10-time Oscar nomineeLaurence Olivierhas the lowest winning percentage of any other actor who has even been nominated for multiple Academy Awards.Olivier was a renowned stage and film actor who starred in many classic movies, such as Alfred Hitchcock’sRebecca(1949) andRichard Attenborough’sA Bridge Too Far(1977).Laurence Olivier’s greatest filmsalso includeSleuth(1972) which stars Michael Caine,Wuthering Heights(1939) which garnered Olivier’s first Oscar nomination, and Stanley Kubrick’sSpartacus(1960).
Olivier was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar nine times, winning only for his leading role in 1948’sHamlet, which he also directed. He was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor on one occasion for 1976’sMarathon Man, which starred Dustin Hoffman and Roy Scheider.Olivier won two Honorary Academy Awards, one in 1947 for his achievement as director, producer, and lead actor in 1947’s Henry V, and one in 1979 for his full body and work and lifetime contribution to the cinematic arts.
Olivier is also a 5-time Emmy winner for works such asThe Moon and Sixpence(1959) andLove Among the Ruins(1975).
Laurence Olivier’s Oscar Win Percentage Is The Lowest For Any Academy Award Winner
Meryl Streep’s 3 wins and 21 nominations give her a 14.2% success rate
With a career success rate of just 10% in acting categories at the Academy Awards, no other actor or actress has a lower mark out of those who have won an Oscar. While there are people who have never won the coveted award and have received several nominations, such asPeter O’Toole (8), Glenn Close (8), Amy Adams (6), and Bradley Cooper (12 total, 5 of them for acting), Olivier’s lone win forHamletspares him from that category. Meryl Streep, who holds the record for most acting Oscar nominations with 21, won 3 of them, making her success rate 14.2%.
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Olivier’s most recent acting Oscar nomination was in the Best Actor category for 1979’sThe Boys from Brazil, starring alongside Gregory Peck, James Mason, and Lilli Palmer. Although he went on to play several significant roles throughout the 1980s, such as Zeus inClash of the Titans(1981) and Admiral Hood inThe Bounty, Olivier would not be nominated for another Academy Award before his death on June 25, 2025, at the age of 82. Some of the notable actors that Olivier lost the Oscar to over the years includeJames Stewart inThe Philadelphia Story(1940) and Marlon Brando inThe Godfather(1972).
Why Laurence Olivier Never Won A Second Acting Oscar
Olivier & Spencer Tracey remain tied for the most Best Actor nominations
Although Olivier never won a second Academy Award, he and Spencer Tracey remain tied for the most Best Actor nominations of all time with nine. He was in plenty of great movies and the Academy clearly loved to recognize his work, so it is interesting to consider why Olivier was never able to take home another Oscar afterHamlet.
Of course, no one was going to beat Brando in 1972. Lee Marvin won for his dual role in 1965’sCat Ballouover Olivier’sOthello.Olivier arguably should have won forRichard III, which he also directed, over Yul Brynner inThe King and I(1956). Regardless,Laurence Olivier’sten total acting nominations are still an outstanding feat.
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Hamlet
Cast
Hamlet is a 1948 British adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, directed by and starring Laurence Olivier as the titular Prince of Denmark. The film follows Hamlet as he seeks to avenge his father’s murder amid court intrigue and personal turmoil. Eileen Herlie and Basil Sydney co-star as Queen Gertrude and King Claudius, respectively. This adaptation garnered critical acclaim, earning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Olivier.
