Being nominated for an Oscar is an honor in itself, but winning the Oscar is the biggest flex for actors in Hollywood. As the most prestigious award in American cinema, getting nominated for an Oscar can significantly boost an actor’s profile. The event, held every year since its first ceremony on May 16, 1929, has honored the best individuals, groups, and productions in the year under review.
While many actors spend years chasing a nomination or an Oscar win, others won it with their acting debut performance. However, there’s a short list of actors who win an Oscar every time they get nominated. While they may not pride themselves in getting frequent Oscar nominations, when they do, they clinch the win. Since its inception up until the 2023 Oscars, these are the 7 actors who have won their multiple Oscar nominations.
Helen Hayes
Actress Helen Hayes was one of the greatest actors in the history of Hollywood. With an acting career of over eight decades, Helen Hayes was the first to win a Triple Crown of Acting. Although the second EGOT winner, she’s the first actress to clench an EGOT win. Hayes’ versatility saw the actress dominate film, television, and theater. Helen Hayes received her first Oscar nomination for her performance in The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931). Hayes won Best Actress at the 5th Academy Awards in 1932. Her second and last Oscar nomination was for her supporting role in the 1970 air disaster drama Airport. Helen Hayes won her second Oscar nomination at the 43rd Academy Awards.
Luise Rainer
Luise Rainer may not be a popular name for newer generations of stage and on-screen audiences, but she was an acting enigma during her short-lived Hollywood career. The German-American-British actress (triple citizenship) starred in her first American film in 1935. Her performance in The Great Ziegfeld (1936), despite having a small screen time, earned Rainer her first Oscar nomination and win in 1937. Her performance in her next American film, The Good Earth (1937), again earned her a nomination and second Oscar win at the 1938 ceremony. With both wins in 1937 and 1938, Luise Rainer became the first to win an Oscar back-to-back. Besides winning her only two Oscar nominations, she also became the first actress to win two Oscars before turning 30.
Vivien Leigh
British actress Vivien Leigh, who died on July 8, 1967, is actually the first actress to have completed her 2-on-2 Oscar nominations and wins. Leigh was first nominated for her performance in Victor Fleming‘s 1939 Gone with the Wind. She won Best Actress at the 12th Academy Awards. Her next and last Oscar nomination was for her performance in Elia Kazan‘s 1951 A Streetcar Named Desire. Vivien Leigh again won for Best Actress at the 24th Academy Awards.
Kevin Spacey
American actor Kevin Spacey has also clenched a win every time he was nominated for an Oscar. Spacey’s career peaked in the ’90s and 2000s when he played several lead roles in successful films. His recent most notable role was as Frank Underwood in the Netflix political drama series House of Cards. Kevin Spacey’s first Oscar nomination and win was for his supporting role in Bryan Singer‘s 1995 thriller The Usual Suspects. Spacey’s second Oscar nomination came four years later for his lead role performance in American Beauty (1999).
Hilary Swank
Actress and producer Hilary Swank landed her breakout role as Julie Pierce in Christopher Cain‘s 1994 martial arts drama The Next Karate Kid. Swank starred in several other notable film and television roles in the 90s. However, her last 1990s film, Boys Don’t Cry (1999), gave Swank her first Oscar nomination. Her performance as Brandon Teena gave the then-25-year-old Hilary Swank her first Oscar. Swank’s performance as Maggie Fitzgerald in the Clint Eastwood-directed sports drama Million Dollar Baby (2004) earned her second Oscar nomination and win.
Christoph Waltz
German-Austrian actor Christoph Waltz, besides being a frequent collaborator of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, is known for playing supporting villainous roles. Waltz, whose acting career began in 1977, got his first Oscar nomination 32 years later in Inglourious Basterds (2009). He walked away with the win at the 2010 Academy Awards ceremony. Three years later, Waltz received his second nomination for his performance in Django Unchained (2012). Christoph Waltz beat Alan Arkin (in Argo), Robert De Niro (in Silver Linings Playbook), Philip Seymour Hoffman (in The Master), and Tommy Lee Jones (in Lincoln) to win Best Supporting Actor at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013.
Mahershala Ali
According to The New York Times ranking, Mahershala Ali is one of the 25 greatest actors of the 21st century. The multi-award nominated actor has raked up an impressive resúmé over the years. Ali received his first Academy Awards nomination and win for his supporting role in Barry Jenkins‘ 2016 coming-of-age drama Moonlight. Mahershala Ali’s second-ever Oscar nomination was for his performance in the 2018 biographical comedy-drama Green Book. As of the 2023 Oscars, Mahershala Ali has only received two Oscar nominations.
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