8 Real Award-Record Facts About Some of Entertainment’s Biggest Names
Award counts are some of the most-repeated — and most-misquoted — facts in entertainment writing. Here are eight verified records, checked against Britannica, Wikipedia and official award-body sources.
1. Meryl Streep holds the record for Academy Award nominations
Streep has received 21 Academy Award nominations across her career, more than any other actor in Oscar history, and has won three times.
2. Beyoncé is the most-awarded artist in Grammy history
By 2023, Beyoncé had won more Grammy Awards than any artist, male or female, in the ceremony’s history.
3. Tom Hanks won back-to-back Best Actor Oscars
Hanks won the Academy Award for Best Actor in consecutive years, for Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994) — a feat only a small number of actors have achieved.
4. Serena Williams holds the Open-era record for Grand Slam singles titles
Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most of any player, man or woman, during the Open era of professional tennis.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner
Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or, awarded to the world’s best footballer, five times: 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.
6. Audrey Hepburn won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony
Hepburn is among a small group of performers recognised across all four major American entertainment awards over the course of a career.
7. Zendaya is the youngest two-time Emmy winner in her category
Zendaya won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in both 2020 and 2022 for Euphoria, becoming the youngest two-time winner in that specific category.
8. Oprah Winfrey’s talk show ran for 25 seasons
The Oprah Winfrey Show aired nationally from 1986 to 2011 and became the highest-rated talk show in American television history.
Every figure above is drawn from named biography sources and cross-checked at the time of publication; award counts can change as ceremonies add new winners, so always check an official awards-body site for the latest total.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the most Academy Award nominations of any actor?
Meryl Streep, with 21 nominations.
Who holds the record for most Grammy Awards won?
Beyoncé holds the record for most Grammy wins of any artist, as of 2023.
