Actresses Who’ve EGOTed or Are One Award Away

Helen Hayes

This legendary actress holds the distinction of being the first woman to achieve EGOT status. Her journey began with an Academy Award for ‘The Sin of Madelon Claudet’ in the early thirties. She secured her place in history with a Grammy win for ‘Great American Documents’ much later in her career. Hayes also earned Tony Awards for her stage work in ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘Time Remembered’ alongside her Emmy wins. She remains a titan of the industry who set the standard for multi-disciplinary success.

Rita Moreno

Moreno is a trailblazer who completed her EGOT with a Primetime Emmy for ‘The Rockford Files’. She famously won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ‘West Side Story’ and later returned to the franchise in the 2021 adaptation. Her Tony Award came from her performance in ‘The Ritz’ while her Grammy was awarded for ‘The Electric Company’ album. She is widely celebrated for her longevity and versatility across film, television, and theater.

Audrey Hepburn

Hepburn is best known for her iconic film roles but she also excelled in other mediums to complete her collection of awards. She won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in ‘Roman Holiday’ and a Tony Award for ‘Ondine’ the very same year. Her Emmy was awarded posthumously for her work on ‘Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn’. A Grammy for her spoken word album ‘Audrey Hepburn’s Enchanted Tales’ solidified her status as an EGOT winner after her passing.

Whoopi Goldberg

Goldberg made history as the first Black woman to win all four major entertainment awards. Her Academy Award came for her supporting role in ‘Ghost’ after receiving a nomination for ‘The Color Purple’ years earlier. She won a Tony Award as a producer for ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ and a Grammy for her comedy recording. Her Daytime Emmy wins for ‘The View’ completed the quartet and cemented her legacy in entertainment history.

Jennifer Hudson

Hudson transformed from a reality television contestant into an EGOT winner in a remarkably short time. She won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her powerful performance in ‘Dreamgirls’ early in her career. Her Grammy wins include Best R&B Album while her Daytime Emmy came for an interactive media project. She secured the final piece of the puzzle with a Tony Award as a producer for the musical ‘A Strange Loop’.

Viola Davis

Davis achieved her EGOT status with a Grammy win for the audiobook recording of her memoir ‘Finding Me’. She previously won an Oscar for her supporting role in ‘Fences’ after winning a Tony Award for the same role on Broadway. Her Emmy win for ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ made her the first Black woman to win the Lead Actress in a Drama Series category. She is often cited as one of the most revered actors of her generation due to this triple crown success.

Barbra Streisand

Streisand acts as one of the few entertainers with all four awards though her Tony was a special non-competitive honor. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for ‘Funny Girl’ and has collected multiple Grammys throughout her singing career. Her Emmy wins include specials like ‘My Name is Is Barbra’ which showcased her immense vocal talent. While some purists debate the non-competitive Tony, her impact on all four mediums is undeniable.

Liza Minnelli

Minnelli is another legend who holds all four awards with her Grammy being a special Legend Award. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her defining role in ‘Cabaret’ and a Tony Award for ‘Flora the Red Menace’. Her Emmy came for the television special ‘Liza with a Z’ which was directed by Bob Fosse. She remains showbiz royalty and one of the few performers to excel so distinctly in live performance and film.

Helen Mirren

Mirren achieved the Triple Crown of Acting with wins at the Oscars, Emmys, and Tonys but is missing a Grammy. She won the Academy Award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in ‘The Queen’ and a Tony for playing the same monarch in ‘The Audience’. Her Emmy wins are numerous and include trophies for ‘Prime Suspect’ and ‘Elizabeth I’. A spoken word album or an audiobook narration could easily secure her the final award she needs.

Jessica Lange

Lange has had a resurgence in television that helped her secure the Triple Crown of Acting. She won Academy Awards for ‘Tootsie’ and ‘Blue Sky’ before dominating the small screen with Emmy wins for ‘American Horror Story’. Her Tony Award came recently for the revival of ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’. She only lacks a Grammy Award to join the exclusive ranks of EGOT winners.

Maggie Smith

The late Dame Maggie Smith was a formidable talent who won the Triple Crown of Acting during her illustrious career. She won two Academy Awards for ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ and ‘California Suite’ alongside a Tony for ‘Lettice and Lovage’. Her Emmy wins were bolstered by her popularity in ‘Downton Abbey’ where she played the Dowager Countess. The only accolade missing from her shelf was a Grammy Award.

Vanessa Redgrave

Redgrave is a celebrated stage and screen actress with the Triple Crown of Acting to her name. She won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for ‘Julia’ and a Tony Award for ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’. Her Emmy wins include her performance in ‘Playing for Time’ which highlighted her dramatic range. She has yet to win a Grammy Award to complete the full EGOT cycle.

Ellen Burstyn

Burstyn is an acting heavyweight who has secured the Triple Crown with wins across film, TV, and theater. She famously won the Oscar for ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ and a Tony Award for ‘Same Time, Next Year’. Her Emmy wins include a guest appearance on ‘Law & Order: SVU’ and a win for ‘Political Animals’. A Grammy win remains the only barrier between her and EGOT status.

Frances McDormand

McDormand is known for her powerful film performances that have earned her multiple Academy Awards including for ‘Fargo’ and ‘Nomadland’. She also holds a Tony Award for her lead role in the play ‘Good People’ and an Emmy for the miniseries ‘Olive Kitteridge’. She has conquered the acting awards but has not yet won a Grammy. Her distinct voice could arguably lead to a future win in a spoken word category.

Glenda Jackson

Jackson was a force in British and American acting who achieved the Triple Crown before taking a hiatus for politics. She won two Academy Awards for ‘Women in Love’ and ‘A Touch of Class’ and later returned to the stage to win a Tony for ‘Three Tall Women’. Her Emmy wins came early in her career for her role as Elizabeth I in ‘Elizabeth R’. She never won a Grammy during her lifetime.

Jessica Tandy

Tandy had a career that spanned decades and culminated in an Oscar win for ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ at age 80. She won three Tony Awards including one for her legendary performance in the original production of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. Her Emmy came for the television movie ‘Foxfire’ which she starred in with her husband Hume Cronyn. Like many actresses of her pedigree, she was missing a Grammy Award.

Anne Bancroft

Bancroft was an explosive talent who won the Oscar for ‘The Miracle Worker’ after originating the role on Broadway. She won two Tony Awards and an Emmy for her variety special ‘Annie, the Women in the Life of a Man’. Her husky voice and comedic timing were legendary but never translated into a Grammy win. She remains one of the most respected Triple Crown winners in history.

Shirley Booth

Booth is a rare example of an actress who won both a Tony and an Oscar for the same role in ‘Come Back, Little Sheba’. She dominated the 1950s with these wins and added three Emmy Awards for her sitcom ‘Hazel’. She was primarily an actor rather than a singer which explains the absence of a Grammy in her collection. Her work set a high bar for character actresses who followed.

Maureen Stapleton

Stapleton was a powerhouse in theater and film who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for ‘Reds’. She won a Tony Award for ‘The Rose Tattoo’ and an Emmy for ‘Among the Paths to Eden’. Her raw and emotional acting style earned her acclaim across all three acting mediums. She never won a Grammy Award during her career.

Eileen Heckart

Heckart was a character actress known for her gravelly voice and she secured the Triple Crown of Acting. She won the Academy Award for ‘Butterflies Are Free’ and a Tony Award earlier in her career for the play ‘Butterflies Are Free’ as well. Her Emmy win arrived later for her work on the show ‘Love & War’. She is another great talent who is only missing a Grammy.

Ingrid Bergman

Bergman is Hollywood royalty with three Academy Awards to her name for films like ‘Gaslight’ and ‘Anastasia’. She won a Tony Award for ‘Joan of Lorraine’ and two Emmy Awards for television appearances including ‘A Woman Called Golda’. Her global stardom and acting prowess secured her the Triple Crown. A Grammy is the only major award she did not receive.

Cicely Tyson

Tyson was a pioneer for Black actresses and received an Honorary Oscar late in life to complement her competitive wins. She won three Emmy Awards including two for ‘The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman’ and a Tony Award for ‘The Trip to Bountiful’. Her contributions to American culture were vast but she never won a competitive Grammy. She is often included in lists of near-EGOTs due to her honorary Academy Award.

Bette Midler

Midler is a dynamic performer who is just one Oscar win away from the EGOT title. She has won multiple Grammys for her music and comedy albums and a Tony Award for her lead role in ‘Hello, Dolly!’. Her Emmy wins are numerous and include awards for her variety specials and talk show appearances. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards for ‘The Rose’ and ‘For the Boys’ but has yet to win.

Lily Tomlin

Tomlin is a comedy legend who has conquered television, stage, and audio recording. She won a Tony for ‘The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe’ and a Grammy for her comedy album ‘This Is a Recording’. Her extensive Emmy collection includes wins for writing and performing on variety shows. She received an Oscar nomination for ‘Nashville’ but the golden statue remains the one award she is missing.

Cynthia Erivo

Erivo is a vocal powerhouse who is currently missing only an Oscar to complete her EGOT. She won a Tony, a Grammy, and a Daytime Emmy all for her work in ‘The Color Purple’ on Broadway and TV. She received two Oscar nominations for the film ‘Harriet’ for both acting and original song. Many industry experts believe she will eventually secure the final award given her immense talent.

Audra McDonald

McDonald is the most decorated performer in Tony Awards history with six wins across all four acting categories. She has won Grammys for her opera and classical recordings and an Emmy for ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’. Her dominance on Broadway is unmatched and she only needs an Oscar to finish the quartet. She continues to work in film and television which keeps that possibility alive.

Cynthia Nixon

Nixon is best known for ‘Sex and the City’ which earned her two Emmy Awards. She proved her stage chops with a Tony Award win for the play ‘Rabbit Hole’ and another for ‘The Little Foxes’. Her Grammy came from the spoken word album for ‘An Inconvenient Truth’. An Academy Award is the final honor she needs to join the EGOT club.

Cyndi Lauper

Lauper is a pop icon who found massive success in theater composition later in her career. She won a Tony for writing the score to the hit musical ‘Kinky Boots’ and has multiple Grammys for her singing career. Her Emmy win came for a guest role on the sitcom ‘Mad About You’. She needs an Oscar to complete the set and has the potential to win for original song composition.

Rachel Bay Jones

Jones rose to prominence with her role in ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ which earned her a Tony Award. She also received a Grammy for the musical’s cast album and a Daytime Emmy for her performance on a morning show segment. She is a prime example of a theater star who quickly gathered three of the four awards. An Oscar is the only accolade currently missing from her resume.

Katrina Lenk

Lenk is a mesmerizing performer who swept the awards circuit for her role in ‘The Band’s Visit’. That single project netted her a Tony Award and a Grammy for the cast recording. She also picked up a Daytime Emmy for a performance related to the show. She needs an Academy Award to become a full EGOT winner.

Julie Harris

Harris was one of the most acclaimed stage actresses of the 20th century with five competitive Tony Awards. She also won three Emmy Awards for her television work and a Grammy for the spoken word recording of ‘The Belle of Amherst’. She received an Oscar nomination for ‘The Member of the Wedding’ but never won the trophy. She remains one of the most decorated actresses to fall just short of the distinction.

Julie Andrews

Andrews is a beloved icon who is surprisingly missing a Tony Award despite her fame in musical theater. She won the Oscar for ‘Mary Poppins’ and has multiple Grammys and Emmys to her name. She famously declined a Tony nomination for ‘Victor/Victoria’ which remains a significant moment in Broadway history. A special non-competitive Tony might be her most likely path to EGOT status now.

Kate Winslet

Winslet is a screen titan who has won an Oscar for ‘The Reader’ and multiple Emmy Awards for shows like ‘Mare of Easttown’. She surprisingly won a Grammy for a spoken word album for children titled ‘Listen to the Storyteller’. She has not yet won a Tony Award and has done very little stage work in her career. A run on Broadway could easily secure her the final piece of the EGOT puzzle.

Cher

Cher is a pop culture phenomenon who won an Academy Award for her performance in ‘Moonstruck’. She has an Emmy for her variety special and a Grammy for her dance hit ‘Believe’. She is missing a Tony Award despite her life being the subject of a Broadway musical. She would need to produce or perform in a stage production to win the final award.

Adele

Adele is known for her vocal prowess but she has also collected awards in film and television. She won an Oscar for the theme song ‘Skyfall’ and an Emmy for her television concert special ‘Adele One Night Only’. Her Grammy wins are numerous and cover major categories like Album of the Year. She needs a Tony Award and could potentially win one if she ever brings a concert residency or musical to Broadway.

H.E.R.

This young R&B artist has rapidly accumulated major awards early in her career. She won an Oscar for her song ‘Fight for You’ from ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ and has collected several Grammys. She recently won a Children’s and Family Emmy Award which puts her at three out of four. A Tony Award is the only remaining hurdle for this talented multi-instrumentalist.

Kristen Anderson-Lopez

Anderson-Lopez is a songwriter best known for her work on Disney animation phenomenons like ‘Frozen’. She won Oscars for ‘Let It Go’ and ‘Remember Me’ along with Grammys for visual media songs. She secured an Emmy for the song ‘Agatha All Along’ from the series ‘WandaVision’. She is missing a Tony Award despite having adapted ‘Frozen’ for the Broadway stage.

Marilyn Bergman

The late lyricist Marilyn Bergman wrote some of the most enduring songs in film history. She won Oscars for songs like ‘The Way We Were’ and multiple Grammys and Emmys during her partnership with her husband Alan. She never won a Tony Award despite her massive success in other musical mediums. Her legacy is defined by her contributions to the Great American Songbook.

Hildur Guðnadóttir

Guðnadóttir is a composer who took the industry by storm with her haunting cello-based scores. She won an Oscar, a Grammy, and an Emmy all in the same year for her work on ‘Joker’ and the series ‘Chernobyl’. This rapid accumulation of awards put her on the verge of EGOT status almost overnight. She only needs a Tony Award to complete the quartet.

Diane Warren

Warren is one of the most prolific songwriters in history with dozens of Oscar nominations and finally an Honorary Oscar. She has won a Grammy and an Emmy for the song ‘Til It Happens to You’. She is missing a Tony Award but has written songs for potential stage adaptations. Her Honorary Oscar makes her a unique case on the list of those close to the achievement.

Elaine May

May is a sharp comedic voice who has excelled as a writer, director, and performer. She won a Tony for ‘The Waverly Gallery’ and a Grammy for her comedy work with Mike Nichols. She received an Honorary Academy Award recently which brings her total to three. She is missing an Emmy Award to complete the collection.

Diablo Cody

Cody made a splash with her debut screenplay for ‘Juno’ which earned her an Academy Award. She wrote the book for the ‘Jagged Little Pill’ musical which garnered her a Tony Award and also won a Grammy for the cast album. She is missing an Emmy Award to finish her EGOT. Her work in television makes this a very attainable goal for her future.

Judy Garland

Garland is often cited in EGOT discussions despite not winning all four in competition. She received a Juvenile Oscar and a Special Tony Award along with her competitive Grammy wins for ‘Judy at Carnegie Hall’. She never won an Emmy despite having a popular television variety series. Her status as a legend often supersedes the technicalities of the award requirements.

Carol Burnett

Burnett is a television pioneer who has won numerous Emmys for her groundbreaking variety show. She also holds a Grammy for a spoken word album and received a Special Tony Award for her contributions to the theater. She has never won an Oscar despite appearing in several films. Her comedic legacy is secure regardless of the final statuette.

Oprah Winfrey

Winfrey is a media mogul who has collected awards across multiple platforms. She holds Emmy Awards for her talk show and a Tony Award as a producer of ‘The Color Purple’. She received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy but is surprisingly missing a Grammy. She has been nominated for spoken word albums but has yet to win the gramophone.

Which of these talented women do you think will complete their EGOT first; let us know your predictions in the comments.