The Elusive EGOT: A Pantheon of Hollywood Royalty
The quest for the EGOT – an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award – represents the pinnacle of achievement in American entertainment. While many dream of it, only a select few have ever attained this prestigious quartet of accolades. This exclusive club, once a pipe dream for actors like Philip Michael Thomas, who famously declared his intention to achieve it in the 1980s, has grown to include some of the most celebrated figures in film, television, music, and theatre. Thomas’s ambition, immortalised by Tracy Morgan’s character on 30 Rock, brought the EGOT into popular consciousness, inspiring a new generation to chase this ultimate recognition.
The latest luminary to join this rarefied circle is the legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who recently clinched a Grammy, marking his twenty-second EGOT. His journey, like those before him, is a testament to a career spanning multiple artistic domains, showcasing a remarkable versatility and enduring talent.
Let’s delve into the stories of those who have conquered the EGOT landscape:
The Trailblazers and Innovators
Richard Rodgers
The very first individual to achieve EGOT status was composer Richard Rodgers. He completed his impressive collection in 1962 with an Emmy for his work on a documentary about William Churchill. Rodgers’s journey began much earlier, in 1946, with an Oscar for Best Song, “It Might as Well Be Spring,” from the film State Fair. His musical genius was further recognised with two Grammys for The Sound of Music and No Strings, and an astounding six Tony Awards for his contributions to iconic productions like South Pacific, The King and I, The Sound of Music, and No Strings.Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes holds the distinction of being the first woman to earn an EGOT. Her remarkable career began with a Best Actress Oscar in 1932 for her performance in The Sin of Madelon Claudet. She then added a Tony Award for Best Actress in 1947 for Happy Birthday, followed by an Emmy for Best Actress in 1953 for an episode of Schlitz Playhouse of Stars. Her final award, a Grammy for spoken-word contributions to Great American Documents alongside Orson Welles and James Earl Jones, came in 1977, a staggering 45 years after her initial Oscar win.Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno embarked on her EGOT path in 1962 with an Oscar for her unforgettable portrayal of Anita in West Side Story. She secured a Grammy in 1972 for her work on the children’s recording The Electric Company, and a Tony Award in 1975 for her role in The Ritz. Just two years later, in 1977, she achieved EGOT status with an Emmy for her guest appearance on The Muppet Show.John Gielgud
The esteemed British actor Sir John Gielgud became the first non-American to achieve EGOT status in 1991. At the remarkable age of 87, he received an Emmy for his leading role in the television drama Summer’s Lease. His impressive awards tally included two Tony Awards, the first of which he won in 1948 for The Importance of Being Earnest. He also garnered a Grammy in 1979 for his celebrated one-man Shakespearean show, Ages of Man. His Oscar win came in 1982 for his supporting role in the beloved comedy Arthur.Audrey Hepburn
Tragically, the elegant Audrey Hepburn never had the chance to witness her full EGOT achievement. At the time of her passing in 1993, she had already secured an Oscar for her iconic role in 1953’s Roman Holiday and a Tony Award for the 1954 production of Ondine. Posthumously, she was honoured with an Emmy for her 1993 documentary series Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn and a Grammy for her enchanting album of children’s stories, Audrey Hepburn’s Enchanted Tales.Marvin Hamlisch
Composer Marvin Hamlisch achieved extraordinary success, winning an impressive three Oscars in 1973 alone – one for The Sting and two for The Way We Were, including the famous title song sung by Barbra Streisand. The following year, he earned a pair of Grammys for the same song and score. He then added a Tony Award in 1976 for the groundbreaking musical A Chorus Line. His EGOT was completed in 1995 with an Emmy for his work on Streisand’s concert special, Barbra: The Concert. (It’s worth noting that Barbra Streisand herself is not considered an EGOT winner, despite holding an Emmy, Oscar, and Grammy, as her Tony was a non-competitive special award).Jonathan Tunick
Composer and orchestrator Jonathan Tunick earned an Oscar in 1978 for his score for Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. Five years later, he added an Emmy for his musical direction of the television special Night of 100 Stars. His Grammy came in 1988 for arranging Cleo Laine’s rendition of Sondheim’s “No One Is Alone.” Tunick’s EGOT journey concluded in 1997 with a Tony Award for orchestrating the musical adaptation of Titanic. He continued his success, winning an additional Tony in 2024 for his contributions to another Sondheim musical, Merrily We Roll Along.Mel Brooks
The celebrated comedy legend Mel Brooks first won an Emmy in 1967 for his writing on The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special. Two years later, he secured an Oscar for writing the classic film The Producers. Thirty years after that, he added a Grammy to his collection for the comedy album The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000, a collaboration with Carl Reiner. In 2001, Brooks completed his EGOT by winning an impressive three Tony Awards for the Broadway adaptation of The Producers.Mike Nichols
While widely recognised today for his directorial prowess, Mike Nichols also achieved EGOT status. He won a Grammy as a performer in 1961 for the comedy album An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May. His first of nine Tony Awards came in 1964 for directing Barefoot in the Park. Four years later, he earned an Oscar for directing the iconic Dustin Hoffman film The Graduate. Nichols completed his EGOT in 2001 by winning a pair of Emmys for directing Emma Thompson in the acclaimed drama Wit.Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg holds the significant distinction of being the first Black EGOT winner. Her impressive awards collection began with a Grammy in 1986 for her self-titled comedy album, followed by an Oscar in 1991 for her memorable role in Ghost. In 2002, she achieved EGOT status by winning both an Emmy for hosting the documentary Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel and a Tony Award for producing the Broadway musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. Goldberg has openly shared that she wasn’t aware of the EGOT acronym until her appearance on 30 Rock, where she advised Tracy Jordan on his own pursuit. When asked if Daytime Emmys counted, she famously quipped, “It still counts. Girl’s gotta eat!”Scott Rudin
Prolific producer Scott Rudin boasts an extraordinary record of 18 Tony Awards, with his first recognised in 1994 for his work on Stephen Sondheim’s Passion. He has also collected one of each of the other awards necessary for an EGOT: an Emmy in 1984 for the children’s ballet documentary He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’, an Oscar in 2007 for the critically acclaimed No Country for Old Men, and a Grammy in 2012 for the musical The Book of Mormon.Robert Lopez
Songwriter Robert Lopez holds a unique place in EGOT history as the only person to achieve a “Double EGOT,” meaning he has won each of the four awards at least twice. His impressive list includes Tonys for Avenue Q (2004) and The Book of Mormon (2011), Emmys for Wonder Pets! (2008) and WandaVision (2021), Grammys for The Book of Mormon (2012) and Frozen (2015), and Oscars for Frozen (2013) and Coco (2017). To add to his remarkable accomplishments, Lopez is also the youngest EGOT winner, having achieved the feat by the age of 39.Andrew Lloyd Webber
The renowned musical theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber began his EGOT journey in 1980 with Grammy and Tony wins for his iconic musical Evita. He earned an Oscar in 1997 for the song “You Must Love Me” from the film adaptation of the same musical. His EGOT was completed in 2018 with an Emmy for his television special Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.Tim Rice
Lyricist Tim Rice, a frequent collaborator with Andrew Lloyd Webber, shares many of their joint awards. His EGOT journey also commenced in 1980 with Grammy and Tony wins for Evita. He achieved EGOT status in 2018 with an Emmy for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. Rice has a slight edge over Lloyd Webber in Oscar wins, having penned the lyrics for Disney classics such as “A Whole New World” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”John Legend
The multi-talented musician John Legend is a perennial favourite at the Grammys, boasting 12 wins, starting with Best New Artist in 2006. In 2015, he won an Oscar for his powerful song “Glory” from the film Selma. He then secured a Tony Award in 2017 for reviving the August Wilson play Jitney. His first Emmy win came in 2018 for his involvement in Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, a victory that simultaneously made Legend, Lloyd Webber, and Rice EGOT winners.Alan Menken
Longtime Disney composer Alan Menken has an astonishing eight Oscar wins, with his first two awarded in 1990 for his indelible work on The Little Mermaid. The soundtrack for The Little Mermaid also triumphed at the Grammys in 1991. He added a Tony Award in 2012 for the musical Newsies. Menken completed his EGOT in 2020 when he won an Emmy for Best Original Song for “Waiting in the Wings” from Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure.Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson, who rose to fame as a finalist on American Idol in 2004, began her awards trajectory in 2007 with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Dreamgirls. She claimed her first Grammy in 2009 for her self-titled debut R&B album and an Emmy in 2021 for her work on the VR fairytale Baba Yaga. Her EGOT was finalised with a Tony win for her role as a producer on Michael R. Jackson’s critically acclaimed musical A Strange Loop.Viola Davis
The immensely talented actor Viola Davis, whose career began on the stage, has earned a pair of Tony Awards. Her first came in 2001 for Best Featured Actress in King Hedley II, followed by a win for Best Leading Actress in 2010 for her powerhouse performance in August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fences. She reprised her role as Rose Maxson in the film adaptation of Fences, which garnered her an Oscar in 2017. By that time, she had already added an Emmy to her collection, winning for How to Get Away with Murder in 2015. Davis completed her EGOT in 2023 after winning Best Audio Book for her memoir, Finding Me. In her acceptance speech, she poignantly stated, “I wrote this book to honour the six-year-old Viola – to honour her life, her joy, her trauma, her everything. And it has been such a journey. I just EGOT!”Elton John
Sir Elton John finally ascended to the exclusive EGOT Hall of Fame, adding to an already formidable collection of accolades. He holds five Grammy Awards, with his first in 1987 for his contribution to Dionne Warwick’s AIDS charity single “That’s What Friends Are For.” He won Best Instrumental for “Basque” in 1992, and then secured Best Male Pop Vocal Performance awards in 1995 and 1998 for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “Candle in the Wind ‘97,” respectively. In 2000, he received a Tony Award for Best Original Score for Aida, which also earned him another Grammy the following year. His two Oscar wins include the first for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King and a second for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from his biopic, Rocketman. He completed his well-deserved EGOT at the Emmys in 2024, winning Outstanding Variety Special for the live broadcast of Elton John: Farewell from Dodger Stadium.Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
The dynamic songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul became EGOT winners in 2024. They clinched the Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for their song “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?”, a memorable tune featured in Only Murders in the Building. The composing team, with Pasek typically handling lyrics and Paul the music, though they share all credits, began their collaborative journey as freshmen at the University of Michigan. Their EGOT quest kicked off in 2017 with an Oscar for Best Original Song for “City of Stars” from La La Land. Later that same year, their musical Dear Evan Hansen swept the Tonys, winning Best Original Score and Best Musical. In 2018, they added a Grammy to their collection when Dear Evan Hansen won for Best Musical Theater Album. Pasek and Paul hold the record for the fastest EGOT wins, achieving the full set in an impressive 7 years and 7 months.Steven Spielberg
One of cinema’s most revered filmmakers, Steven Spielberg, has been nominated for Best Director at the Oscars a remarkable nine times. He first clinched the award in 1994, taking home both Best Director and Best Picture for the powerful Holocaust drama Schindler’s List. In 1999, he earned his third Academy Award as Best Director for Saving Private Ryan. Surprisingly, given his profound impact on the big screen, Spielberg has amassed more Emmys than Oscars. He received his first Primetime Emmy in 1995 for executive producing the animated special A Pinky and the Brain Christmas. In the 2000s, he won Outstanding Limited Series three times for Band of Brothers (2002), Taken (2003), and The Pacific (2010). He also boasts seven Daytime Emmys, primarily for his work on the beloved cartoon children’s show Animaniacs and its spin-offs. Like Jennifer Hudson, he earned a Tony Award in 2022 for producing the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical A Strange Loop. Spielberg completed his EGOT in early 2026, winning the Grammy for Best Music Film for producing a documentary about his long-time musical collaborator, Music by John Williams.
