The world of entertainment is filled with accolades that recognize the hard work, creativity, and talent of artists across various genres. Among these, four prestigious awards stand out: the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Collectively known as the EGOT, these awards represent the pinnacle of achievement in television, music, film, and theater. Winning even one of these awards is a monumental success, but a select few have managed to claim all four, joining the elite club of EGOT winners. The term “EGOT” was first coined by actor Philip Michael Thomas during a 1984 interview, where he expressed his ambition to achieve this remarkable feat. As award season unfolds, we take a closer look at the exceptional talents who have reached this extraordinary milestone.
In the past year, the songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul achieved EGOT status after winning an Emmy for Best Original Music and Lyrics for a song featured in the third season of Only Murders in the Building. The prodigious 23-year-old Billie Eilish is already halfway to EGOT status, while pop sensation Taylor Swift has an Emmy and multiple Grammys under her belt, eyeing an Oscar for her original song “Carolina” from the soundtrack of Where the Crawdads Sing—though it was ultimately snubbed at the Academy Awards. Other stars like Adele, Julie Andrews, Cher, Eminem, Cynthia Erivo, H.E.R., Hugh Jackman, Cyndi Lauper, Paul McCartney, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Martin Scorsese, Ringo Starr, and Kate Winslet are all just one award shy of joining this exclusive club. Let’s delve into the illustrious history of those who have achieved the coveted EGOT status.
All the EGOT Winner Celebrities in History
Richard Rodgers (1902-1979)
Richard Rodgers was the first-ever EGOT recipient, achieving this milestone long before the term was coined. His journey began in 1945 when he won an Oscar for Best Original Song for “It Might As Well Be Spring” from State Fair. Over the years, he garnered multiple Tony Awards, many in collaboration with Oscar Hammerstein II, co-writing several iconic Broadway musicals. In 1960, he won his first Grammy for The Sound of Music, followed by an Emmy in 1962 for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composed for Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years.
Helen Hayes (1900 – 1993)
Helen Hayes became the first woman to achieve EGOT status in 1977, just months after Rita Moreno. She won her first Oscar in 1932 for Best Actress in The Sin of Madelon Claudet. Her first Tony came in 1947 for her performance in Happy Birthday, and she secured an Emmy in 1953 for Schlitz Playhouse of Stars: Not a Chance. It took her until 1977 to win a Grammy, which she received for Best Spoken Word Album for Great American Documents.
Rita Moreno (1931–)
Rita Moreno is the first Latino EGOT winner and the third person in history to achieve this honor. She won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in West Side Story in 1961. In 1972, she won an Academy Award for Best Recording for Children for The Electric Company. Three years later, she earned a Tony for her role in The Ritz, and in 1997, she won an Emmy for her appearance on The Muppet Show, completing her EGOT journey in just 16 years.
Sir John Gielgud (1904 – 2000)
Sir John Gielgud completed his EGOT collection in 1991 at the age of 87, becoming the first LGBTQ+ artist to achieve this feat. His journey began in 1948 with a Tony Award for The Importance of Being Earnest. He won a Grammy in 1979 for Best Spoken Word Documentary for Ages of Man, followed by an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Arthur. His final accolade was an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in Summer’s Lease in 1991.
Audrey Hepburn (1929 – 1993)
The iconic Audrey Hepburn achieved EGOT status in 1994, although she was unable to celebrate as two of her awards were posthumously awarded. She won an Oscar in 1954 for Roman Holiday and a Tony for Ondine the same year. After her passing, she won an Emmy for Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn and a Grammy for her narration in Audrey Hepburn’s Enchanted Tales.
Marvin Hamlisch (1944–2012)
Marvin Hamlisch became an EGOT winner in 1995, having received two Emmys for Barbra: The Concert. He won three Oscars in 1973 for The Way We Were and The Sting, along with three Grammys for the same films. In 1976, he won a Tony Award for Best Musical Score for A Chorus Line, solidifying his place among the elite.
Jonathan Tunick (1938 – )
Jonathan Tunick achieved EGOT status in 1997. He won an Oscar for A Little Night Music in 1978, followed by an Emmy for Night of 100 Stars in 1982. He received a Grammy in 1988 for his arrangement of No One Is Alone and completed his collection with a Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for Titanic in 1997.
Mike Nichols (1931 – 2014)
Mike Nichols, known for his work as a director and comedian, achieved EGOT status in 2001 after winning two Emmys for Wit. He won nine Tony Awards for productions like Annie and The Odd Couple. Nichols received a Grammy in 1961 for his performance in An Evening With Mike Nichols and Elaine May, and an Academy Award in 1967 for The Graduate.
Mel Brooks (1926 – )
Mel Brooks joined the EGOT club in 2001 after winning a Tony for The Producers. He received his first Emmy in 1967 for The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special, and won three more for Mad About You. In 1968, he won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for The Producers and a Grammy in 1999 for The 2000 Year Old Man In The Year 2000.
Whoopi Goldberg (1955 – )
Whoopi Goldberg is the first Black woman to achieve EGOT status. She won her first Grammy in 1985 for Best Comedy Recording. Goldberg earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Ghost in 1990, followed by a Daytime Emmy for Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel in 2002, and a Tony Award as co-producer of Thoroughly Modern Millie in the same year.
Scott Rudin (1975 – )
Scott Rudin is a controversial producer and an EGOT winner with 18 Tony Awards. He won his first Tony in 1994 for Passion, and his first Emmy for Best Children’s Program in 1984. Rudin won an Oscar for Best Picture for No Country for Old Men in 2007 and a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album for The Book of Mormon in 2012.
Robert Lopez (1975 – )
Robert Lopez is the youngest EGOT winner and the only artist to hold a double EGOT, with at least two awards in each category. He won his first Tony in 2004 for Avenue Q and two more for The Book of Mormon in 2011. Lopez earned two Emmys for Wonder Pets and an Oscar for “Let It Go” from Frozen in 2014, followed by another Oscar for “Remember Me” from Coco in 2018.
Sir Tim Rice (1944-)
Sir Tim Rice, a frequent collaborator with Andrew Lloyd Webber, achieved EGOT status in 2018. He won a Tony and a Grammy for Evita in 1980, and an Oscar for “A Whole New World” from Aladdin in 1992. Rice also won an Emmy for Outstanding Live Variety Special for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert in 2018.
Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948-)
Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber completed his EGOT collection in 2018 alongside Tim Rice. He won a Tony and a Grammy for Evita in 1980, an Oscar for the same musical in 1996, and an Emmy for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. Webber has also received multiple Grammys and Tonys for his contributions to musicals like Cats and Sunset Boulevard.
John Legend (1978 –)
John Legend made history as the first African-American male to achieve EGOT status at 39 years old. He has won 12 Grammy Awards and an Oscar for “Glory” from Selma in 2014. Legend earned a Tony as a co-producer for Jitney in 2017 and an Emmy for his performance in Jesus Christ Superstar in 2018.
Alan Menken (1949 –)
Alan Menken, known for his iconic Disney compositions, has won ten Grammys and eight Oscars, making him the EGOT artist with the most Oscar wins. He received a Tony for Newsies in 2012 and capped off his collection with an Emmy for “Waiting in the Wings” from Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure in 2020.
Jennifer Hudson (1981 –)
Jennifer Hudson is one of the most recent EGOT recipients, achieving this status in 2022 as a co-producer of A Strange Loop on Broadway. She won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Dreamgirls, two Grammys for her musical work, and a Daytime Emmy for her animated short Baby Yaga in 2022.
Viola Davis (1965 –)
Viola Davis joined the EGOT club in 2023 after winning a Grammy for her audiobook Finding Me. She previously won two Tonys for King Hedley II and Fences, an Emmy for How to Get Away With Murder, and an Oscar for her role in Fences, making her the 18th EGOT winner in history.
Elton John (1947-)
Elton John recently joined the EGOT ranks, winning an Emmy for Best Variety Special (Live) for Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium at the delayed 2023 Emmys. He has received two Oscars for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “I’m Gonna Love Me Again,” five Grammys, and a Tony for Best Original Score for Aida.
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (1985 –)
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are the most recent EGOT winners, completing their collection at the 2024 Emmys. They won Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Musical for Dear Evan Hansen in 2017, an Oscar for “City of Stars” from La La Land, a Grammy for Dear Evan Hansen, and their Emmy for the song “Which Of The Pickwick Triplets Did It?” from Only Murders in the Building.
(Main and featured image: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images via AFP)
This article was first published on Prestige Malaysia
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
