AsSally Fieldgushed in her second Oscar acceptance speech, "I can't deny the fact that you like me. Right now, youlikeme!" Any artist is fortunate to win anAcademy Awardin their lifetime, but a select few have been blessed with winning multiple times, an indication of continued excellence in their chosen vocation.
Artists like Daniel Day-Lewis, Katharine Hepburn, Edith Head, and Alan Menken showed such greatness that the Academy couldn't help but keep awarding them Oscars. Such individuals are the standard-bearers in their respective categories, setting winning records that remain unbeatable as the Oscars approach their centennial in 2028.
Ahead, we're highlighting the record-holders in nearly every Oscar category, from untouchable leading stars to masterful artisans.
Most ever: Walt Disney
As the creator ofMickey Mouseand the Walt Disney Company, few people have had as much influence on pop culture asWalt Disney. That's reflected in his record 22 Oscar wins. Most of them are for Best Animated Short Film, previously known as Best Short Subject (cartoon), for early work likeFlowers and Trees(1932),Ferdinand the Bull(1938), andThe Ugly Duckling(1939). Disney was also awarded four honorary Oscars — special awards for the creation of Mickey Mouse, the feature film milestone ofSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs(1937), the groundbreaking use of sound inFantasia(1940), and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for his contributions as a creative producer.
Most awarded film: Three-way tie
Three films stand above the rest when it comes to the record for most wins: 1959'sBen-Hur,1997'sTitanic,and 2003'sThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingshare the title with 11 each. All three also won Best Picture in their respective years.
Ben-Hurheld the title of most wins for more than 35 years beforeTitanicjoined it.The Return of the Kingenjoyed the most successful sweep, winning every category it was nominated in.
Best Director: John Ford
Few directors loom as large in Hollywood history asJohn Ford, who defined (and redefined) the Western genre, making more than 130 films in his lifetime. He was one of the first Hollywood directors to be regarded as an auteur and holds the record for most Best Director Oscars. Despite his association with Westerns, none of his Oscars came for his work in the genre. Instead, he won for three films highlighting social issues —The Informer(1935), The Grapes of Wrath(1940), andHow Green Was My Valley(1941)—and the romantic love letter to his Irish roots,The Quiet Man(1952).
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis
With three Best Actor wins,Daniel Day-Lewisholds the record in his category. Jack Nicholson and Walter Brennan also have three Oscars each, but one of Nicholson's wins was for Best Supporting Actor, and Brennan won exclusively in the supporting category. Day-Lewis won his Oscars forMy Left Foot(1989),There Will Be Blood(2007), andLincoln(2012).
Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn
WhileMeryl Streepholds the title of most nominated actress, legendary leading ladyKatharine Hepburnboasts the win record, having won four Oscars during her six-decade career. Hepburn took home gold forMorning Glory(1933),Guess Who's Coming to Dinner(1967),The Lion in Winter(1968) — which she won in a tie alongside Barbra Streisand forFunny Girl— andOn Golden Pond(1981).Despite her hallowed place in Academy history, Hepburn never attended the Oscars to accept her awards.
Best Supporting Actor: Walter Brennan
Prolific character actor Walter Brennan quickly set a record for most Best Supporting Actor victories, winning the category's inaugural award forCome and Get It(1936), another two years later forKentucky(1938), andanothertwo years later forThe Westerner(1940). At three wins, Brennan has still not been matched, though seven other actors have won the category twice, including Mahershala Ali and Christoph Waltz.
Best Supporting Actress: Dianne Wiest and Shelley Winters
Only two actresses have won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar twice, far fewer than any other acting category. Shelley Winters was the first to accomplish this feat, winning forThe Diary of Anne Frank(1959) and again six years later forA Patch of Blue(1965).Dianne Wiestmatched Winters' record through her collaborations with writer-director Woody Allen, winning forHannah and Her Sisters(1986) andBullets Over Broadway(1994).
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Best Adapted/Original Screenplay: Five-way tie
Best Screenplay, both Original and Adapted, is the only top category with an extensive tie. Woody Allen is the outright record holder for Best Original Screenplay, having won three times forAnnie Hall(1977), Hannah and Her Sisters(1986), andMidnight in Paris(2011).
The other four record-holders, also with three wins apiece, share their trophies across the Original and Adapted categories. They are: Charles Brackett (1945'sThe Lost Weekend,1950'sSunset Boulevard, and 1953'sTitanic); Paddy Chayefsky (1955'sMarty, 1971'sThe Hospital, and 1976'sNetwork);Francis Ford Coppola(1970'sPatton, 1972'sThe Godfather, 1974'sThe Godfather Part II); and Billy Wilder (The Lost Weekend,Sunset Boulevard, and 1960'sThe Apartment).
Best Animated Feature Film: Pete Docter
Introduced in 2002, the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film was the Academy's newest category until the introduction of Best Casting in 2026.Pixar's chief creative officer since 2018,Pete Docter, holds the record in this category with three wins forUp(2009),Inside Out(2015), andSoul(2020).
Best Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons
Renowned studio art director Cedric Gibbons was a highly influential force in set design and the Art Deco movement on screen. He also holds the second-most Oscar wins after Disney, 11 total for Best Art Direction, beginning with 1929'sThe Bridge of San Luis Reyand ending with 1956'sSomebody Up There Likes Me. Gibbons is also credited as the designer of the distinctive gold Oscar statuette, doubly enshrining his place in Academy Awards history.
Best Costume Design: Edith Head
Edith Head holds the distinct honor of being the most decorated woman in Oscar history with eight wins (and the record for most nominated woman with 35 total nods). Head is one of Hollywood's most influential costume designers, defining the job in the studio era and shaping American fashion for decades. Her victories include Oscars forThe Heiress(1949),All About Eve(1950),A Place in the Sun(1951),Roman Holiday(1953),Sabrina(1954), andThe Sting(1973).Head's distinctive severe black haircut and glasses became iconic in themselves, inspiring the look ofThe Incrediblesdesigner Edna Mode.
Best Makeup: Rick Baker
Much of modern Hollywood makeup derives from techniques created by Rick Baker, who innovated the field of special effects makeup. For his prosthetics and effects in 1981'sAn American Werewolf in London,Baker won the inaugural Oscar for Best Makeup. He eventually won seven awards in the category with his work on titles such asEd Wood(1994),The Nutty Professor(1997),How the Grinch Stole Christmas(2000),andThe Wolfman(2010).Baker retired from the business in 2015, citing the proliferation of CG effects replacing much of his work.
Best Score: Alfred Newman
ComposerJohn Williamsmay hold the record for the living person with the most nominations (and most nominations for a composer ever) at 54. However, legendary composer Alfred Newman holds the record for the most wins, with nine. Newman scored more than 200 films and won Oscars for projects likeAlexander's Ragtime Band(1938),Love is a Many-Splendored Thing(1955),The King and I(1956), winning at a time when the award was still given to those who adapted a musical score from another source. He was also the patriarch of a musical Hollywood dynasty that includes composers David and Thomas Newman and Best Original Song Oscar winnerRandy Newman.
Best Original Song (and Score): Alan Menken
Disney legendAlan Menkenholds the record for most Oscars for Best Original Song, having won the category four times, all for Disney animated classics — "Under the Sea," "Beauty and the Beast," "A Whole New World," and "Colors of the Wind." However, he has a total of eight Oscars, also having won Best Original Score forThe Little Mermaid(1989),Beauty and the Beast(1991),Aladdin(1992), andPocahontas(1995).He is the only Oscar wins record-holder to lay claim to theEGOTtitle, having also won Emmy, Grammy, and Tony awards.
Best Visual Effects: Dennis Muren
Dennis Muren essentially invented the modern era of visual effects, beginning with his work on 1977'sStar Wars. He developed groundbreaking new technologies and modes of filming that led to memorable visual effects in films like the originalStar Warstrilogy,Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial(1982), Jurassic Park(1993),and more. Muren has eight Oscars for Best Visual Effects, as well as an honorary Technical Achievement Academy Award.
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