The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences annually give Oscar awards to outstanding individuals and works of arts that the board deems excellent – but as much as it sounds lovely to earn one, these awards are not easy to come by. They require hard work and exceptional talent to snatch such recognition, however, what may be more difficult is gaining the attention of award-giving bodies.
That’s why the Academy Awards, also called the Oscars, is the biggest event in the entertainment industry that happens once a year. It’s one of the most-awaited nights where fans can see their idols in their expensive gowns and suits but more than that, it has become an avenue to appreciate and recognize artists who have given exceptional performances over the year. For Leonardo DiCaprio, his big Oscar-winning moment came only in 2016 after many nominations.
What’s more, he waited 22 years before he finally earned an Oscar nomination for his film “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”. Because he was always snubbed by the Academy Awards, he became the star in hordes of memes circulating around the internet. However, it is worth noting that he is not the record-holder when it comes to being snubbed despite their wonderful performances. Here are a few of the Academy Award records.
Kevin O’Connell
If you wondered where you’ve read this name, then don’t bother thinking too much. Chances are, you may not have seen him on the big screen, at least as an actor, but his name is still in credits of some of the films he has helped with. Kevin O’Connell is not a thespian, but rather a sound mixer who surely knows what he’s doing behind the scenes, no questions asked.
He holds the record for the most number of Oscar nominations (without a win) for a non-acting category. O’Connell has over 20 nominations under his belt including films like “Transformers,” “Top Gun,” and “Armageddon.” It may have been irritating to always be present on the awards night only to find out that someone bested you out again, but last year was different – he proved that 21st time is the charm as he snatched an award for his work in the Mel Gibson-starrer “Hacksaw Ridge.”
Peter O’Toole
This multi-hyphenate actor, both on stage and on film, died on Dec. 14, 2013, but not before he showed the world his stellar performances and proved his utmost respect for his craft. Although “Titanic” actor DiCaprio’s four nominations without a win for acting are widely zoomed in on, there have been other actors who experienced more letdowns.
Peter O’Toole has the most number of nominations without a win at eight times, as compared to Amy Adams’ five, Glenn Close and Deborah Kerr’s six, and Richard Burton’s seven.
Meryl Streep
The most nominated actress is none other than Meryl Streep, who had proven her competence in both acting and singing. She had been nominated for a whopping 20 times for her successful films like “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Julie & Julia,” “Into The Woods,” and “Music of The Heart.” Even so, she had won three Oscars for “Kramer vs Kramer” (best-supporting actress), “Sophie’s Choice,” and “The Iron Lady” (both best actress).
Walt Disney
The person who has the most number of gold statuettes is none other than Walt Disney with a record 22 awards out of the 59 nominations — but this number does not include the four honorary awards he received all throughout his colorful career. His first nod from the critics was for the 1932 cartoon “Flowers and Trees,” and the last one in 1968 for “Winnie The Pooh and the Blustery Day,” awarded posthumously. His first honorary Oscar was in 1932 because of Mickey Mouse.
‘Titanic,’ ‘Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King,’ and ‘Ben-Hur’
These three films hold the record for having the most number of Oscar awards with 11 each. “Ben-Hur,” released in 1959, didn’t get the award for the best-adapted screenplay, which, obviously it was nominated for. “Titanic,” meanwhile, did not take home the gold statuette for three categories, namely best-supporting actress (Gloria Stuart), best actress (Kate Winslet), and best makeup. Interestingly, DiCaprio, who played Jack opposite Winslet’s Rose, was not nominated. As for the 2003 film “Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King,” it didn’t ace the best sound mixing category.
