Katharine Hepburn is the actress with the most Oscars in the Best Actress category. She won the award four times over nearly 50 years—but never went to the ceremony to collect it in person.
The actress with the most Oscars in history is Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn didn't fit into the framework. She easily came into conflict with the press, didn't like publicity, and treated fame in her own way. And at the same time, she became the record holder for the Oscar: she received four awards in the Best Actress category – more than anyone else in the history of cinema.
Katharine Hepburn was born on May 12, 1907 in the American city of Hartford, Connecticut. She was not related to Audrey Hepburn, despite sharing a surname. For her time, she was a new type of actress – strong, independent, without the desire to meet other people's expectations. In the 1920s, she began her career in the theater on Broadway. Later, she was noticed by producers, and she received her first film role – in the film “Bill of Divorcement” (1932). A year later, at the age of 26, she received her first Oscar for the film “The Morning Rises” (1933). She won three more awards over the following decades.
Katharine Hepburn's four Academy Awards are testament to her wide acting range and ability to work with a variety of roles. She was constantly evolving, and this is noticeable not only in the films that brought her awards, but also in those for which she received nominations. In total, Hepburn was nominated for an Oscar 12 times. Only Meryl Streep has more nominations among actresses – 21. Here are the four films for which Katharine Hepburn won an Oscar.
“Morning Rise”, 1933
In this film, Katharine Hepburn plays Eve Lovelace, an ambitious actress who moves to New York to build a career on Broadway. In one scene, she vows to herself not to repeat the fate of actors who quickly become famous and quickly lose fame. This decision echoes Katharine Hepburn's own career.
“Guess Who's Coming to Dinner”, 1967
In this social drama, Katharine Hepburn plays Christina Drayton, a mother who learns in the United States in the 1960s that her daughter wants to marry a black man. The film touches on themes of racism, as well as conflicts between generations and different ideas about the role of women. Her long-time partner Spencer Tracy starred with her in the film. During the filming, he was seriously ill, and everyone understood that this was his last film. In the scene with his final monologue, Katharine Hepburn cries – and these tears are not acting, but real emotion. Tracy died 17 days after the filming ended. According to those close to the actress, Hepburn never watched the final version of the film because of the loss.
“Lion in Winter”, 1968
In this film, Katharine Hepburn plays Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, a strong and intelligent woman who finds herself at the center of a power struggle between her husband, Henry II of England, and their sons. Her character is complex and multifaceted: confident, visionary, and able to influence others, but at the same time vulnerable – wanting to be loved and not lose power
“On the Golden Lake”, 1981
In this film, Katharine Hepburn plays Ethel Thayer, an elderly woman who lives with her husband Norman (Henry Fonda) in a house by the lake. Ethel is a warm, open person who tries to keep the balance in her family, despite age, changes and difficult relationships. It is a story about family, aging and accepting that life changes. The role became one of the strongest in Hepburn's career – in large part due to her interaction with Henry Fonda, for whom this film was also the last. It was for this role that she received her fourth Oscar.
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6 interesting facts about Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn at the 1974 Academy Awards ceremony presenting the award to producer Lawrence Weinberg
1. She never received an Oscar in person. Despite her achievements, Katharine Hepburn did not attend the Oscar ceremony to collect her awards. She said: “Awards mean nothing. My real award is my work.” The only time Katharine Hepburn appeared on stage at the Oscars was in 1974. She did not receive an award. She presented it to producer Lawrence Weinberg.
2. She did not want to conform to the classic Hollywood notions of femininity. Katharine Hepburn did not want to conform to the standards of the film industry. She abandoned the image of a “fragile woman”. She chose the roles of strong, intelligent and independent heroines. Her approach formed a new idea of u200bu200bfemale images in cinema. After a successful start in the early 1930s, Katharine Hepburn's popularity quickly faded. She was even included in the list of actors who do not bring profit to the studios. But she did not retreat. She bought the rights to the film “The Philadelphia Story” (1940) and used it to return to the industry. It worked – for this role she received an Oscar nomination. In the 1940s and 1950s, Katharine Hepburn finally established herself as one of the strongest actresses in Hollywood. She continued to work in films until the 1990s.
3. She became a model of androgynous style in fashion. At a time when actresses were expected to conform to strict beauty standards and have a rather glamorous appearance, Katharine Hepburn took a different approach. She often wore pants – in the 1930s and 1940s this was an unusual phenomenon. Over time, her restrained style became a recognizable feature of the actress and influenced subsequent generations of women.
Katharine Hepburn with a short haircut and in men's clothing in the film “Sylvia Scarlett”, 1935
4. She was in a relationship with a fellow actor for over 20 years. Her relationship with Spencer Tracy is one of the most famous in film history. They met on the set of the film “Woman of the Year” in 1942 and were together until his death in 1967. Their relationship was not official, as Tracy was married and did not divorce his wife for religious reasons. Katharine Hepburn accepted this and stayed by his side until the end. She called him the love of her life. After his death, she took a break for a while and did not act in films.
Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn on the set of “Woman of the Year”, 1942
5. She was an athlete. In addition to acting, Katharine Hepburn was actively involved in sports. She loved tennis, swimming, golf, baseball and cricket. From a young age, she led an active lifestyle – she rowed and skated. She maintained this physical activity until old age.
6. Her voice was unique. Katharine Hepburn was distinguished not only by her acting talent, but also by her manner of speaking. She had a clear pronunciation. She had a distinct New England accent, which became her recognizable feature. It reinforced her image of a strong and confident woman both in life and on screen.
Based on material from vogue.de