Oscar Awards
These are the youngest and oldest winners so far
Both Clint Eastwood (l.) and Adrien Brody hold an Oscar record.
© Globe Photos Inc, 2003/ImageCollect / HollywoodNewsWire/ImageCollect
There have been numerous winners throughout the history of the Oscars. Which of them holds the records as the oldest and youngest winner?
The 96th edition of the Academy Awards will take place on the night of March 11th. Some award winners who received the golden boy were almost as old as the Oscar itself. But many a youngster has already received the film industry’s most important award. These are the record holders as the youngest and oldest Oscar winners.
Best Actor
The record for the oldest leading actor is still young: Anthony Hopkins (86) introduced him in 2021. The Welshman was 83 years old when he won for the dementia drama “The Father”. 83 years and 115 days to be exact. Hopkins is also the oldest nominee in this category and the oldest person ever to win in any acting category.
The record for the youngest leading actor has stood for over 20 years. Adrien Brody (50) was only 29 years old when he won for “The Pianist” in 2003. A long way from the youngest candidate ever nominated for a leading actor Oscar: Jackie Cooper (1922-2011) was nine years old when he entered the race for “Skippy” in 1931.
Best main actress
The oldest leading actress to date was only slightly younger than Anthony Hopkins when she won. Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) was 80 years old when she picked up her Oscar for “Miss Daisy and Her Chauffeur” in 1990.
The youngest leading actress was Marlee Matlin (58). At the age of 21, she received an award for “God’s Forgotten Children.” She set another record as the first deaf person to win an Oscar. Two years ago, Troy Kotsur (55), Matlin’s film partner from “CODA”, followed suit.
Best supporting actor
Veteran actor Christopher Plummer (1929-2021) was 82 years old when he accepted the supporting actor Oscar for “Beginners” in 2012. Six years later, the Canadian was nominated again, but came away empty-handed for “All the Money in the World.” This makes him the oldest person ever to be nominated in an acting category.
Actually, it was more of a leading role that Timothy Hutton (63) played in Robert Redford’s directorial debut “A Completely Normal Family” (1980). Nevertheless, he won the supporting actor Oscar for this, being the youngest actor to date at the age of 20. After that, my career went downhill.
Hutton is a senior opposite Justin Henry (52). At the tender age of 8, he was suggested for his supporting role as a child of divorcee in “Kramer vs. Kramer”. To date, he is the youngest person ever to be nominated for an Oscar.
The best supporting actress
Peggy Ashcroft (1907-1991) was almost a youngster in comparison when she received the supporting role Oscar in 1985 for “Journey to India”. At 77, she is the only person under 80 among the record holders in the four acting categories.
Tatum O’Neal (60) is not only the youngest best supporting actress, but also the youngest person to ever win a regular Academy Award. The honorary Oscar that Shirley Temple (1928-2014) received at the age of six does not officially count. Tatum O’Neal won at age 10 in 1974 for “Paper Moon.”
Best Direction
Clint Eastwood is still in business at 93 years old. It’s almost no surprise that he’s also the oldest director to ever win an Oscar. He was 74 years old when he won the Academy Award for “Million Dollar Baby” in 2005.
The youngest winner in the directing category is Damien Chazelle (39). He was 32 years old when he won for “La La Land.” By the standards of acting categories, almost a pensioner.