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0 / 31 Fotos
Nicolas Cage - To put it lightly, Nicolas Cage has a spotty filmography. He's starred in critically-acclaimed dramas 'Leaving Las Vegas' (1995), action films 'Face/Off' (1997), and dubious productions 'The Wicker Man' (1973).
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1 / 31 Fotos
Nicolas Cage - That being said, Cage's acting talents have been acknowledged by the Academy. He won an Oscar for Best Actor at the 68th Academy Awards for 'Leaving Las Vegas.'
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2 / 31 Fotos
Annie Lennox
- Annie Lennox has led a long career, playing in bands like The Tourists and Eurythmics, as well as finding success as a solo artist.
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3 / 31 Fotos
Annie Lennox - Lennox won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2004 for 'Into the West,' the song that played during the end credits of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.'
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Peter Capaldi - You may recognize him from 'Doctor Who,' but Peter Capaldi hit Hollywood back in 1995, winning an Oscar in the process.
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5 / 31 Fotos
Peter Capaldi - Capaldi wrote and directed the short film 'Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life,' which won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in a tie.
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6 / 31 Fotos
Cher - From the '70s through the '80s, Cher became a popular celeb at the Oscars, with crazy costumes and even some controversial comments.
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7 / 31 Fotos
Cher - She's led a long career in music, so you'd be forgiven for forgetting that Cher bagged her own Oscar in 1988 for Best Actress in 'Moonstruck.'
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8 / 31 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey - Much more than a TV presenter, Oprah Winfrey has had excellent performances in 'Selma,' 'The Butler,' and 'The Color Purple.'
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9 / 31 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey - However, she has not won an Oscar for one particular performance. In 2012, Winfrey instead won the Academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which celebrates humanitarian work.
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10 / 31 Fotos
Three 6 Mafia - Three 6 Mafia are regarded as an influential rap group from Memphis, Tennessee. However, no one would have expected them to become an Oscar-winning outfit.
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11 / 31 Fotos
Three 6 Mafia
- They won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2006 for their tune 'It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp.' The track featured in the movie 'Hustle & Flow.'
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12 / 31 Fotos
Phil Collins - Collins has won many Grammys for his musical talents, yet many forget he's also won an Academy Award.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
Phil Collins - The famous drummer composed every song on the 'Tarzan' soundtrack, which featured the single 'You'll Be in My Heart.' The hit song went on to win Best Original Song at the 72nd Academy Awards.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Jim Rash - In recent years, Jim Rash has found fame for playing Dean Craig Pelton on 'Community.' However, he didn't receive an Academy Award for his acting skills…
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15 / 31 Fotos
Jim Rash - In fact, Rash won an Oscar back in 2012 for Best Adapted Screenplay. He won along with Nat Faxon and Alexander Payne for 'The Descendants.'
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16 / 31 Fotos
Walton Goggins - These days, Walton Goggins is known for his work in Quentin Tarantino movies, as well as his performance in the FX series 'Justified.'
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17 / 31 Fotos
Walton Goggins - But before all of that, Goggins scored an Oscar for his work on 'The Accountant.' He wrote, produced, and starred in the film, which won Best Live Action Short Film in 2002.
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18 / 31 Fotos
Lionel Richie - Lionel Richie is the patriarch of an A-list family, and naturally counts an Oscar in his accolades.
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19 / 31 Fotos
Lionel Richie - However, the win came from an unlikely performance. Richie won Best Original Song in 1985 for his track 'Say You, Say Me,' which was featured in the Cold War drama 'White Nights.'
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Rachel Shenton - Rachel Shenton is far from A-list status, but that could all change now.
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21 / 31 Fotos
Rachel Shenton - In 2018, Shenton won an Oscar for 'The Silent Child,' which won the Live Action Short Film award. She wrote and starred in the sign language short film.
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22 / 31 Fotos
Eminem - Eminem is one of the most successful musicians ever, but his talents also spill into the world of film.
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23 / 31 Fotos
Eminem - Marshall Mathers won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2003, for his track 'Lose Yourself,' which featured in the semi-autobiographical drama '8 Mile.'
© Getty Images
24 / 31 Fotos
Goldie Hawn - A multi-faceted actress, Goldie Hawn is perhaps best known for her comedy roles. But she actually bagged an Oscar way back in 1970.
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25 / 31 Fotos
Goldie Hawn - Hawn won the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance in 'Cactus Flower.'
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26 / 31 Fotos
Cliff Robertson - In recent times, Cliff Robertson is probably recognized as Uncle Ben in Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' trilogy.
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27 / 31 Fotos
Cliff Robertson - However, Robertson won an Oscar in 1968 for Best Actor for his work in drama film 'Charly.' He wasn't there for the ceremony, so Frank Sinatra showed up to accept the award on his behalf.
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Anna Paquin - Here's Anna Paquin, the first millennial to receive an Oscar nomination, and the first to win.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Anna Paquin
- Paquin has since found fame in the 'X-Men' trilogy and in the series 'True Blood.' She won an Oscar when she was just 11-years-old, for her supporting role in 'The Piano.' See also: Adrien Brody: the rise, fall, and resurgence of a Hollywood chameleon
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Nicolas Cage - To put it lightly, Nicolas Cage has a spotty filmography. He's starred in critically-acclaimed dramas 'Leaving Las Vegas' (1995), action films 'Face/Off' (1997), and dubious productions 'The Wicker Man' (1973).
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
Nicolas Cage - That being said, Cage's acting talents have been acknowledged by the Academy. He won an Oscar for Best Actor at the 68th Academy Awards for 'Leaving Las Vegas.'
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
Annie Lennox
- Annie Lennox has led a long career, playing in bands like The Tourists and Eurythmics, as well as finding success as a solo artist.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Annie Lennox - Lennox won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2004 for 'Into the West,' the song that played during the end credits of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.'
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Peter Capaldi - You may recognize him from 'Doctor Who,' but Peter Capaldi hit Hollywood back in 1995, winning an Oscar in the process.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Peter Capaldi - Capaldi wrote and directed the short film 'Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life,' which won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in a tie.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Cher - From the '70s through the '80s, Cher became a popular celeb at the Oscars, with crazy costumes and even some controversial comments.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
Cher - She's led a long career in music, so you'd be forgiven for forgetting that Cher bagged her own Oscar in 1988 for Best Actress in 'Moonstruck.'
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey - Much more than a TV presenter, Oprah Winfrey has had excellent performances in 'Selma,' 'The Butler,' and 'The Color Purple.'
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey - However, she has not won an Oscar for one particular performance. In 2012, Winfrey instead won the Academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which celebrates humanitarian work.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Three 6 Mafia - Three 6 Mafia are regarded as an influential rap group from Memphis, Tennessee. However, no one would have expected them to become an Oscar-winning outfit.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Three 6 Mafia
- They won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2006 for their tune 'It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp.' The track featured in the movie 'Hustle & Flow.'
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
Phil Collins - Collins has won many Grammys for his musical talents, yet many forget he's also won an Academy Award.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
Phil Collins - The famous drummer composed every song on the 'Tarzan' soundtrack, which featured the single 'You'll Be in My Heart.' The hit song went on to win Best Original Song at the 72nd Academy Awards.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Jim Rash - In recent years, Jim Rash has found fame for playing Dean Craig Pelton on 'Community.' However, he didn't receive an Academy Award for his acting skills…
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Jim Rash - In fact, Rash won an Oscar back in 2012 for Best Adapted Screenplay. He won along with Nat Faxon and Alexander Payne for 'The Descendants.'
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Walton Goggins - These days, Walton Goggins is known for his work in Quentin Tarantino movies, as well as his performance in the FX series 'Justified.'
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Walton Goggins - But before all of that, Goggins scored an Oscar for his work on 'The Accountant.' He wrote, produced, and starred in the film, which won Best Live Action Short Film in 2002.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
Lionel Richie - Lionel Richie is the patriarch of an A-list family, and naturally counts an Oscar in his accolades.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Lionel Richie - However, the win came from an unlikely performance. Richie won Best Original Song in 1985 for his track 'Say You, Say Me,' which was featured in the Cold War drama 'White Nights.'
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Rachel Shenton - Rachel Shenton is far from A-list status, but that could all change now.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
Rachel Shenton - In 2018, Shenton won an Oscar for 'The Silent Child,' which won the Live Action Short Film award. She wrote and starred in the sign language short film.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Eminem - Eminem is one of the most successful musicians ever, but his talents also spill into the world of film.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Eminem - Marshall Mathers won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2003, for his track 'Lose Yourself,' which featured in the semi-autobiographical drama '8 Mile.'
© Getty Images
24 / 31 Fotos
Goldie Hawn - A multi-faceted actress, Goldie Hawn is perhaps best known for her comedy roles. But she actually bagged an Oscar way back in 1970.
© Getty Images
25 / 31 Fotos
Goldie Hawn - Hawn won the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance in 'Cactus Flower.'
© Getty Images
26 / 31 Fotos
Cliff Robertson - In recent times, Cliff Robertson is probably recognized as Uncle Ben in Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' trilogy.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
Cliff Robertson - However, Robertson won an Oscar in 1968 for Best Actor for his work in drama film 'Charly.' He wasn't there for the ceremony, so Frank Sinatra showed up to accept the award on his behalf.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Anna Paquin - Here's Anna Paquin, the first millennial to receive an Oscar nomination, and the first to win.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Anna Paquin
- Paquin has since found fame in the 'X-Men' trilogy and in the series 'True Blood.' She won an Oscar when she was just 11-years-old, for her supporting role in 'The Piano.' See also: Adrien Brody: the rise, fall, and resurgence of a Hollywood chameleon
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
Mikey Madison wins Best Actress Oscar for her role in 'Anora'
Actress becomes one of the youngest winners in the Academy's history
© Getty Images
On the night of March 2, Mikey Madison took the stage in total disbelief as she accepted the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming one of the youngest winners in the category’s history. "This is very surreal," she admitted, visibly shaken.
The 25-year-old delivered a powerhouse performance in 'Anora' (2024), blending raw intensity with vulnerability. Despite gaining momentum in the days leading up to the Oscars—winning a BAFTA and an Independent Spirit Award—she still saw herself as an underdog.
Her victory is a reminder that the Oscars are never short on surprises. Award season is known for its unexpected moments, and history has proven that some wins defy all odds. This gallery looks at some of the unexpected celebs who have won Oscars. From Nicolas Cage to Eminem, there have been many celebrities who beat the odds and won an Academy Award.
Click through to meet the unassuming stars who took home an award.
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