So Close…
There are countless prestigious awards to be won in the entertainment industry. Nobody can win them all, but those who have received a collection of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards—or an EGOT—may as well have. Not everyone is that lucky though, so here are some celebrities who are just shy of an award that would push them to EGOT status.
Lily Tomlin
In keeping with the name, it makes sense for our first EGOT contender to be a television actress. Lily Tomlin—perhaps most well-known for the show Grace and Frankie—has seven Emmy awards, a Grammy, and two Tonys. She’s missing an Oscar, but she was nominated for the film Nashville. Still, she’s not the only comedy queen on this list.
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Bette Midler
Similarly, Bette Midler also needs only an Oscar to reach EGOT status, but she was nominated twice for The Rose and For the Boys. Known for the movie Hocus Pocus, as well as her many stage performances, Midler has accrued three Emmys, three Grammys, and a Tony. Along with the next actress, she is one of the most iconic movie witches.
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Maggie Smith
Downton Abbey and the Harry Potter franchise are just a couple of iconic credits to Maggie Smith’s name. With two Oscars, four Emmys, and one Tony, she only needs a Grammy to become an EGOT winner. She’s not the last popular witch on this list, though.
Jessica Lange
Fans loved Jessica Lange in things like Tootsie and the American Horror Story series. Her talent was enough to collect a Tony award, two Oscars, and three Emmys, making her a Grammy away from an EGOT.
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Helen Mirren
As another well-respected actress with a prestigious career, Helen Mirren also needs only a Grammy to become an EGOT winner. Besides that, she has accumulated an Oscar, a Tony, and five Emmys—similar to a co-star of hers.
Jeremy Irons
Along with his co-star, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons was able to snag one of his three Emmys for Elizabeth I. He also won a Tony and an Oscar, leaving only a Grammy to go, despite his role in The Real Thing getting him a nomination.
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Christopher Plummer
Going from playing an Englishman to an actor that many people mistake for being English, Christopher Plummer was also only a Grammy away from gaining EGOT status. He had been nominated for his musical contributions to Nutcracker, but beyond that had won two Emmys, two Tonys, and an Oscar. He’s not the only musical EGOT contender from his time, though.
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Dick Van Dyke
Mr. Cockney himself, Dick Van Dyke has collected awards for movies like Mary Poppins and stage performances like Bye Bye Birdie. Over his career, he has won a Grammy, a Tony, and six Emmys, leaving only a missing Oscar for this amazing musical actor. Of course, there are still plenty of musicians who also act.
HER
While she has appeared on television a few times, HER is primarily an R&B artist with hit songs like “I Can’t Breathe” and “Better Than I Imagined”. With her talents, she has won an Oscar, an Emmy, and five Grammys, so here’s hoping for a Tony in her future!
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Cher
Not only is Cher one of the most famous singers in the world, but she’s also had a long television career. In the past, she’s won one each of the Emmys, Grammys, and Oscars, needing just a Tony to take home the EGOT. However, there are a few other iconic singers on this list.
Cyndi Lauper
This ‘80s pop sensation is even more than her music, acting in several shows like Mad About You and The Horror of Dolores Roach. So far, Cyndi Lauper has collected a Tony, an Emmy, and two Grammys, leaving only an Oscar between her and EGOT status. Still, she’s not the only iconic voice to almost win an EGOT.
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Adele
Adele has one of the most recognizable singing voices in the business. So it’s no wonder that aside from each of her Tony and Oscar awards, she has a whopping sixteen Grammy wins under her belt. Like a couple of other British musicians, she just needs a Tony to get that EGOT.
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Ringo Starr
Holding three-quarters of an EGOT is the former drummer of The Beatles, Ringo Starr. He has accepted an Emmy, and Oscar, and has been nominated for a Grammy a total of twenty-seven times, winning nine of them. While undoubtedly impressive, it still isn’t as many as his bandmate.
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Paul McCartney
Just like Ringo, Paul McCartney has one each of the Oscars and Emmys but doubles his bandmate with eighteen Grammys. While his Oscar was for the score in the documentary Let It Be, McCartney—like several other musicians—is no stranger to acting.
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Eminem
The star of 8 Mile and the creator of “Rap God” naturally has won all kinds of awards—well, almost all. So far, Eminem has an Oscar, a Grammy, and fifteen Grammys to his name. He’s only missing a Tony, a fact that he has in common with someone else.
Common
It seems a lot of musicians are in the same boat of being a Tony away from an EGOT. With one Emmy, one Oscar, and three Grammys, the recording artist and actor Common is just about there.
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Lin Manuel Miranda
A star in almost all mediums, Lin Manuel Miranda is surprisingly only missing an Oscar for his EGOT. He was Oscar-nominated for both “How Far I’ll Go” and “Dos Oruguitas,” but besides that, he has already won five Grammys, three Emmys, and three Tonys. Coincidentally, he’s done a lot of work with another EGOT contender.
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Bill Sherman
Bill Sherman is a composer whose extensive career had him working on In the Heights, Hamilton, and Sesame Street, all of which won him awards. While he still needs an Oscar for his EGOT, he has otherwise won a Tony, two Grammys, and three Emmys. However, he’s far from the only musical theatre composer on this list.
Charles Strouse
With one Emmy, one Grammy, and three Tonys, Charles Strouse joins the ranks of composers who are just an Oscar shy of an EGOT. Strouse is most well known for his work on Bye Bye Birdie and Annie.
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Pasek & Paul
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul form the songwriting duo Pasek & Paul, who have won two Grammys, two Tonys, and an Oscar for their talents on Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land, and The Greatest Showman. Like the next contender, they’ve dabbled both in musical theatre and composing for film.
Randy Newman
It’s impossible to get through most of Pixar’s early films without hearing Randy Newman's compositions. Over his life, he has won seven Grammys, three Emmys, and—out of his twenty-two nominations—two Oscars. Now he just needs a Tony and he’ll be good to go!
Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Kristen Anderson-Lopez is best known for her work on some of the most beloved Disney projects such as Frozen, Coco, and WandaVision. So far, she has won two Oscars, two Grammys, and an Emmy. Although she hasn’t won a Tony, she was nominated for the stage production of Frozen.
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Michael Giacchino
From Disney animated movies to the Jurassic World franchise to many Marvel movies, Michael Giacchino has seen it all. It’s hard to believe he isn’t already an EGOT winner, but with an Oscar, an Emmy, and three Grammys, he’s not far behind. In terms of credits, though, there may be one composer that takes the cake.
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John Williams
A master of his craft, John Williams has won three out of his six nominated Emmys, but he’s also won five out of fifty-four Oscar nominations. Even more than that, though, he won twenty-six out of a massive seventy-six Grammy nominations! He may be most well known for composing the music for Star Wars, but lately, someone else has joined him in that honor.
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Ludwig Göransson
Ludwig Göransson is perhaps best known for his work on The Mandalorian, the Black Panther movies, and more recently, Oppenheimer. Like Michael Giacchino, he also dabbles in all sorts of projects, having won two Oscars, two Emmys, and four Grammys. But let’s take a look at those in front of the camera.
Frances McDormand
Known especially for her versatility, Frances McDormand has led one of the most critically acclaimed careers out there. With a Tony, two Emmys, and four Oscars, the Fargo and Women Talking actress is just a Grammy away from her EGOT.
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Al Pacino
With iconic roles like Michael Corleone in The Godfather and the titular Scarface, to his complex character in Hunters, Al Pacino just oozes talent. As such, he has collected an Oscar, two Emmys, and two Tonys. He just needs a Grammy, but his performance in The Complete Shakespeare Sonnets did get him a nomination.
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Vanessa Redgrave
Having over 150 film and TV credits, and even more stage credits, Vanessa Redgrave’s multifaceted career is one for the books. Her Oscar, Tony, and two Emmys leave her just in need of a Grammy to get her EGOT. She’s often played a queen, but the King may have more need of this next actor.
Geoffrey Rush
Recognizable from his fan-favorite roles in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and the acclaimed The King’s Speech, Geoffrey Rush brings an undeniable gravitas to all his performances. With one Emmy, Tony, and Oscar, he also only needs a Grammy to become an EGOT winner.
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Kate Winslet
Although she’s perhaps most famous for her defining role as Rose in Titanic, Kate Winslet's EGOT contributing awards didn’t come till later. In total, she has an Oscar, a Grammy, and two Emmys. But let’s take another step back behind the camera.
Ron Howard
From his iconic portrayal of Richie Cunningham in Happy Days, Ron Howard became one of the most prestigious directors/producers of the last century. Naturally, he has won five Emmys, two Oscars, and a Grammy, leaving only a Tony to go. Speaking of prestigious directors…
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Martin Scorcese
Known especially for the sophistication of his films, Martin Scorsese is the cream of the crop when it comes to directing. He only needs a Tony award and has surprisingly only won one Oscar, along with a Grammy, and three Emmys. However, not all filmmakers can be as distinguished as Scorcese.
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Matt Stone
As one of the creators of South Park, Matt Stone has won five Emmys. At the same time, though, his part in creating the hit musical The Book of Mormon snagged him a Grammy and three Tonys. But he didn’t do it all alone.
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Trey Parker
Birds of a feather are apparently also EGOT contenders together. The other creator of South Park and The Book of Mormon, Trey Parker, has a Grammy, four Tonys, and five Emmys as well. Although nominated for the song “Blame Canada” in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, he also hasn’t won an Oscar yet—just like one of their The Book of Mormon actors.
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Ben Platt
Before he originated the role of Evan Hansen, Ben Platt had starred in productions like The Book of Mormon and co-starred in movies like Pitch Perfect. However, it wasn’t until he was in Dear Evan Hansen that he was able to secure a win for the Emmys, Grammys, and Tonys for the performance. Of course, he’s not the only Broadway actor who’s close to an EGOT.
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Billy Porter
In another case of an actor originating their role, Billy Porter won two of his EGOT contributing awards—a Grammy and one out of two Tonys—from his performance as Lola in Kinky Boots. He also won one other Tony for A Strange Loop, and an Emmy for the series, Pose.
Audra McDonald
As a six-time Tony award winner, Audra McDonald’s expertise on stage doesn’t need to be explained. However, it should be stated that she’s also won an Emmy and two Grammys, making her talent all the more evident. If she wins an Oscar as well, she would certainly be welcomed as an EGOT winner.
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Ari’el Stachel
Similar to previous actors, Ari’el Stachel won all his contributing EGOT awards from a single show. His Tony award, Grammy award, and Emmy award were all from his performance in the musical The Band’s Visit. He has also acted in things like Don’t Worry Darling and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but he’s not the only stage performer turned screen actor.
Cynthia Erivo
As she is about to grace the theatrical screens as Elphaba in Wicked, Cynthia Erivo’s acting and singing chops speak for themselves. Her EGOT awards have also all been from one role—her performance in The Color Purple—for which she received an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony. Although she hasn’t won an Oscar, she was nominated twice.
Hugh Jackman
A big name both on the silver screen and center stage, it’s a little unbelievable that Hugh Jackman hasn’t gotten an EGOT yet. He has been close though, as he was Oscar-nominated for his role in Les Miserables without winning. Aside from that, he has won two Tonys, a Grammy, and an Emmy.
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Julie Andrews
A true Jack—or Jill—of all trades, Julie Andrews has accumulated many awards over her career. Like others, she has the first three of the four awards in an EGOT: two Emmys, three Grammys, and an Oscar. While she was nominated for a Tony three times, she hasn’t won one yet—and the reason why may be utterly scandalous.
Julie Andrews
Many believe Andrews was snubbed at the 1957 Tony Awards, when Judy Holliday took home the award for Best Lead Actress for her performance in Bells are Ringing. While Holliday's performance was incredible, many think that Andrews turn in My Fair Lady was a cut better. Andrews would later spark controversy at the 1996 Tony Awards when she publicly turned down the nomination for Best Lead Actress. While she would have been in good standing to finally take home a Tony, Andrews was outraged that she was the only star of Victor/Victoria to be nominated for an award, as everyone had put on stellar performances. In a show of protest and solidarity with her co-stars, Andrews gave up the nomination—and, it seems, her chance to reach EGOT status.
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