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Katharine Hepburn holds the record for the most competitive Academy Award wins by a woman in an acting category: four. That is an acting-only record, not a count across every Oscar category. The Academy’s database covers awards through the 98th ceremony, held March 15, 2026.
Which woman has won the most acting Oscars?
Katharine Hepburn won four Academy Awards for acting, more than any other woman. The Academy’s acting-facts list records her wins in award years 1932/33, 1967, 1968 and 1981. The first entry is an award year; it should not be mistaken for the release year of a particular film.
One of those wins came at the 1982 ceremony, where Hepburn was named Actress in a Leading Role for On Golden Pond. The Academy’s 54th Academy Awards record confirms the film and category.
What counts as an Oscar win?
“Most Oscar wins” can mean different things. For the performer record, count competitive awards in acting categories. Do not combine those with wins in costume design or other crafts, and do not treat honorary awards as competitive acting wins. The Academy publishes a separate acting record and a broader awards-and-nominations listing; its Academy Awards Database is the official record of winners and nominees.
#1 Best Overall
Why Edith Head is a separate record-holder
Edith Head won eight Academy Awards for Costume Design, a notable record in a different discipline. Those awards do not make her the woman with the most acting Oscars. The Academy describes Head as a winner of eight Costume Design awards in its Edith Head collection highlight.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How current is the record?
The Academy says its database is complete through the 2025 (98th) Awards, presented on March 15, 2026. The four-win acting record and its award years come from the Academy’s acting facts listing, which was updated through the 88th Awards in 2016; the current database coverage statement supplies the later overall cutoff. The Academy explains that its records are based on credits and supporting documentation submitted to it.
