Prime Time To Big Time! 16 TV Actors Who Have Won Oscar Gold
March 19 2020, Updated 4:40 p.m. ET
Getting from the small screen to the big screen is hard. Getting from the small screen to the big screen and then winning an Oscar is even harder. The pinnacle of Hollywood, the highest of highs, the Oscars are the most prestigious awards in show business—and these fine Oscar winning actors have managed to reach that pinnacle after more humble beginnings on the smaller screen.
MORE: The Best, Worst, & Wackiest Stars Hit The 2017 Academy Awards.
Everyone knows George Clooney, the movie star, but remember when he was saving lives on E.R. (and that's after several failed pilots)? Or how about Leonardo DiCaprio's turn on Growing Pains? Everyone had to start somewhere and these Oscar winners got their start on television. Check out RadarOnline.com's collection of the most well-known television actors to have won an Oscar.
1. George Clooney
Small Screen Start: Before he was two-time Academy Award winner, George Clooney, he was Dr. Doug Ross on ER. After a string of guest appearances on television shows such as The Golden Girls and Roseanne, he finally found success when he was cast as the loose-cannon pediatrician with a heart of gold in 1994. His run on the show ended in 1999 when he transitioned to film.
Notable Nominations: A total of eight nominations including: three Best Actor nods for Michael Clayton, Up In The Air and The Descendants; a nomination for Best Director for Good Night, and Good Luck. Plus nominations for Best Writing Adapted Screenplay for The Ides of March, and Best Original Screenplay for Good Night, and Good Luck. Clooney's talent is clearly multifaceted.
Oscar Wins: Clooney ultimately won Oscars for Best Supporting Actor in 2006 for Syriana and once again as a producer for Best Picture winner, Argo.
2. Leonardo DiCaprio
Small Screen Start: It's hard to imagine a time when Leonardo DiCaprio wasn't constantly being nominated for an Oscar, but even he had humble beginnings when he was a cast member in the final season of Growing Pains in 1991.
Notable Nominations: Six nominations for Leo including: One Best Supporting Actor nom for What's Eating Gilbert Grape, three Best Actor noms for The Aviator, Blood Diamond, and The Wolf of Wolf Street—for which he was also nominated as a producer for Best Picture.
Oscar Wins: After years of coming up short, Leo finally won for Best Actor in 2015 for The Revenant. It was long overdue but he was finally king of the world!
3. Viola Davis
Small Screen Start: Viola Davis's career has been the stuff of legend. In addition to being the first black actress to be nominated for three Academy Awards, Davis has had the unique distinction of being an acting triple crown winner by winning an Oscar, a Tony, and an Emmy for her hit television show How To Get Away With Murder in 2015.
Notable Nominations: Prior to her big win, Viola had earned two Oscar nominations: One for Best Supporting Actress for Doubt and a Best Actress nom for The Help.
Oscar Wins: Viola won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Fences – a role for which she had already won a Tony Award in 2010.
4. Robin Williams
Small Screen Start: The iconic Robin Williams was no stranger to the television world prior to winning an Oscar. The legendary comedian first burst onto the scene as the kooky alien, Mork, on Mork and Mindy.
Notable Nominations: In between his side-splitting performances, Robin was nominated for four Oscars which included three Best Actor noms for Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, and The Fisher King.
Oscar Wins: The fourth time was the charm for Robin when he won his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting.
5. Denzel Washington
Small Screen Start: Denzel Washington hasn't had much of a television presence since, but at one time he was saving lives on St. Elsewhere as Dr. Phillip Chandler. He left the television world of course and never looked back.
Notable Nominations: Nine nominations in total which have included: Two Best Supporting noms for Cry Freedom and Glory, six Best Actor nominations for Malcolm X, The Hurricane, Flight, Roman J. Israel, Esq., and Fences, which also nabbed him an Oscar nomination for Best Picture as a producer on the film.
Oscar Wins: Denzel became just the second African American actor to win an Oscar for Best Actor for his role in Training Day back in 2002.
6. Mo'Nique
Small Screen Start: Her dramatic, Oscar-winning turn in Precious wowed audiences in 2009. But before then, Mo'Nique was known for her comedic chops when she starred in the sitcom, The Parkers for more than 100 episodes.
Notable Nominations: Mo'Nique has one Oscar nomination so far for her role in Precious.
Oscar Wins: One nomination was enough for Mo'Nique as she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress playing abusive mother, Mary Lee Johnston, in Precious.
7. Jamie Foxx
Small Screen Start: Just like Monique, Jamie Foxx got his start in comedy long before he won his Best Actor Oscar for Ray in 2005. He was first seen on television as a cast member of In Living Color before he was given his own series, The Jamie Foxx Show.
Notable Nominations: Foxx joined an exclusive club in 2005 as he became just the second male in history to be nominated for an acting Oscar in the same year for two different films. One of those noms came for his role in Collateral.
Oscar Wins: While he did not go on to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, Jamie did win Best Actor for his portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray.
Sure, his Ray Charles impersonation was pretty good, but was it as good as his Little Richard? You be the judge.
https://youtu.be/W_WxSKmibm0
8. Melissa Leo
Small Screen Start: Melissa Leo fought crime on television for five seasons of Homicide: Life on the Streets before winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Fighter in 2010.
Notable Nominations: Two noms for Leo, one of which was for Best Actress in 2009 for her role in Frozen River.
Oscar Wins: Leo joined her costar, Christian Bale, as a winner for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the boxing drama, The Fighter. Her excitement obviously could not be contained as she let out an F-bomb during her acceptance speech.
9. Tom Hanks
Small Screen Start: As hard as it is to believe, Tom Hanks did indeed star in a television series for a short time. Before he was a four-time Oscar nominee, and two-time winner, Hanks was the star of the short-lived sitcom, Bosom Buddies.
Notable Nominations: Five Best Actor nominations which included his roles in Big, Saving Private Ryan, and Cast Away.
Oscar Wins: Hanks won the Oscar for Best Actor in consecutive years for his roles in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.
Still waiting on that Bosom Buddies revival though...
https://youtu.be/3UI_JwF3cnA
10. Jennifer Hudson
Small Screen Start: Before she showcased her impressive acting chops, Jennifer Hudson was a finalist on American Idol in 2004. She may have only placed seventh, but her career definitely took off, to say the least.
Notable Nominations: Jennifer Hudson's sole nomination came for her role in Dreamgirls.
Oscar Wins: Hudson's acting debut in Dreamgirls couldn't have gone any better as it nabbed her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Definitely a far cry from Kelly Clarkson's acting debut.
11. Anne Hathaway
Small Screen Start: Long before she would become one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood, Anne Hathaway began her acting career with a role on the short lived series, Get Real. The show, which also starred future Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg, only lasted one season.
Notable Nominations: Two nominations so far, including one for Best Actress in 2008 for her role in Rachel Getting Married.
Oscar Wins: Hathaway's win for Best Supporting Actress came in 2013 for her role in Les Miserables. While her role was well received, her acceptance speech was not.
12. Jared Leto
Small Screen Debut: Jared Leto has been an incredible force on the big screen and as the front man for 30 Seconds to Mars. But before he was an Oscar winning rock star, Leto was known as Jordan Catalano from My So-Called Life. Unfortunately, his bad boy character wasn't around too long as the show was cancelled after one season despite critical acclaim.
Notable Nominations: After a five year break from acting, Leto returned to film in 2013 for Dallas Buyers Club where he earned his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Oscar Wins: Leto's lone Oscar nom for Dallas Buyers Club was good enough as he went home with the Best Supporting Actor award in 2013. Not bad for the former teen idol.
13. Goldie Hawn
Small Screen Start: Goldie Hawn first gained widespread recognition as a cast member on the sketch show, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In from 1968-1973. Her giggly persona and smoking hot binkini body made her an instant sensation on the small screen.
Notable Nominations: Two nominations including a Best Actress nom for the classic, Private Benjamin.
Oscar Wins: Goldie Hawn's storied film career began with an Oscar win for her performance in Cactus Flower way back in 1968—her only Academy Award to date.
14. Clint Eastwood
Small Screen Debut: Clint Eastwood's legendary career began on the small screen in 1958 when he played Rowdy Yates on the Western series, Rawhide. It was his time on the six-season long series that would ultimately mold his iconic persona.
Notable Nominations: Eastwood has earned a whopping 11 nominations altogether including: two Best Actor noms for Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby, two Best Director nominations for Mystic River and Letters from Iwo Jima, and three Best Picture noms for Mystic River, Letters from Iwo Jima, and American Sniper.
Oscar Wins: Four Oscar's have gone home with Eastwood, beginning in 1993 when he won both Best Director and Best Picture for Unforgiven. He would replicate that same success with Million Dollar Baby in 2005 with two more wins for Best Director and Best Picture.
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15. Allison Janey
Small Screen Debut: Allison Janney racked up plenty of awards for her work on the small screen before nabbing a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her performance in I, Tonya. The actress has won seven Emmys altogether from her performances on The West Wing, Masters of Sex, and Mom.
Notable Nominations: After years of awards recognition on both stage and television, Janney was finally nominated for an Oscar for her work in I, Tonya as Tonya Harding's mother, LaVona Fay Golden.
Oscar Wins: The 90th edition of the Academy Awards proved to be extra special for Janney as she went home with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in I, Tonya.
16. Jordan Peele
Small Screen Debut: Jordan Peele made his television debut on the sketch comedy series, Mad TV. It was there that his comedic partnership with Keegan-Michael Key was born. The two would ultimately star in their own hit, Emmy Award winning show, Key and Peele.
Notable Nominations: Despite being known as a comedian for years, Peele made waves with his directorial debut, Get Out. The horror film nabbed him three Oscar noms including Best Director and Best Picture.
Oscar Wins: Best Picture and Best Director weren't in the cards for Peele, but he still made history at the 90th Academy Awards as he became the first African-American to ever win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Get Out.
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