10 oldest actors to win an Oscar

Winning a Academy Award is one of the greatest achievements an actor can achieve in Hollywood, and several performers have achieved this feat at incredibly old ages. While many may think that Hollywood is a young person's game, certain actors have consistently done amazing work for decades and won awards in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s. The oldest Oscar winners include some of the greatest actors who ever lived.

While there are many incredible actors who, surprisingly, have never received an Oscar, these performers show that it's never too late to achieve this esteemed honor. From Katharine Hepburn's unrivaled four Oscar wins at age 74 to the winners who were approaching 100 years of age, although many have criticized the Academy's biases, these honors prove that actors don't let ageism get in the way the greatness of the Oscar. These were the oldest actors to win Academy Awards.

10

Katharine Hepburn

Second oldest actress at age 74 for On Golden Pond (1981)

Film icon Katharine Hepburn was no stranger to making Oscar history. Not only did Hepburn became the oldest Best Actress winner of all time for At Golden Lagoonbut this also marked his unprecedented fourth Oscar winner. Having been a leading voice in Hollywood since the 1930s, Hepburn's career spanned the entirety of the latter part of the 20th century, as she excelled in screwball comedies, period dramas, and incredible stage adaptations.

Hepburn won her first Oscar in 1933 for her leading performance in Morning Glorya film that aptly told the story of an actress' journey to stardom. With an incredible 12 nominations in total, Hepburn would once again win awards for Guess who's coming to dinner in 1968, The Lion in Winter in 1969, and lasted At Golden Lagoon in 1981. While it remains to be seen whether anyone will ever surpass her astonishing record of four wins, Hepburn reigned supreme for more than four decades.

9

Henry Fonda

Second best oldest actor at 74 for On Golden Pond (1981)

In the same year that his At Golden Lagoon co-star Katharine Hepburn made Oscar history with her Best Actress win, Henry Fonda also became the oldest Best Actor winner at the time. Having made his film debut in 1935, Fonda earned his status as an icon of the Hollywood elite and was ultimately rewarded with the Best Actor award for his final film role. Unfortunately, Fonda suffered from heart disease and was too ill to attend the ceremony, dying just five months after her historic victory.

However, Fonda's legacy isn't just at the Oscars; he was a notable name throughout his entire career. Fonda was first nominated for an Oscar in 1940 for his role as Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. As a producer, Fonda was also nominated for Best Picture for his work on the legal classic 12 angry men. From romance to westerns, Fonda was a proud example of the early days of Hollywood and the legendary figures that emerged from it.

8

Peggy Ashcroft

Best Supporting Actress in 77 A Passage to India (1984)

English artist Peggy Ashcroft became the oldest supporting actress of all time for his esteemed role in the adaptation of EM Forster A ticket to India. As an epic historical drama directed by the extraordinary David Lean, A ticket to India echoed the power of some of the filmmaker's greatest works, such as Lawrence of Arabiaand was further elevated by Ashcroft's astonishing performances. With themes of friendship amid British colonialism, this was a rich story that captured the spirit of its source material.

Ashcroft achieved his historic victory with his performance in 1984 and has held that title ever since. However, many older nominees nearly took this honor away from Ashcroft, such as Gloria Stuart's performance at age 87 in Titanic or, more recently, 87-year-old Judi Dench in 2021 Belfast. With many incredibly talented octogenarians working in Hollywood today, it's only a matter of time before Ashcroft's record is surpassed.

7

John Gielgud

Four Best Supporting Actors Oldest, at 77, for Arthur (1981)

Although many remember the romantic comedy Arthur for Dudley Moore's entertaining performance in the title role, it was his hilarious screenplay by Steve Gordon and supporting performance by John Gielgud that earned him Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. While Moore played a drunken millionaire who falls in love with an ordinary lady, Gielgud played his valet Hobson, who must witness all of his employer's alcohol-fueled antics. With a strong performance, Gielgud managed to win a rare Oscar for a comedic role.

With plenty of alcoholic charm and light-hearted humor, it's no surprise that both Gielgud's performance and Arthur screenplay were awarded by the Academy. Sadly, it would be the only feature film by writer and director Steve Gordon, who died of a heart attack at age 44, just a year later. Arthur release. As an acclaimed artist on both screen and stage, Gielgud was also a rare EGOT winner who has won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony.

6

Melvin Douglas

Third best supporting actor at age 79 for Being There (1979)

After a long career in Hollywood dating back to the 1920s, Melvyn Douglas became the oldest Best Supporting Actor at the time for Being there. This incredible Hal Ashby comedy was one of the best films of the 1970s and represented the astonishing swan song performance of its lead star, Peter Seller, who died the following year. Douglas played the rich socialite who took a liking to Sellers as Chance, the clueless but lovable gardener, and soon gave him the opportunity to become a powerful tycoon and a major player in Washington politics.

Douglas has already won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Huda western starring Paul Newman. As an acclaimed artist throughout his varied and impressive career Being there It was one of Douglas's last film roles.when he died in 1981, aged 80. Although Douglas's early career saw him portraying suave leading men, he managed to stay relevant by transitioning seamlessly into more mature, fatherly roles in his later years.

5

Jessica Tandy

Best actress aged 80 for Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

British actress Jessica Tandy has enjoyed surprising success in her varied career on stage and screen, winning an Oscar, four Tony Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Like the original Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire on Broadway until its last Oscar-nominated performance, Fried Green Tomatoes, Tandy proved to be an important figure in showbusiness. One of Tandy's greatest achievements was becoming the oldest Best Actress at age 80 for Driving Miss Daisy.

Although the Best Picture winner Leading Miss Daisy, has been controversial in subsequent years for failing to oppose other nominees such as My left foot, no one can deny that Tandy performed great. As the titular Daisy Werthan, it was a testament to Tandy's skill that she could still deliver such a fantastic and subtle performance in her advanced age. As a truly historic victory, Tandy's record stands since 1989, and there has only been one older candidate, 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva, for Love in 2012.

4

George Burns

Second best supporting actor at age 80 for The Sunshine Boys (1975)

Comedian George Burns was one of the few performers whose career spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television as he moved with the times and found success in the ever-changing circumstances of the 20th century. Born in 1896 and died in 1996, Burns' career spanned the entire century, as he began as a children's singer and soon moved on to comic short films in the 1920s and 1930s. Along with his wife, Gracie Allen, the two became stars, and the famous duo even had a TV series called The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show throughout the 1950s.

However, it was in 1975 that Burns' career was surprisingly reinvigorated following his Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor for The sun boys. The role of an aging vaudevillian actor was perfect for Burns, who imbued his role with a lifetime of experience in the entertainment industry. Burns' historic victory for The sun boys would remain unmatched for 36 years until it was finally defeated by a performance in 2011.

3

Christopher Plummer

Best Supporting Actor at 82 for Beginners (2011)

Acclaimed Canadian actor Christopher Plummer became the oldest Best Supporting Actor in 2011 for his role in Beginners. This insightful romantic comedy-drama from Mike Mills stars Ewan McGregor as a man reflecting on life after his father's death. Plummer played the elderly father, Hal Fields, who, through flashbacks, the audience sees came out as an openly gay man after his wife passed away when he was 75 and was later diagnosed with lung cancer. Beginners It was a deep and thoughtful film. which highlighted Plummer's ability to capture the complex humanity of his characters.

Not only was Plummer the oldest supporting actor of all time, a record that has remained unbeaten ever since, but he was also the oldest competitive acting nominee of all time. Plummer's performance at age 88 for Ridley Scott's All the money in the world made Oscar history. Plummer earned this impactful role after replacing Kevin Spacey in the role following allegations of sexual misconduct. Despite being a last-minute replacement, Scott said Plummer was always his first choice for the role (via THR), but the studio wanted a bigger name.

2

Anthony Hopkins

Best Actor at age 83 for The Father (2020)

Anthony Hopkins is one of the greatest actors of all time who has consistently given incredible performances in works such as The Elephant Man, The Remains of the Dayand Shadowlands. However, it was Hopkins' transformative role as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs this truly made him a household name, as the film not only won him the Oscar for Best Actor, but also took home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay, a feat achieved only by two other films, 1934. It happened one night and 1975 One flew over the cuckoo's nest.

Although Hopkins had already solidified his iconic reputation in Hollywood by 2020, his performance in The Father He made Oscar history when he became the oldest Best Actor winner at age 83. In this riveting performance, Hopkins played a man suffering from dementia as viewers were taken on a journey into his fractured consciousness. This deeply moving performance captured the confusion at the heart of this degenerative disease and the immense hardships for patients and their families.

1

Mel Brooks

Honorary Academy Award at 97

The Honorary Academy Award is an award given outside of major competitive categories to honor achievements not covered by the existing Oscars. This award generally gives credit to achievements and performers who have left an undeniable mark on Hollywood history. With that in mind, it makes sense that the oldest Oscar-winning actor is Mel Brooks, who received the Honorary Academy Award at age 97 in 2023. However, art director and production designer Robert F. Boyle is the winner oldest of all time, at 98 years old. winning that title in 2008.

While Mel Brooks was, of course, an acclaimed actor, many of his greatest achievements were as a director and writer. From undisputed comedy classics like The Producers, Flaming Saddlesand Space Balls, Brooks left his mark in Hollywood and is one of 21 artists to win EGOTwhich includes an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Oscar and a Tony Award. As one of the most impactful comedians of all time, it's a testament to Brooks' appeal that he's still working today, even as he inches closer to 100 years old.

Source: THR