Winning an Oscar is the pinnacle. It's the "you've made it" moment that every theater kid dreams about while practicing their speech in a foggy bathroom mirror. But some people don't just win once. They turn the Academy Awards into their own personal trophy room. If you're wondering what actor has the most Oscars, the answer hasn't changed in decades, despite some very close calls recently.
The Queen of the Academy: Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn. That’s the name. She holds the all-time record with four Academy Awards, all for Best Actress.
It’s kind of wild when you think about it. She won her first in 1933 for Morning Glory and her last in 1982 for On Golden Pond. That’s a 48-year gap. Most careers don't even last that long, let alone stay at a "best in the world" level. Honestly, Hepburn was a force of nature. She didn't even show up to the ceremonies to collect them. She basically told the Academy, "Thanks, but I’m busy."
She was nominated 12 times in total. While that sounds like a lot, it’s actually not the record for nominations (we’ll get to Meryl in a second), but her "batting average" for wins was incredible. She won for:
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- Morning Glory (1933)
- Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
- The Lion in Winter (1968) — This one was a rare tie with Barbra Streisand!
- On Golden Pond (1981)
The Three-Win Club: The Chasers
While Hepburn sits alone at the top with four, a very small, very elite group of actors is breathing down her neck with three wins.
Frances McDormand is probably the biggest "threat" to the record right now. As of early 2026, she has three acting Oscars (Fargo, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and Nomadland). Technically, she has four Oscars total because she also won as a producer for Nomadland, but in terms of acting specifically, she's at three. She's still active, still picking incredible scripts, and could easily tie Hepburn if the right role comes along this year or next.
Then there's Daniel Day-Lewis. He’s the only man to ever win Best Actor three times. He won for My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, and Lincoln. He "retired" a few years back, but rumors always swirl about a comeback. If he ever decides to put on the makeup again, the Academy usually just starts engraving the trophy immediately.
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Meryl Streep is the name everyone expects to see here. She has the most nominations of any human being ever—21 and counting. But she "only" has three wins (Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice, and The Iron Lady). It’s almost a running joke at this point; Meryl gets nominated for breathing, but she hasn't hit that fourth win yet.
Jack Nicholson also has three. Two for Lead (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, As Good as It Gets) and one for Supporting (Terms of Endearment). He’s been largely out of the spotlight for a while, so his count is likely settled at three.
Why Does This Record Matter?
People love stats. But in Hollywood, the Oscar count is about more than just a number; it's about staying power. To win four times, you have to reinvent yourself across different eras of filmmaking. Hepburn went from the "Golden Age" of the 30s to the gritty dramas of the 60s and the sentimental hits of the 80s.
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It’s also about luck. Think about actors like Adrien Brody—who just won his second Oscar for The Brutalist in 2025—or Emma Stone, who already has two. They are young enough to actually catch Hepburn.
The Unbeatable Walt?
If we step away from acting for a second, the "most Oscars" title belongs to Walt Disney. He won 22 competitive Oscars and 4 honorary ones. Nobody is catching him. Ever.
But for performers, the mountain is much steeper. Most actors are lucky to get one nomination. To get four wins requires a specific mix of talent, longevity, and being in the right movie at the exact right moment.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to understand why these actors keep winning, you've got to watch the "Oscar Bait" seasons.
- Watch the 2026 Nominees: The 98th Academy Awards are coming up soon. Keep an eye on the Best Actor race—Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet are the current frontrunners for their roles in One Battle After Another and Marty Supreme.
- Track the "Triple Crowns": Check out actors like Frances McDormand or Viola Davis who are chasing not just more Oscars, but the "EGOT" (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) status.
- Revisit the Classics: If you haven't seen The Lion in Winter, watch it. You’ll see exactly why Katharine Hepburn was able to hold this record for nearly half a century.
The record for what actor has the most Oscars is currently a "four-win" ceiling. Whether it's broken in the next few years by McDormand or Streep is the biggest drama in Hollywood that doesn't involve a script.