decades later, she won her second Oscar, this time for Best Supporting Actress, for the disaster film ‘Airport’. Her two wins from two nominations, spanning a significant part of her career, demonstrate her lasting talent and give her a perfect Oscar record.

Now that you’ve seen the list, who do you think had the most impressive undefeated run at the Oscars?