A Legacy of Gold: The Oscar Female Winners

As we are looking forward to the 97th Academy Awards, there is one thing that is certain: it will be the talk of the Tinseltown for some time. The Academy Awards, a beacon of cinematic excellence, have honored countless brilliant performers over the years. Among them, the women who have taken home the Best Actress Oscar stand as icons, their talent etching their names in Hollywood history. Here's a flashback of these extraordinary women and their award-winning performances. Though we couldn’t include them all, the following are just a tiny taste of Hollywood's talented, empowered, and amazing women.

Janet Gaynor (1929)

Won for: "7th Heaven," "Street Angel," and "Sunrise."

Oscar fact: Gaynor is the only actress to win the Oscar for multiple roles in a single year and for performances in three separate films.

Mary Pickford (1930)

Won for: "Coquette."

Oscar fact: Pickford was one of the original 36 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences founders

Katharine Hepburn (1934)

Won for: "Morning Glory."

Oscar fact: Hepburn held the record for the most Best Actress wins (4) for many years.

Claudette Colbert (1935)

Won for: "It Happened One Night."

Oscar fact: Colbert initially didn't want to do the movie.

Luise Rainer (1937, 1938)

Won for: "The Great Ziegfeld" and "The Good Earth."

Fun fact: Rainer was the first actress to win back-to-back Oscars.

Vivien Leigh (1940, 1952)

Won for: "Gone with the Wind" and "A Streetcar Named Desire."

Oscar fact: Her portrayal of Scarlett O'Hara is one of the most iconic performances in film history.

Joan Fontaine (1942)

Won for: "Suspicion."

Oscar fact: Fontaine's win created a famous rivalry with her sister, Olivia de Havilland.

Joan Crawford (1946)

Won for: "Mildred Pierce."

Oscar fact: Crawford famously accepted her award from her bed.

Judy Holliday (1951)

Won for: "Born Yesterday."

Oscar fact: Holliday's win was considered an upset at the time, and her victory came as a surprise to many.

Audrey Hepburn (1954)

Won for: "Roman Holiday."

Oscar fact: Hepburn's elegance and charm made her a timeless icon.

Grace Kelly (1955)

Won for: "The Country Girl."

Oscar fact: She left her acting career to become Princess of Monaco.

Sophia Loren (1961)

Won for: "Two Women."

Oscar fact: She was the first actress to win an Oscar for a foreign-language performance.

Anne Bancroft (1962)

Won for: "The Miracle Worker."

Oscar fact Her powerful portrayal of Anne Sullivan left a lasting impact.

Julie Andrews (1964)

Won for: "Mary Poppins."

Oscar fact: Her film debut earned her an Oscar.

Elizabeth Taylor (1966)

Won for: "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Oscar fact: Her performance was considered a very bold and raw departure from her previous glamorous roles.

Katharine Hepburn (1968)

Won for: "The Lion in Winter."

Oscar fact: She tied with Barbra Streisand that year, a rare occurrence.

Barbra Streisand (1968)

Won for: "Funny Girl."

Oscar fact: She shared the win with Katharine Hepburn, resulting in a tie.

Jane Fonda (1971, 1978)

Won for: "Klute" and "Coming Home."

Oscar fact: She's known for her activism as well as her acting.

Louise Fletcher (1975)

Won for: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Oscar fact: Her acceptance speech was memorable for its use of sign language.

Diane Keaton (1977)

Won for: "Annie Hall."

Oscar fact: Her style in the film became a fashion trend.

Sally Field (1979, 1984)

Won for: "Norma Rae" and "Places in the Heart."

Oscar fact:: Her "You like me!" acceptance speech is iconic.

Geraldine Page (1985)

Won for: "The Trip to Bountiful."

Oscar fact: This was her eighth Oscar nomination.

Marlee Matlin (1986)

Won for: "Children of a Lesser God."

Oscar fact: She's the first deaf actress to win an Oscar.

Jodie Foster (1988, 1991)

Won for: "The Accused" and "The Silence of the Lambs."

Oscar fact: She began her career as a child actress.

Jessica Tandy (1989)

Won for: "Driving Miss Daisy."

Oscar fact: She was the oldest actress to win Best Actress.

Gwyneth Paltrow (1998)

Won for: "Shakespeare in Love."

Oscar fact: Her emotional acceptance speech was widely discussed.

Julia Roberts (2000)

Won for: "Erin Brockovich."

Oscar fact: She was already a major box office star.

Charlize Theron (2003)

Won for: "Monster."

Oscar fact: She underwent a dramatic physical transformation for the role.

Reese Witherspoon (2005)

Won for: "Walk the Line."

Oscar fact: She did her own singing as June Carter Cash.

Helen Mirren (2006)

Won for: "The Queen."

Oscar fact: Her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II was highly praised.

Marion Cotillard (2007)

Won for: "La Vie en Rose."

Oscar fact: She's the first actress to win an Oscar for a French-language performance.

Kate Winslet (2008)

Won for: "The Reader."

Oscar fact: She had received multiple nominations before her win.

Sandra Bullock (2009)

Won for: "The Blind Side."

Oscar fact: She won both an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year.

Natalie Portman (2010)

Won for: "Black Swan."

Oscar fact: She trained extensively in ballet for the role.

Meryl Streep (1979, 1982, 2011)

Won for: “Kramer vs Kramer”, “Sophie’s Choice”, and "The Iron Lady."

Oscar fact: She holds the record for the most Oscar nominations.

Renée Zellweger (2019)

Won for: "Judy."

Oscar fact: Zellweger's portrayal of Judy Garland involved extensive vocal training and a deep dive into the iconic performer's life, showing her dedication to the role.

Frances McDormand (1997, 2018, 2021)

Won for: "Fargo", "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri", and "Nomadland."

Oscar fact: This win marked McDormand's third Best Actress Oscar. She also was a producer for the film.

Michelle Yeoh (2022)

Won for: "Everything Everywhere All at Once."

Oscar fact: Yeoh made history as the first Asian woman to win the Best Actress Oscar, a significant milestone in the Academy's history.

Emma Stone (2023)

Won for: "Poor Things."

Oscar fact: During her acceptance speech, she handled a dress malfunction with humor and gave a very loving speech to her family.

Photos: Audrey Hepburn, Vivian Leigh, Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep