In modern Hollywood, millions and even billions of dollars amassed at the box office have long become a defining factor for the success of any film, but prestigious awards also remain an important mark of quality. In recent years, for example, there have been quite a few Oscar-winning films that took home several statuettes from the most significant award in world cinema — yet none of them have been able to achieve that ultimate 'big five' Oscar win, which has only been awarded to 3 films in the entire history of the ceremony.
The Oscar's 'Big Five' refers to the most prestigious categories of the Academy Awards. The list of Oscar nominations includes over 20 categories, and starting in 2026, the Academy will add another category for Best Casting in a Film. In addition to the technical categories, which make up the majority of the list, there are those nominations whose winners are awaited with bated breath by almost the entire world at the end of the ceremony. Thus, the main award remains the statuette for Best Picture, while the other prestigious statuettes are awarded for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay — these categories make up the 'Big Five' of the Oscars.
Only 3 films in the history of the Oscars have managed to win in all 5 major categories.
Jack Nicholson in the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The first record-holder was the romantic comedy It Happened One Night from 1934 — it was awarded Best Picture by the Academy, Frank Capra won the statuette for Best Director, Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert triumphed in their respective categories for Best Actor and Best Actress, while Robert Riskin was honored for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The next triumph came from the drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, released in 1975. Jack Nicholson was named Best Actor, and Louise Fletcher won Best Actress; Milos Forman took home the award for Best Director, while Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman won for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film itself was honored with the statuette for Best Picture.
Finally, the most recent record-holder to date is the psychological horror film The Silence of the Lambs, which triumphed at the Oscars in 1992 and won the award for Best Picture. Anthony Hopkins predictably won the Oscar for Best Actor, while his co-star Jodie Foster took home the award for Best Actress; Jonathan Demme won the statuette for Best Director, and Ted Tally was awarded for Best Adapted Screenplay.
