Every Time the Oscars Ended in a Tie

Oscar wins rarely split between nominees, but ties have shaped some of the Academy Awards’ most memorable moments. From early rule quirks to modern surprises, these rare outcomes highlight how unpredictable Hollywood’s biggest night can be.

The Academy Awards delivered another surprise in 2026 when one category ended in a tie. It marked only the seventh time in the show’s history that two winners shared an Oscar. While rare, ties have occurred across decades, each with its own story.

1. The First Tie Came with a Rule Twist

The first instance dates back to 1932 at the fifth Academy Awards. In the Best Actor category, Fredric March won for his dual role in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," while Wallace Beery won for "The Champ."

However, this was not a true tie. At the time, Academy rules allowed a nominee to win if they came within three votes of the top vote-getter. March had just one more vote than Beery, but both were awarded the Oscar.

The Academy later changed its rules. A tie would only occur if nominees received the exact same number of votes.

2. The First Official Tie in Oscars History

The first true tie took place in 1950. In the Best Documentary Short category, both "So Much for So Little" and "A Chance to Live" were declared winners.

This marked the beginning of officially recognized ties under the updated voting system.

3. A Historic Best Actress Moment

One of the most famous ties occurred in 1969. Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn shared the Best Actress award.

At the time, Streisand was new to Hollywood, while Hepburn was already a well-established figure with multiple Academy Awards. Despite her success, Hepburn had never attended the ceremony to accept her awards.

She later made a rare appearance at the 1974 Academy Awards, where she presented the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to Lawrence Weingarten.

4. Documentary Category Sees Another Tie

In 1987, another tie occurred in the Best Documentary Feature category. Oprah Winfrey announced that both "Artie Shaw: Time Is All You've Got" and "Down and Out in America" had won.

The moment added another unexpected result to the ceremony’s history.

5. The 1995 Short Film Tie

In 1995, the Best Live Action Short category also produced two winners. "Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life" and "Trevor" shared the award.

By this point, ties remained rare but continued to appear across different categories.

6. A Memorable Reaction in 2013

The 2013 Oscars featured a tie in the Best Sound Editing category. "Skyfall" and "Zero Dark Thirty" both won.

7. The Tie in 2026

The most recent tie came at the 2026 Academy Awards. In the Best Live Action Short category, both "The Singers" and "Two People Exchanging Saliva" took home the Oscar.

The result surprised viewers and added another chapter to the history of ties at the ceremony.

Ties at the Oscars remain rare, but they continue to stand out when they happen. From early rule changes to unexpected modern moments, these shared wins reflect the unpredictability of the Academy Awards. Each tie serves as a reminder that even in a competition, there can be more than one winner.