UPDATED VERSION
There are only 17 EGOT winners since the first recipient, Richard Rodgers, of this coveted awards won all four in 1962. Interestingly enough the actual term “EGOT” was coined two decades later in 1984 by Philip Michael Thomas. When his role on the new hit show Miami Vice brought him instant fame, and he stated a desire to achieve the EGOT within five years. Thomas has never been nominated for any of the EGOT awards.
But a person who is very close to achieving that status is Viola Davis, who is on track to become the 18th EGOT winner.
Viola is nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording, for narrating her recent memoir Finding Me. Her competitors in the category are Jamie Foxx and Questlove, Mel Brooks (who already has an EGOT), and Lin-Manuel Miranda (who already has an Emmy and is just an Oscar short of an EGOT).
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If (When) she wins she will be the fourth Black actor and third Black actress to win.
In the past 50 years only 18 people have ever received this award, which is proof how hard it is to acheive and how versatile you have to be to win. So in honor of the immensely talented Viola Davis so close to winning, let’s take a look at the celebrities who are also only one award away from EGOT status below.
H.E.R.’s recent Emmy win at the first Children’s and Family Emmy Awards for Outstanding Short Form Program for the Netflix animated series We the People, makes her only on award away from being an EGOT recipient. And depending how long it takes her to score a Tony, she’s also on track to being the youngest and fastest EGOT winner.
MISSING: Tony Award
Emmy: Outstanding Short Form Program for We the People (2022) — Children’s and Famiily Emmy Awards
Grammy: 5 Grammy Awards
Oscar: Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (non competitive)
Tony:Best featured Actor in a Musical Category for John Murray Anderson’s Almanac (1954)
Harry Belafonte has technically won in all four categories, except their fourth win is a non-competitive trophy; which doesn’t give him EGOT status.
MISSING: An Academy Award, competitive
Emmy: Oustanding Performance in a Variety or Musical Program or Series for The Revlon Revue (1960)
Grammy: 3 Grammy Awards
Oscar: Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (non competitive)
Tony:Best featured Actor in a Musical Category for John Murray Anderson’s Almanac (1954)
Quincy Jones has technically won in all four categories, except their fourth win is a non-competitive trophy; which doesn’t give him EGOT status.
MISSING: An Academy Award, competitive ( but he was nominated for 7 Oscars in competitive categories)
Emmy:
Grammy: 28 Grammy Awards
Oscar: Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (non competitive)
Tony:Best Revival of a Musical for The Color Purple (2016)
James Earl Jones has technically won in all four categories, except their fourth win is a non-competitive trophy; which doesn’t give him EGOT status.
MISSING: An Academy Award, competitive (but he was nominated for his role in 1971’s The Great White Hope)
Emmy: 2 Emmy Awards
Grammy: Best Spoken Word Album for Great American Documents (1977)
Oscar: Academy Honorary Award (non-competitive category)
Tony: 3 Tony Awards
Cynthia Erivo
MISSING: Oscar but was nominated
Emmy:
Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album for Color Purple
Tony:Best Actress Category for The Color Purple
Stan Lathan
MISSING: Oscar
Emmy: 3 Emmy Awards
Grammy: 2 Grammy Awards
Tony: Best Special Theatrical Event for Def Poetry Jam on Broadway
Audra McDonald
MISSING: Oscar
Emmy: Outstanding Special Class Program for Live From Lincoln Center (2009)
Grammy: 2 Grammy Awards
Tony:6 Tony Awards
Lin-Manuel Miranda
MISSING: Oscar but was nominated
Emmy: Oustanding Original Music and Lyrics for Bigger! (2014)
Grammy: 3 Grammy Awards
Tony: 3 Tony Awards
Billy Porter
MISSING: Oscar
Emmy: 3 Emmy Awards
Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album for Kinky Boots (2013)
Tony: 2 Tony Awards
Bette Midler
MISSING: Oscar but was nominated
Emmy: 3 Emmy Awards
Grammy: 3 Grammy Awards
Tony:2 Tony Awards
Andre De Shields
MISSING: Oscar
Emmy: Outstanding Individual Achievement for Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1982)
Grammy: Best Musical Theater Album for Hadestown (2019)
Tony: 3 Tony Awards
Common
MISSING: Tony
Emmy: Oustanding Original Music and Lyrics for 13th (2017)
Grammy: 3 Grammy Awards
Oscar: Best Original Song with Glory (2015)
Adele
MISSING: Tony
Emmy: Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Series Or Special for One Night Only (2022)
Grammy: 6 Grammy Awards
Oscar: Best Original Song for Skyfall (2013)
Cher
MISSING: Tony
Emmy: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for Cher – The Farewell Tour (2003)
Grammy: Best Dance Recording for Believe (2000)
Oscar: Best Actress for Moonstruck (1988)
Eminem
MISSING: Tony
Emmy: Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for The Pepsi Superbowl LVI Halftime Show
Grammy: 15 Grammys
Oscar: Best Original Song for Lose Yourself (2003)
Martin Scorsese
MISSING: Tony
Emmy: 3 Emmy Awards
Grammy: Best Music Film for No Direction Home (2006)
Oscar: Best Director for The Departed (2007)
Al Pacino
MISSING: Grammy award although he was nominated for it
Emmy: 2 Emmy Awards
Oscar: Best Actor for Scent of a Woman (1993)
Tony: 2 Tony Awards