Movie Stars Who Won Oscars Posthumously or Were Nominated Posthumously

The Academy has occasionally recognized work from performers who were no longer alive when ballots were cast or when the statuettes were handed out. In some cases the award itself was posthumous. In others the nomination arrived after death even if the film had opened earlier. This list brings together the on screen names who fit that history and also a few legendary screen icons whose Academy honors were conferred after they died.

Each entry notes the film or honor, the category, and the year of the ceremony. Dates refer to the Academy Awards year, not the movie’s release year. Film titles appear in single quotes for clarity and consistency.

Peter Finch

Peter Finch won Best Actor posthumously for ‘Network’ at the 49th Academy Awards in 1977. He died in January 1977, weeks before nominations were announced and months before the ceremony, making his victory the first posthumous acting win in Academy history.

The film cast Finch as veteran anchor Howard Beale. His award was presented in March 1977 and accepted on his behalf. Finch had been a frequent BAFTA winner before this Oscar recognition.

Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger won Best Supporting Actor posthumously for ‘The Dark Knight’ at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009. He died in January 2008, with nominations announced the following January and the ceremony held in February 2009.

Ledger’s award recognized his performance as the Joker. His parents and sister accepted the statuette. The win was the second time an actor received an Oscar after death in an acting category.

James Dean

James Dean received a posthumous Best Actor nomination for ‘East of Eden’ at the 28th Academy Awards in 1956. He died in September 1955, after the film’s release and before nominations were announced.

Dean became the first performer to receive a posthumous acting nomination in a competitive category. His nomination acknowledged his lead role as Cal Trask in the John Steinbeck adaptation.

James Dean

James Dean received a second posthumous Best Actor nomination for ‘Giant’ at the 29th Academy Awards in 1957. The film opened after his death and the nomination followed the next year.

The Academy thus recognized Dean in consecutive years for two different films after his death. This remains a unique occurrence in the acting categories.

Spencer Tracy

Spencer Tracy received a posthumous Best Actor nomination for ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ at the 40th Academy Awards in 1968. He died in June 1967, after completing the film and before the nominations were announced.

The nomination honored his performance as Matt Drayton. The film also received nominations in other categories that year.

Ralph Richardson

Ralph Richardson received a posthumous Best Supporting Actor nomination for ‘Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes’ at the 57th Academy Awards in 1985. He died in October 1983, with the nomination arriving the following year.

The recognition marked the first posthumous nomination in the supporting actor category. Richardson was cited for his role as the Sixth Earl of Greystoke.

Massimo Troisi

Massimo Troisi received a posthumous Best Actor nomination for ‘Il Postino’ at the 68th Academy Awards in 1996. He died in June 1994, the day after filming wrapped, with the nomination following after the film’s international rollout.

Troisi was also nominated that year for Best Adapted Screenplay for the same film. The acting nomination cited his portrayal of Mario Ruoppolo.

Chadwick Boseman

Chadwick Boseman received a posthumous Best Actor nomination for ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ at the 93rd Academy Awards in 2021. He died in August 2020, with nominations announced in March 2021.

The recognition honored his performance as Levee Green. The film earned multiple nominations across craft categories that year.

Jeanne Eagels

Jeanne Eagels is widely recorded as receiving a posthumous Best Actress nomination for ‘The Letter’ at the 2nd Academy Awards in 1930. She died in October 1929, shortly after the film’s completion, and her nomination is documented in Academy records for that year.

The 2nd ceremony used a different selection process than later years, with a board of judges listing contenders under consideration. Eagels is credited as the first performer recognized by the Academy after death.

Edward G. Robinson

Edward G. Robinson received an Honorary Award posthumously at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973. He died in January 1973, after the Board of Governors had voted the honor but before the ceremony.

The citation acknowledged his achievements as a player and patron of the arts. His widow accepted the award on his behalf during the March 1973 telecast.

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award posthumously at the 65th Academy Awards in 1993. She died in January 1993, after the honor was announced and before the ceremony.

The Academy recognized her humanitarian work with UNICEF. Her son accepted the statuette at the March 1993 ceremony.

Douglas Fairbanks

Douglas Fairbanks received a Special Award posthumously at the 12th Academy Awards in 1940. He died in December 1939, with the Academy commemorating his contribution as its first president.

The commemorative honor cited his unique and outstanding contribution to the development of motion pictures. His family accepted on his behalf.

Sydney Pollack

Sydney Pollack received a posthumous Best Picture nomination as a credited producer of ‘The Reader’ at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009. He died in May 2008, and the nomination was announced in January 2009.

Pollack was an Oscar winning director and a recognizable on screen presence in films and television. The Academy made a producer eligibility determination that allowed him to be listed among the nominees for the film.

Anthony Minghella

Anthony Minghella received a posthumous Best Picture nomination as a credited producer of ‘The Reader’ at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009. He died in March 2008, with the nomination following the next year.

Minghella had previously won Best Director for ‘The English Patient’. His producing credit on ‘The Reader’ placed him among the team recognized for the film’s Best Picture nomination.

Walt Disney

Walt Disney received posthumous Oscars following his death in 1966, including Best Animated Short Film for ‘Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day’ at the 41st Academy Awards in 1969. His studio’s work continued to be eligible under Academy rules and his producer credit remained attached.

Disney’s name therefore appeared on competitive awards after his death. The Academy’s records list these wins under his producer credits associated with the short.

Sam Zimbalist

Sam Zimbalist received a posthumous Best Picture Oscar for ‘Ben Hur’ at the 32nd Academy Awards in 1960. He died in November 1958 during production, and his producer credit remained on the finished film.

The Best Picture statuette listed Zimbalist as the winning producer. The Academy continued the long standing practice of honoring the credited producer for the winning film even if the producer had died before the ceremony.

William A. Horning

William A. Horning received two posthumous Oscars for art direction, one for ‘Gigi’ at the 31st Academy Awards in 1959 and one for ‘Ben Hur’ at the 32nd Academy Awards in 1960. He died in March 1959 after the first award year and before the second ceremony.

Horning’s credits remained attached to both films’ design work. The Academy presented the statuettes to acknowledge his contribution as the credited art director.

Conrad L. Hall

Conrad L. Hall received a posthumous Best Cinematography Oscar for ‘Road to Perdition’ at the 75th Academy Awards in 2003. He died in January 2003, with the ceremony held in March of that year.

His son accepted on his behalf. Hall’s award recognized the credited cinematographer for the film’s photographic achievement.

Victor Young

Victor Young received a posthumous Oscar for Best Music Scoring for ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ at the 29th Academy Awards in 1957. He died in November 1956, with the award conferred the following March.

Young had earned many nominations over his career. The Academy recognized his credited score on the Best Picture winner from that year’s ballot.

Geoffrey Unsworth

Geoffrey Unsworth received a posthumous Best Cinematography Oscar for ‘Tess’ at the 53rd Academy Awards in 1981. He died in October 1978 during production, with Ghislain Cloquet sharing the credit on the completed film.

The Academy listed Unsworth among the winners for the film’s cinematography. The statuette acknowledged his credited work captured before his death.

Share your thoughts on which performances or honors stood out most in this history in the comments.