Oldest Living Oscar Nominees (All Categories), Ranked by Age
Hollywood history lives in the people who have heard their names read on Oscar night. Some shaped films from the director’s chair, some wrote the words and music, and many stood in front of the camera in roles that became touchstones for generations. Looking across every competitive category shows how the Academy has recognized a wide span of craft.
This countdown is organized strictly by age and includes competitive nominees and winners from acting, directing, writing, producing, music, and more. Each entry lists key nominations or wins along with hallmark credits that help readers place the person in film history.
Eva Marie Saint
Eva Marie Saint won Best Supporting Actress for ‘On the Waterfront’ and later headlined Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘North by Northwest’. Her screen career also brought major television honors, including a Primetime Emmy, alongside leading roles in studio dramas and thrillers.
Additional work includes ‘Exodus’ and ‘A Hatful of Rain’, as well as voice performances in animated projects. She has taken part in tributes and preservation efforts that keep classic titles available to new audiences.
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for ‘The Producers’ and received additional nominations connected to his film and songwriting work. His films combine writing, directing, and producing credits that earned wide recognition across the industry.
His body of work includes ‘Blazing Saddles’, ‘Young Frankenstein’, and ‘Spaceballs’. He has also earned major awards in television, music, and theatre, placing him among the artists who completed the rare EGOT set.
Lee Grant
Lee Grant won Best Supporting Actress for ‘Shampoo’ after earlier Oscar nominations for ‘Detective Story’, ‘The Landlord’, and ‘Voyage of the Damned’. Her work spans film and television with leading and supporting roles across several decades.
She also built a directing career that includes documentaries and television features. Her memoirs and master classes document techniques developed across acting and filmmaking.
Nancy Olson
Nancy Olson earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for ‘Sunset Boulevard’. She later reached family audiences with Disney comedies like ‘The Absent-Minded Professor’ and ‘Son of Flubber’.
Her filmography includes ‘Airport 1975’ and guest appearances on television series. She has participated in retrospectives that explore her collaborations with co-star William Holden and director Billy Wilder.
Estelle Parsons
Estelle Parsons won Best Supporting Actress for ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ and received a second nomination for ‘Rachel, Rachel’. Her career includes theatre directing and long-running roles on stage and television.
Additional credits include ‘Dick Tracy’ and recurring parts on series viewed by wide audiences. She has worked with arts education programs and regional theatres as a director and mentor.
Rosemary Harris
Rosemary Harris received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for ‘Tom & Viv’. She also holds top honours in theatre from both London and New York, reflecting a career rooted in classical training.
Film and television audiences know her from roles in ‘The Gift’, ‘Is Anybody There’, and the ‘Spider-Man’ series. She has appeared at festivals and archives that celebrate stage to screen careers.
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood holds four competitive Oscars that include Best Director and Best Picture for ‘Unforgiven’ and ‘Million Dollar Baby’. He also earned acting nominations, placing him among the few recognized for both performance and direction.
His directing credits range from war dramas to true-crime stories and music biopics. As a producer he guided multiple films through his company, and he has composed music for select projects.
Joanne Woodward
Joanne Woodward won Best Actress for ‘The Three Faces of Eve’ and earned later nominations for ‘Rachel, Rachel’, ‘Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams’, and ‘Mr. and Mrs. Bridge’. Her work often connected with projects developed alongside Paul Newman.
Her credits include ‘The Long, Hot Summer’ and ‘A New Kind of Love’. She also built a respected stage and television career and contributed to actor-centered production companies.
Leslie Caron
Leslie Caron received Best Actress nominations for ‘Lili’ and ‘The L-Shaped Room’. She first gained attention as a dancer and then shifted into dramatic leads that brought critical recognition on both sides of the Atlantic.
Her films include ‘An American in Paris’ and ‘Gigi’, while her television work earned an Emmy. She has published writing that reflects on training, choreography, and screen performance.
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall won Best Actor for ‘Tender Mercies’ and holds multiple nominations in leading and supporting categories. His cited performances include ‘The Godfather’, ‘Apocalypse Now’, and ‘The Judge’.
His producing and directing credits expand his profile beyond acting. He has worked across studio features, independent films, and long-form television.
Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno won Best Supporting Actress for ‘West Side Story’ and is among the few artists who have achieved the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony combination. She has received additional film and television honours across decades.
Her filmography includes ‘The King and I’, ‘Carnal Knowledge’, and later ensemble features. She has served on advisory boards and participated in programs that promote arts education and representation.
John Williams
John Williams is a five-time Oscar winner and the most nominated living person in Academy history. His nominations span original scores and songs for films across multiple genres.
His themes for ‘Star Wars’, ‘Jaws’, ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’, ‘Schindler’s List’, and ‘Harry Potter’ appear regularly in concert halls. He continues to present repertoire with orchestras worldwide and releases archival recordings tied to restorations.
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn won Best Actress for ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ and earned nominations for ‘The Last Picture Show’, ‘The Exorcist’, and ‘Requiem for a Dream’. Her career includes honours in film, theatre, and television.
Her credits span studio and independent productions, and she has served in leadership roles with actors’ organizations. She has also written about craft and teaching.
Michael Caine
Michael Caine is a two-time Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor for ‘Hannah and Her Sisters’ and ‘The Cider House Rules’. He also earned nominations for ‘Alfie’, ‘Sleuth’, ‘Educating Rita’, and ‘The Quiet American’.
His filmography includes ‘Zulu’, ‘The Italian Job’, and ‘The Dark Knight’. He has published memoirs that detail studio systems, location work, and collaborations with British and American directors.
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine won Best Actress for ‘Terms of Endearment’ after earlier nominations that include ‘Some Came Running’, ‘The Apartment’, and ‘Irma la Douce’. Her nominations span several decades of leading roles.
Her credits also include ‘Steel Magnolias’ and ‘Being There’. She has authored books and participated in retrospectives that document collaboration with directors, writers, and choreographers.
Judi Dench
Judi Dench won Best Supporting Actress for ‘Shakespeare in Love’ and received additional nominations for ‘Mrs Brown’, ‘Chocolat’, ‘Iris’, ‘Mrs Henderson Presents’, ‘Notes on a Scandal’, and ‘Philomena’. She is one of the few artists celebrated at the highest levels of film, television, and theatre.
Her screen work includes ‘Skyfall’ and ‘Belfast’. She has supported conservation and arts charities and is frequently featured in documentaries that trace Shakespeare on screen.
Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren won Best Actress for ‘Two Women’ and earned another nomination for ‘Marriage Italian Style’. She is one of the most internationally recognized actors to receive Academy honours.
Her films include ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’, ‘A Special Day’, and ‘Arabesque’. Collaborations with director Vittorio De Sica are widely studied for performance style and neorealist influence.
Robert Redford
Robert Redford won Best Director for ‘Ordinary People’ and received nominations for directing ‘Quiz Show’ and for acting in ‘The Sting’. He has also been nominated as a producer.
His contributions include building the Sundance Institute and Festival, which developed programs for writers, directors, and composers. Producer credits extend across independent and studio projects.
Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews won Best Actress for ‘Mary Poppins’ and received nominations for ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Victor/Victoria’. Her work spans film, stage, and voice performance.
Additional credits include ‘The Americanization of Emily’ and ’10’. She has authored bestselling books and recorded cast albums and studio recordings that document major roles.
James Ivory
James Ivory won Best Adapted Screenplay for ‘Call Me by Your Name’ and earned earlier nominations for directing ‘A Room with a View’, ‘Howards End’, and ‘The Remains of the Day’. He was also nominated as a producer for ‘Howards End’.
As a cofounder of Merchant Ivory Productions he developed literary adaptations noted for collaboration with screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and producer Ismail Merchant. His credits include ‘Maurice’ and television projects tied to period drama.
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