ComScore

Every Woman Who Has Ever Won an Academy Award for Best Actress

academy award for best actress
Steve Granitz/Getty Images

We’ve already filled out our Oscars ballot as we patiently anxiously wait for the Academy to crown the next set of winners on February 9. In honor of the 92nd annual ceremony, we’ve compiled a list of every woman who has ever won an Academy Award for Best Actress. From Janet Gaynor to Olivia Colman, keep reading to see all the winners.

best actress janet gaynor
Hulton Archive/Getty Images

1.

Janet Gaynor

Year: 1929

Role(s): Diane in 7th Heaven, Angela in Street Angel and The Wife in Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

best actress mary pickford
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

2.

 Mary Pickford

Year: 1930

Role: Norma Besant in Coquette

best actress norma shearer
Bettmann/Getty images

3.

 Norma Shearer

Year: 1931

Role: Jerry Bernard Martin in The Divorcee

best actress marie dressler
APIC/Getty Images

4.

 Marie Dressler

Year: 1932

Role: Min Divot in Min and Bill

best actress helen hayes
Fox Photos/Getty Images

5.

 Helen Hayes

Year: 1933

Role: Madelon Claudet in The Sin of Madelon Claudet

best actress katharine hepburn
Ernest Bachrach/John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images

6.

Katharine Hepburn

Year: 1934

Role: Eva Lovelace in Morning Glory

best actress claudette colbert
Earl Theisen/Getty Images

7.

 Claudette Colbert

Year: 1935

Role: Ellie Andrews in It Happened One Night

best actress bette davis
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

8.

Bette Davis

Year: 1936

Role: Joyce Heath in Dangerous

best actress luise rainer
George Hurrell/MGM/Margaret Chute/Getty Images

9.

 Luise Rainer

Year: 1937

Role: Anna Held in The Great Ziegfeld

best actress luise rainer oscar
William Grimes/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

10.

 Luise Rainer

Year: 1938

Role: O-Lan in The Good Earth

bette davis oscar best actress
Keystone/Getty Images

11.

 Bette Davis

Year: 1939

Role: Julie Marsden in Jezebel

best actress vivien leigh
Bettmann/Getty Images

12.

 Vivien Leigh

Year: 1940

Role: Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind

best actress ginger rogers
Bettmann/Getty Images

13.

Ginger Rogers

Year: 1941

Role: Kitty Foyle in Kitty Foyle

best actress joan fontaine
Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images

14.

 Joan Fontaine

Year: 1942

Role: Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth in Suspicion

best actress greer garson
Gene Lester/Getty Images

15.

 Greer Garson

Year: 1943

Role: Kay Miniver in Mrs. Miniver

best actress jennifer jones
Archive Photos/Getty Images

16.

 Jennifer Jones

Year: 1944

Role: Bernadette Soubirous in The Song of Bernadette

ingrid bergman best actress
Hulton Archive/Getty Images

17.

 Ingrid Bergman

Year: 1945

Role: Paula Alquist Anton in Gaslight

best actress joan crawford
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

18.

 Joan Crawford

Year: 1946

Role: Mildred Pierce Beragon in Mildred Pierce

best actress olivia de havilland
Bettmann/Getty Images

19.

 Olivia de Havilland

Year: 1947

Role: Josephine “Jody” Norris in To Each His Own

best actress loretta young
Archive Photos/Getty Images

20.

 Loretta Young

Year: 1948

Role: Katie Holstrom in The Farmer’s Daughter

best actress jane wyman
Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images

21.

 Jane Wyman

Year: 1949

Role: Belinda McDonald in Johnny Belinda

olivia de havilland academy award
Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images

22.

 Olivia de Havilland

Year: 1950

Role: Catherine Sloper in The Heiress

best actress judy holliday
Kurt Hutton/Picture Post/Getty Images

23.

 Judy Holliday

Year: 1951

Role: Emma “Billie” Dawn in Born Yesterday

vivien leigh best actress
Clarence Sinclair Bull/John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images

24.

 Vivien Leigh

Year: 1952

Role: Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire

best actress shirley booth2
Bettmann/Getty Images

25.

 Shirley Booth

Year: 1953

Role: Lola Delaney in Come Back, Little Sheba

best actress audrey hepburn2
Bettmann/Getty Images

26.

 Audrey Hepburn

Year: 1954

Role: Princess Ann in Roman Holiday

best actress grace kelly2
Hulton Archive/Getty Images

27.

 Grace Kelly

Year: 1955

Role: Georgie Elgin in The Country Girl

best actress anna magnoti2
Keystone/Getty Images

28.

 Anna Magnani

Year: 1956

Role: Serafina Delle Rose in The Rose Tattoo

best actress ingrid bergman2
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

29.

 Ingrid Bergman

Year: 1957

Role: Anna Koreff in Anastasia

best actress joanne woodward2
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

30.

 Joanne Woodward

Year: 1958

Role: Eve White/Eve Black/Jane in The Three Faces of Eve

best actress susan hayward2
Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/Getty Images

31.

 Susan Hayward

Year: 1959

Role: Barbara Graham in I Want to Live!

best actress simone signoret2
Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

32.

 Simone Signoret

Year: 1960

Role: Alice Aisgill in Room at the Top

best actress elizabeth taylor
Archive Photos/Getty Images

33.

 Elizabeth Taylor

Year: 1961

Role: Gloria Wandrous in Butterfield 8

best actress sophie loren
Hulton Archive/Getty Images

34.

Sophia Loren

Year: 1962

Role: Cesira in Two Women

best actress anne bancroft
Bettmann/Getty Images

35.

 Anne Bancroft

Year: 1963

Role: Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker

best actress patricia neal
Evening Standard/Getty Images

36.

Patricia Neal

Year: 1964

Role: Alma Brown in Hud

best actress julie andrews
Keystone/Getty Images

37.

 Julie Andrews

Year: 1965

Role: Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins

best actress julie christie
Bettmann/Getty Images

38.

Julie Christie

Year: 1966

Role: Diana Scott in Darling

elizabeth taylor oscar
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

39.

 Elizabeth Taylor

Year: 1967

Role: Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

best actress katharine hepburn
Mondadori/Getty Images

40.

 Katharine Hepburn

Year: 1968

Role: Christina Drayton in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

best actress barbra streisand
Bettmann/Getty Images

41.

 Katharine Hepburn & Barbra Streisand (Tie)

Year: 1969

Role: Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter (Hepburn); Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (Streisand)

best actress maggie smith
Saxon/IMAGES/Getty Images

42.

 Maggie Smith

Year: 1970

Role: Jean Brodie in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

best actress glenda jackson
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

43.

 Glenda Jackson

Year: 1971

Role: Gudrun Brangwen in Women in Love

jane fonda best actress
Fotos International/Archive Photos/Getty Images

44.

 Jane Fonda

Year: 1972

Role: Bree Daniels in Klute

liza minnelli best actress
Bettmann/Getty Images

45.

 Liza Minnelli

Year: 1973

Role: Sally Bowles in Cabaret

glenda jackson oscar
Mike Lawn/Fox Photos/Getty Images

46.

 Glenda Jackson

Year: 1974

Role: Vickie Allessio in A Touch of Class

best actress ellen burstyn
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

47.

 Ellen Burstyn

Year: 1975

Role: Alice Graham-Hyatt in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore

best actress louise fletcher
Michael Montfort/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

48.

 Louise Fletcher

Year: 1976

Role: Nurse Mildred Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

faye dunaway best actress
Tony Korody/Sygma/Sygma/Getty Images

49.

 Faye Dunaway

Year: 1977

Role: Diana Christensen in Network

diane keaton best actress
Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

50.

Diane Keaton

Year: 1978

Role: Annie Hall in Annie Hall

jane fonda oscar
Images Press/IMAGES/Getty Images

51.

 Jane Fonda

Year: 1979

Role: Sally Hyde in Coming Home

best actress sally field
Barbara Rosen/IMAGES/Getty Images

52.

 Sally Field

Year: 1980

Role: Norma Rae Webster in Norma Rae

best actress sissy spacek
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

53.

Sissy Spacek

Year: 1981

Role: Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter

best actress katharine hepburn
Getty Images

54.

 Katharine Hepburn

Year: 1982

Role: Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond

best actress meryl streep
Images Press/IMAGES/Getty Images

55.

 Meryl Streep

Year: 1983

Role: Sophie Zawistowski in Sophie’s Choice

best actress shirley maclaine
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

56.

 Shirley MacLaine

Year: 1984

Role: Aurora Greenway in Terms of Endearment

best actress sally field1
Michael Montfort/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

57.

 Sally Field

Year: 1985

Role: Edna Spalding in Places in the Heart

best actress geraldine page
Bettmann/Getty Images

58.

 Geraldine Page

Year: 1986

Role: Carrie Watts in The Trip to Bountiful

best actress marlee matlin
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

59.

 Marlee Matlin

Year: 1987

Role: Sarah Norman in Children of a Lesser God

best actress cher
John Barr/Liaison/Getty Images

60.

 Cher

Year: 1988

Role: Loretta Castorini in Moonstruck

best actress jodie foster
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

61.

 Jodie Foster

Year: 1989

Role: Sarah Tobias in The Accused

best actress jessica tandy
MARK LOUNDY/AFP/Getty Images

62.

 Jessica Tandy

Year: 1990

Role: Daisy Werthan in Driving Miss Daisy

best actress kathy bates
Bettmann/Getty Images

63.

 Kathy Bates

Year: 1991

Role: Annie Wilkes in Misery

best actress jodie foster oscar
Fotos International/Max B. Miller/Getty Images

64.

 Jodie Foster

Year: 1992

Role: Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs

best actress emma thompson
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

65.

 Emma Thompson

Year: 1993

Role: Margaret Schlegel in Howards End

best actress holly hunter
Frank Trapper/Corbis/Getty Images

66.

 Holly Hunter

Year: 1994

Role: Ada McGrath in The Piano

best actress jessica lange
Michael Montfort/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

67.

 Jessica Lange

Year: 1995

Role: Carly Marshall in Blue Sky

best actress susan sarandon
Barry King/Liaison/Getty Images

68.

 Susan Sarandon

Year: 1996

Role: Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking

best actress frances mcdormand
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

69.

 Frances McDormand

Year: 1997

Role: Marge Gunderson in Fargo

best actress helen hunt
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

70.

 Helen Hunt

Year: 1998

Role: Carol Connelly in As Good as It Gets

best actress gwyneth paltrow
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

71.

 Gwyneth Paltrow

Year: 1999

Role: Viola de Lesseps/Thomas Kent in Shakespeare in Love

best actress hilary swank
Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images

72.

 Hilary Swank

Year: 2000

Role: Brandon Teena in Boys Don’t Cry

best actress julia roberts
Mirek Towski/FilmMagic/Getty Images

73.

 Julia Roberts

Year: 2001

Role: Erin Brockovich in Erin Brockovich

best actress halle berry
Getty Images

74.

 Halle Berry

Year: 2002

Role: Leticia Musgrove in Monster’s Ball

best actress nicole kidman
A.M.P.A.S./Getty Images

75.

Nicole Kidman

Year: 2003

Role: Virginia Woolf in The Hours

best actress charlize theron
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

76.

 Charlize Theron

Year: 2004

Role: Aileen “Lee” Wuornos in Monster

hilary swank best actress
Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

77.

 Hilary Swank

Year: 2005

Role: Maggie Fitzgerald in Million Dollar Baby

best actress reese witherspoon
Vince Bucci/Getty Images

78.

Reese Witherspoon

Year: 2006

Role: June Carter Cash in Walk the Line

best actress helen mirren
Michael Caulfield/Getty Images

79.

Helen Mirren

Year: 2007

Role: Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen

best actress marion cotillard
Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images

80.

 Marion Cotillard

Year: 2008

Role: Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose

best actress kate winslet
Jason Merritt/Getty Images

81.

 Kate Winslet

Year: 2009

Role: Hanna Schmitz in The Reader

best actress sandra bullock
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

82.

 Sandra Bullock

Year: 2010

Role: Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side

best actress natalie portman
Michael Caulfield/Getty Images

83.

 Natalie Portman

Year: 2011

Role: Nina Sayers in Black Swan

best actress meryl streep1
Jason Merritt/Getty Images

84.

Meryl Streep

Year: 2012

Role: Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady

best actress jennifer lawrence
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

85.

Jennifer Lawrence

Year: 2013

Role: Tiffany Maxwell in Silver Linings Playbook

best actress cate blanchett
Dan MacMedan/Getty Images

86.

 Cate Blanchett

Year: 2014

Role: Jeanette “Jasmine” Francis in Blue Jasmine

best actress julianne moore
Christopher Polk/Getty Images

87.

 Julianne Moore

Year: 2015

Role: Alice Howland in Still Alice

best actress brie larson
Christopher Polk/Getty Images

88.

Brie Larson

Year: 2016

Role: Joy Newsome in Room

best actress emma stone
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

89.

Emma Stone

Year: 2017

Role: Mia Dolan in La La Land

best actress frances mcdormand1
MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

90.

 Frances McDormand

Year: 2018

Role: Mildred Hayes in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

best actress olivia colman
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

91.

Olivia Colman

Year: 2019

Role: Anne, Queen of Great Britain in The Favourite


greta

Senior Editor

Greta Heggeness is a California-based editor at PureWow and has been writing about entertainment since 2015. She covers everything from awards shows to exclusive celebrity...