Since 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has honored those in the entertainment industry for their significant achievements with the Academy Awards, more commonly known as The Oscars.
Winners are chosen by an elite group of academy members through a voting process, and the 95th ceremony will take place this March 12, 2023.
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Though the nominees and winners change every year, certain films, actors, and actresses have earned multiple awards and an iconic level of recognition.
This article looks back at the history of the award, explores what it takes to be eligible and reviews who holds the record for most Oscars won.
What is an Oscar?
An Oscar, or Academy Award, is presented each year by the film academy. The awards are given out in 23 categories, including best picture, best director, best actor and best actress, honoring outstanding individual and collective film achievements.
Nominees are voted on by academy members, with the results being announced during the awards ceremony. The votes are certified by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which has counted them since 1935.
In order to be eligible, films must meet certain requirements such as their release date, running time, and amount of screenings.
The top record holders of most Oscar wins
There have been many noteworthy films, actors, and actresses that have taken home the coveted golden statue over the years. But who holds the record for most Oscars won? Let’s break down the numbers starting with the films:
- Titanic (1997) – 11 Oscars
- Ben-Hur (1959) – 11 Oscars
- Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) – 11 Oscars
Though all three films took home 11 Oscars, research indicates that Titanic is the number one holder of most Oscars ever awarded to a single movie.
It even broke records by becoming the first and only movie to win 11 awards out of 14 nominations. It was also the second highest grossing movie when it was released in 1997.
Next up, actors and actresses. Here’s who stands out in the crowd:
- Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003) – 4 Oscars
- Daniel Day-Lewis (1957-) – 3 Oscars
- Jack Nicholson (1937-) – 3 Oscars
Though there have been several actors and actresses to receive 2 or 3 Oscars, none have matched the success of Katharine Hepburn who stands alone as the person with the most wins.
Across her career, she was nominated twelve times, winning four Best Actress awards for Morning Glory (1933), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968) and On Golden Pond (1981).
So far, we’ve looked at the history of the award, the criteria for eligibility, and the top record holders for most Oscars won.
Though many films, actors, and actresses have earned multiple awards and an iconic level of recognition throughout the years, Titanic, Katharine Hepburn, and Daniel Day-Lewis remain the big winners with 11, 4, and 3 Oscars respectively.
As we look ahead to the upcoming 95th Annual Academy Awards Ceremony, it will be interesting to see if any current nominees will join these ranks!
