What is an EGOT? Here's every celebrity to win the honour

16 January 2024, 18:22

What is an EGOT?

Being an EGOT is arguably the crème de la crème when it comes to artists, celebrities and performers across the worlds of film, theatre, and music.

Winning one of either an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Oscar, and a Tony Award is a spectacular achievement in of itself.

Yet, there's a highly exclusive club of people who have won all of the above throughout their glittering careers.

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Funnily enough, the acronym was coined by Miami Vice star Philip Michael Thomas in 1984, who explained to the Associated Press in 1984 saying: "That stands for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Hopefully in the next five years I will win all those awards."

The first star to be awarded the coveted title of EGOT however was composer Richard Rodgers who first won an Oscar in 1945, before completing the run of awards in 1962 with an Emmy.

Since then, a total of 25 individuals have scooped the four necessary award wins to become an EGOT, but who are they?

There are technically two types of EGOT winners (competitive and non-competitive, ie the latter have an honorary win) but nevertheless, we've listed every star to win the honour:

1. Elton John

   

   The most recent entry into the elite list of EGOT's, Elton John won the Emmy in 2024 for his television live concert Farewell From Dodger Stadium.

   He'd formerly won two Oscars - for Rocketman and The Lion King - a Tony for Aida, and a total of six Grammy Awards.

2. Viola Davis

   

   Formidable actor Viola Davis joined the EGOT elite in 2023 after winning a Grammy for her contributions to audio book Finding Me.

   She'd already won two Tony's, an Emmy, and the Oscar for Best Supporting Female Actor after starring in 2018 drama Fences alongside Denzel Washington.

3. Frank Marshall

   

   Achieving his EGOT status in the shortest amount of time, from his first to his final award, director and producer Frank Marshall took just four years.

   After winning his Grammy in 2019, he then won a Tony in 2022, and his Oscar and Emmy in 2023.

4. Jennifer Hudson

   

   Jennifer Hudson earned her EGOT in 2022 after her Tony Award win for A Strange Loop.

   The singer/actor - who starred as Aretha Franklin in 2021 biopic Respect - had already won an Oscar for Dreamgirls, two Grammy Awards, and a Daytime Emmy.

5. Alan Menken

   

   Composer Alan Menken became an EGOT in 2020 after winning the Emmy for Tangled: The Series.

   He'd already been awarded two Oscars and three Grammys for 1991 Disney animation Beauty and the Beast, as well as a Tony in 2012 for Newsies.

6. John Legend

   

   Soul singer and composer John Legend bagged his EGOT title in 2018, twelve years after his first Grammy win in 2006.

   Already having ten Grammys to his name, he won the Creative Arts Emmy Awards for producing Jesus Christ Superstar Live alongside Lloyd Webber.

7. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber

   

   Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber completed his EGOT title in 2018, having won the Emmy for his work on Jesus Christ Superstar Live.

   Before then he'd already grabbed a handful of Tony's and Grammy's, plus an Oscar win for 1996's Madonna-starring musical film Evita.

8. Tim Rice

   

   Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-time collaborator Tim Rice also picked up EGOT status, winning the same Emmy and Oscar awards.

   Rice had already picked up Oscar and Grammy wins for Disney's Aladdin and The Lion King soundtracks however.

9. Quincy Jones

   

   Legendary producer Quincy Jones achieved EGOT status in 2016 after finally winning a Tony Award, 52 years after his first Grammy Award win.

   Amid his thirty-odd Grammy wins, Jones also won an Emmy in 1977, and was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Oscars in 1994.

10. Robert Lopez

    

    The quickest person to win the 'competitive' EGOT in just twelve years, composer Robert Lopez achieved that feat in 2014. He's also the youngest.

    It was his 2014 Oscar win for the ubiquitous 'Let It Go' from Disney's Frozen that got him over the line, after first winning his Tony in 2004.

11. Harry Belafonte

    

    Bonafide legend Harry Belafonte took the longest out of the EGOT's to win his status - a whopping sixty years from his first Tony Award in 1954.

    The singer, actor, and activist was awarded with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2014 Oscars to round up the necessary wins.

12. Scott Rudin

    

    Scott Rudin scored his EGOT status in 2012 with a Grammy win for The Book of Mormon: Original Broadway Cast Recording.

    The producer won his first award from the four categories in 1984, bagging the Emmy for children's show He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'.

13. James Earl Jones

    

    The iconic voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa, James Earl Jones, is also an esteemed EGOT winner.

    He received an honorary Oscar in 2011 after achieving his first Tony in 1969.

14. Whoopi Goldberg

    

    Whoopi Goldberg became an EGOT in 2002, after winning a Tony for Thoroughly Modern Millie as well as an Emmy in the same year.

    She first won a Grammy in 1986, and scored an Oscar for her supporting role in Ghost alongside Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore in 1991.

15. Mike Nichols

    

    The Graduate director and comedian Mike Nichols is tied with Scott Rudin for more award wins as an EGOT, winning a total of fourteen.

    After sweeping numerous Tony's, a Grammy and an Oscar, he finally became an EGOT in 2001 after winning an Emmy.

16. Mel Brooks

    

    Comedy legend Mel Brooks became an EGOT in 2001 after finally winning a Tony for The Producers, the musical adaptation from the film won him his only Oscar in 1969.

    Brooks first won an Emmy in 1967, and later a Grammy in 1998.

17. Jonathan Tunick

    

    Orchestrator Jonathan Tunick became a fully fledged in 1997 after winning the Tony award for his work on the musical Titanic - not to be confused with James Cameron's cinema epic.

    He bagged an Oscar first in 1978, an Emmy next in 1982 before his Grammy win in 1989.

18. Marvin Hamlisch

    

    Composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch became an EGOT in 1995 after winning an Emmy award for Barbra: The Concert.

    He won his first Oscar and Grammy in the same year - 1974 - before going on to win a Tony in 1976.

19. Audrey Hepburn

    

    The ever-glamourous cinema icon Audrey Hepburn became the first EGOT to win their the accolade posthumously, having died before she won a Grammy in 1994.

    It was forty years after winning her first Oscar in 1954 for Roman Holiday, winning a Tony the same year and an Emmy in 1993, the year of her death.

20. Sir John Gielgud

    

    English theatre actor Sir John Gielgud became an EGOT in 1991 after winning an Emmy in 1991.

    He'd already achieved an Oscar for Dudley Moore comedy Arthur in 1981, as well as a Grammy in 1979 after his first Tony came in 1948.

21. Liza Minelli

    

    Legendary musical actor Liza Minelli became an EGOT in 1990 after being honoured with the Grammy Legend Award.

    She's scored her first Tony in 1965, won the Oscar for Cabaret in 1973, and an Emmy the same year.

22. Rita Moreno

    

    Rita Moreno was the second-fastest person to achieve EGOT status, after first winning the Oscar for West Side Story in 1962.

    She then scored a Grammy in 1972, a Tony in 1975, and an Emmy in 1977 for her turn in The Muppet Show.

23. Helen Hayes

    

    After winning her first Oscar in 1932 for The Sin of Madelon Claudet, Helen Hayes became an EGOT in 1977 after scoring a Grammy.

    She'd won a Tony in 1947 and an Emmy in 1953, making her the first woman to win all the competitive awards.

24. Barbra Streisand

    

    Barbra Streisand became the first woman to achieve EGOT status (albeit non-competitive) and did it in just six years.

    She first won a Grammy in 1964, then an Emmy in 1965, then an Oscar in 1969 for her role in Funny Girl, before being awarded an honorary Tony in 1970.

25. Richard Rodgers

    

    As previously mentioned, composer Richard Rodgers was the first ever person to achieve the unique EGOT title.

    After his first Oscar win in 1945, he completed the run of awards in 1962 with an Emmy.