List of LGBTQ Academy Award winners and nominees

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This list details the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people who have been nominated for or received Academy Awards and/or cis-hetero actors who have been nominated for or won for playing queer characters. Individuals are identified as queer, though they may not have publicly or personally identified at the time of their nomination.

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Confirmed individuals

Marlon Brando, bisexual, winner of 2 Oscars, nominated for 8.
Sir Alan Bates, bisexual, nominated for 1 Oscar.
Paul Winfield, gay, nominated for 1 Oscar.
Tom Hulce, gay, nominated for 1 Oscar.
Sir Ian McKellen, gay, nominated for 2 Oscars.
More information Year, Name ...
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Year Name Film Role Status Actor's Demographic Out at the time? Observation Reference
1951 Marlon Brando A Streetcar Named Desire Stanley Kowalski Nominated Cisgender Bisexual No Brando spoke more openly on his bisexuality later on in life, including a list of affairs he had with other celebrities, both men and women. On his greatest love affair, he [stated], “If Wally Cox had been a woman, I would have married him and we would have lived happily ever after.“ [1][2][3][4]
1952 Viva Zapata! Emiliano Zapata Nominated
Alec Guinness The Lavender Hill Mob Henry "Dutch" Holland Nominated Throughout his entire life, Guinness remained closeted to the public, but privately was known to have had a number of male lovers. Family and friends were aware of his bisexuality throughout his life, but never brought it up, as he was known to dislike talking about it. After his death, his close friends and family members confirmed he was bisexual. [5][6][7]
1953 Marlon Brando Julius Caesar Mark Antony Nominated (See note above) [1][2][3][8][4]
1954 On the Waterfront Terry Malloy Won
1957 Sayonara Major Lloyd 'Ace' Gruver, USAF Nominated
Alec Guinness The Bridge on the River Kwai Colonel Nicholson Won (See note above) [9][10][11]
1968 Alan Bates The Fixer Yakov Bok Nominated Bates was attached to several men privately, behind the heterosexual marriage facade, such as ice skater, John Curry, and British TV sleuth, Peter Wyngarde. [12]
1972 Marlon Brando The Godfather Vito Corleone Won (declined) Brando did not attend the ceremony, choosing instead to have himself represented by Sacheen Littlefeather (a.k.a. Maria Cruz), who identified as Apache Native American. She stated that Brando refused the award due to the poor treatment of American Indians in entertainment, as well as the recent Wounded Knee Occupation. [1][2][3][8][4]
Paul Winfield Sounder Nathan Lee Morgan Nominated Cisgender Homosexual Yes First Black gay actor nominated in an acting category. In relationship with architect Charles Gillan Jr., until his 2002 death. Also, he was the first openly gay actor to be nominated for Best Actor and the first openly gay actor nominated in any category to have been out on their own terms. [13]
1973 Marlon Brando Last Tango in Paris Paul Nominated Cisgender Bisexual No (See note above) [1][2][3]
1984 Tom Hulce Amadeus Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Nominated Cisgender Homosexual In an interview with Seattle Gay News, Tom Hulce acknowledged his status as a gay actor, although he emphasized the word "actor" is less applicable due to inactivity. [14]
1994 Nigel Hawthorne The Madness of King George King George III of the United Kingdom Nominated Yes (outed) Hawthorne was outed as gay in 1995 due to the attention his nomination at the 67th Academy Awards had gathered, but nonetheless he attended the ceremony with his long-time partner Trevor Bentham. He also spoke openly about his sexuality in interviews and in his autobiography Straight Face. [15]
1998 Ian McKellen Gods and Monsters James Whale Nominated Yes For each of his nominations (Gods and Monsters in 1998 and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001), the star said he had speeches prepared beginning with the line: "'I’m proud to be the first openly gay man to win the Oscar.' I’ve had to put it back in my pocket twice." [16]
1999 Kevin Spacey American Beauty Lester Burnham Won No Spacey came out as a gay man in his statement addressing a sexual misconduct accusation by actor Anthony Rapp in 2017. [17][18]
2023 Colman Domingo Rustin Bayard Rustin Nominated Yes First openly gay Black and Afro-Latino actor to be nominated for Best Actor. [19]
2024 Sing Sing John "Divine G" Whitfield Nominated
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Speculated to be LGBTQ

The following list is composed of actors who have been claimed to be LGBT by others. They have been outed by a third party either while alive or after their death. However, they never publicly came out.

More information Year, Name ...
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Year Name Film Role Status Alleged Demographic Reference
1933 Charles Laughton The Private Life of Henry VIII King Henry VIII of England Won Bisexual [20][21]
1935 Mutiny on the Bounty Vice-Admiral William Bligh Nominated
1936 Spencer Tracy San Francisco Father Tim Mullin Nominated Gay or Bisexual [22][23]
1937 Captains Courageous Manuel Fidello Won
1938 Boys Town (Monsignor) Father Edward J. Flanagan Won
1941 Cary Grant Penny Serenade Roger Adams Nominated [24][25]
1942 Monty Woolley The Pied Piper Howard Nominated Gay [26][27][28]
1944 Cary Grant None but the Lonely Heart Ernie Mott Nominated Gay or Bisexual [24][25]
1947 Michael Redgrave Mourning Becomes Electra Orin Mannon Nominated Bisexual [29]
1948 Montgomery Clift The Search Ralph 'Steve' Stevenson Nominated [30]
Clifton Webb Sitting Pretty Lynn Aloysius Belvedere Nominated Gay [31]
1950 Spencer Tracy Father of the Bride Stanley T. Banks Nominated Gay or Bisexual [23][22]
1951 Montgomery Clift A Place in the Sun George Eastman Nominated Bisexual [30]
1953 From Here to Eternity Pvt. Robert E. Lee 'Prew' Prewitt Nominated
1955 James Dean East of Eden Caleb Trask Nominated Gay or Bisexual [32]
Spencer Tracy Bad Day at Black Rock John J. Macreedy Nominated [22][23]
1956 James Dean Giant Jett Rink Nominated [32]
Rock Hudson Jordan 'Bick' Benedict, Jr. Nominated Gay [33]
1957 Charles Laughton Witness for the Prosecution Sir Wilfrid Robarts, Q.C. Nominated Bisexual [20][21]
1958 Spencer Tracy The Old Man and the Sea The Old Man (Narrator) Nominated Gay or Bisexual [23][22]
1960 Inherit the Wind Henry Drummond Nominated
1961 Judgment at Nuremberg Chief Judge Dan Haywood Nominated
1967 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Matt Drayton Nominated
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Performances of LGBTQ Characters Nominated for or Awarded Best Actor in a Leading Role

More information Year, Film ...
Performances of LGBTQ Characters Nominated for or Awarded Best Actor in a Leading Role
Year Film Role Character's Demographic Actor Actor's Demographic Status References
1958 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 'Brick' Pollitt Bi-curious Paul Newman Cisgender Heterosexual Nominated [34][35]
1962 Lawrence of Arabia T. E. Lawrence Unknown Peter O'Toole Nominated [36][37][38]
1971 Sunday Bloody Sunday Dr. Daniel Hirsh Gay Peter Finch Nominated [39]
1975 Dog Day Afternoon Sonny Wortzik Bisexual Al Pacino Nominated [40][41]
1977 A Special Day Gabriele Gay Marcello Mastroianni Nominated [42]
1983 The Dresser Norman Tom Courtenay Nominated [43]
1985 Kiss of the Spider Woman Luis Molina Gay (& Genderqueer) William Hurt Won [44][45]
1993 Philadelphia Andrew 'Andy' Beckett Gay Tom Hanks Won [46]
1998 Gods and Monsters James Whale Ian McKellen Cisgender Homosexual Nominated [47]
2000 Before Night Falls Reinaldo Arenas Javier Bardem Cisgender Heterosexual Nominated [48]
2005 Brokeback Mountain Ennis Del Mar Gay or Bisexual Heath Ledger Nominated [49][50][51][52]
Capote Truman Capote Gay Philip Seymour Hoffman Won [53]
2008 Milk Harvey Milk Sean Penn Won [54]
2009 A Single Man George Falconer Colin Firth Nominated [55]
2014 The Imitation Game Alan Turing Benedict Cumberbatch Nominated [56]
2015 The Danish Girl Lili Elbe Transgender woman Eddie Redmayne Nominated [57]
2017 Call Me by Your Name Elio Perlman Bisexual Timothée Chalamet Nominated [58]
2018 Bohemian Rhapsody Freddie Mercury Rami Malek Won [59][60][61]
2019 Pain and Glory Salvador Mallo Gay Antonio Banderas Nominated [62]
2021 The Power of the Dog Phil Burbank Queer Benedict Cumberbatch Nominated [63]
2022 The Whale Charlie Gay Brendan Fraser Won [64]
2023 Maestro Leonard Bernstein Bisexual Bradley Cooper Nominated [65]
Rustin Bayard Rustin Gay Colman Domingo Cisgender
Homosexual		 Nominated [66]
2025 Blue Moon Lorenz Hart Bisexual Ethan Hawke Cisgender
Heterosexual		 Nominated [67]
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Best Actress in a Leading Role

Confirmed individuals

Elliot Page, trans non-binary and queer, nominated for 1 Oscar.
Jodie Foster, winner of 2 Oscars, nominated for 5.
More information Year, Name ...
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Year Name Film Role Status Actor's Demographic Out at the time? Observation Reference
1930/31 Marlene Dietrich Morocco Mademoiselle Amy Jolly Nominated Cisgender Bisexual No Morocco marks the first time in cinema history that two women share a kiss on screen (Dietrich and an uncredited actress). [68]
1981 Susan Sarandon Atlantic City Sally Matthews Nominated
1988 Jodie Foster The Accused Sarah Tobias Won Cisgender Lesbian Foster has acknowledged her romantic relationships with women, but has not identified as a specific sexuality. Foster is the only openly queer woman to win two acting Oscars. [69]
1991 The Silence of the Lambs Clarice Starling Won
Susan Sarandon Thelma & Louise Louise Sawyer Nominated Cisgender Bisexual
1992 Lorenzo's Oil Michaela Odone Nominated
1994 Jodie Foster Nell Nell Kellty Nominated Cisgender Lesbian
Susan Sarandon The Client Regina "Reggie" Love Nominated Cisgender Bisexual
1995 Dead Man Walking Sister Helen Prejean Won
2007 Elliot Page
(as Ellen Page)		 Juno Juno MacGuff Nominated Transgender Non-Binary & Queer Assigned female at birth, Page was nominated in the Leading Actress category before publicly coming out as transgender a decade later. [70]
2008 Angelina Jolie Changeling Christine Collins Nominated Cisgender Bisexual Yes [71][72][73]
2018 Olivia Colman The Favourite Queen Anne Won Non-Binary No [74]
Lady Gaga A Star Is Born Ally Maine Nominated Cisgender Bisexual Yes [75]
2019 Cynthia Erivo Harriet Harriet Tubman Nominated No [76]
2021 Olivia Colman The Lost Daughter Leda Caruso Nominated Non-Binary No
Kristen Stewart Spencer Diana, Princess of Wales Nominated Cisgender Bisexual Yes [77]
2023 Lily Gladstone Killers of the Flower Moon Mollie Burkhart Nominated Non-Binary Queer Yes [78]
2024 Karla Sofía Gascón Emilia Pérez Emilia Pérez/Manitas Nominated Transgender Yes First openly transgender person to be nominated for an acting Oscar [79]
Cynthia Erivo Wicked Elphaba Thropp Nominated Cisgender Bisexual Yes [76]
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Speculated to be LGBTQ

The following list is composed of actresses who have been claimed to be LGBT by others. They have been outed by a third party either while alive or after their death. However, they never publicly came out.

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Actress
Year Name Film Role Status Alleged demographic Reference
1927/28 Janet Gaynor 7th Heaven Diane Won Lesbian or Bisexual [80][81]
Street Angel Angela
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans The Wife
1929/30 Greta Garbo Anna Christie Anna Christie Nominated [82][83][84][85][86]

[87][88][89][90][91]

Romance Rita Cavallini
1932/33 Katharine Hepburn Morning Glory Eva Lovelace Won [92]
1935 Alice Adams Alice Adams Nominated
1937 Greta Garbo Camille Marguerite Gautier Nominated [82][83][84][85][86]

[87][88][89][90][91]

Janet Gaynor A Star Is Born Esther Blodgett /
Vicki Lester		 Nominated [81][80]
1939 Greta Garbo Ninotchka Nina Ivanovna 'Ninotchka' Yakushova Nominated [82][83][84][85][86]

[87][88][89][90][91]

1940 Katharine Hepburn The Philadelphia Story Tracy Samantha Lord Nominated [92]
1942 Woman of the Year Tess Harding Nominated
1951 The African Queen Rose Sayer Nominated
1955 Summertime Jane Hudson Nominated
1956 The Rainmaker Lizzie Curry Nominated
1959 Suddenly, Last Summer Catherine Holly Nominated
1962 Long Day's Journey into Night Mary Tyrone Nominated
1967 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Christina Drayton Won
1968 The Lion in Winter Eleanor of Aquitaine Won
1981 On Golden Pond Ethel Thayer Won
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Performances of LGBTQ Characters Nominated for or Awarded Best Actress in a Leading Role

More information Year, Film ...
Performances of LGBTQ Characters Nominated for or Awarded Best Actress in a Leading Role
Year Film Role Character's Demographic Actress Actress' Demographic Status Refs
1930/31 Morocco Mademoiselle Amy Jolly Queer Marlene Dietrich Cisgender Bisexual Nominated [93]
1974 Lenny Honey Bruce Bisexual Valerie Perrine Cisgender Heterosexual Nominated [94][95]
1979 The Rose Mary Rose "The Rose" Foster Bette Midler Nominated [96]
1984 The Bostonians Olive Chancellor Lesbian Vanessa Redgrave Nominated [97]
1985 The Color Purple Celie Harris-Johnson Whoopi Goldberg Nominated [98]
1999 Boys Don't Cry Brandon Teena Transgender man Hilary Swank Won [99]
2001 Iris Iris Murdoch Bisexual Judi Dench Nominated [100][101]
2002 Frida Frida Kahlo Salma Hayek Nominated [102]
The Hours Virginia Woolf Lesbian Nicole Kidman Won [103][104]
2003 Monster Aileen Wuornos Charlize Theron Won [105]
2005 Transamerica Sabrina "Bree" Osbourne Transgender woman Felicity Huffman Nominated [106][107]
2006 Notes on a Scandal Barbara Covett Lesbian Judi Dench Nominated [108][109]
2010 Black Swan Nina Sayers Bisexual Natalie Portman Won [110][111]
The Kids Are All Right Nicole Allgood Lesbian Annette Bening Nominated [112]
2011 Albert Nobbs Albert Nobbs Transgender man Glenn Close Nominated [113][114][115]
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Lisbeth Salander Bisexual Rooney Mara Nominated [citation needed]
2015 Carol Carol Aird Lesbian Cate Blanchett Nominated [116][117]
2018 Can You Ever Forgive Me? Lee Israel Melissa McCarthy Nominated [118]
The Favourite Queen Anne of Great Britain Olivia Colman Won [119]
2020/21 Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Ma Rainey Bisexual Viola Davis Nominated [120]
The United States vs. Billie Holiday Billie Holiday Andra Day Nominated [121][122]
2021 Parallel Mothers Janis Martínez Moreno Penélope Cruz Nominated [123][124]
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once Evelyn Quan Wang Unclear[a] Michelle Yeoh Won [125]
Tár Lydia Tár Lesbian Cate Blanchett Nominated [126][127][128]
2023 Anatomy of a Fall Sandra Voyter Bisexual Sandra Hüller Nominated [129]
Nyad Diana Nyad Lesbian Annette Bening Nominated [130]
Poor Things Bella Baxter Bisexual Emma Stone Won [131]
2024 Emilia Pérez Emilia Pérez Transgender woman Karla Sofía Gascón Lesbian or Bisexual[132] Transgender Nominated [133]
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Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Confirmed individuals

Sal Mineo, bisexual, nominated for 2 Oscars.
Sir John Gielgud, gay, winner of 1 Oscar, nominated for 2.
Joel Grey, gay, winner of 1 Oscar.
More information Year, Name ...
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Year Name Film Role Status Actor's Demographic Out at the time? Observation Reference
1955 Sal Mineo Rebel Without a Cause John 'Plato' Crawford Nominated Cisgender Homosexual or Bisexual No Mineo confirmed his bisexuality slightly over a decade after his second nomination, in a 1972 interview with Boze Hadleigh—four years prior to his murder. [134][135][136][137][138]
1960 Exodus Dov Landau Nominated
1964 John Gielgud Becket King Louis VII of France Nominated Cisgender Homosexual Yes (outed) In 1953, Gielgud was arrested in Chelsea for cottaging (cruising for public sex), as homosexuality had not yet been decriminalized in the U.K. until the late 1960s. Gielgud was the first openly gay actor nominated in any category. [139]
1971 Leonard Frey Fiddler on the Roof Motel Kamzoil Nominated Yes [140]
1972 Joel Grey Cabaret Master of Ceremonies Won No Although once married (with children, including Jennifer Grey), Joel later acknowledged his orientation in 2015. [141][142]
1977 Alec Guinness Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi Nominated Cisgender Bisexual No (See note above in Best Actor section.) [143][144][145]
1978 Christopher Walken The Deer Hunter Nikonar "Nick" Chevotarevich Won Yes [146]
1981 John Gielgud Arthur Hobson Won Cisgender Homosexual Yes (outed) (See note above with 1964 nom.). Gielgud was also the first openly LGBTQ actor to win an Oscar. [139]
1988 Alec Guinness Little Dorrit William Dorrit Nominated Cisgender Bisexual No (See notes above in Best Actor section.) [147][148][149]
1989 Marlon Brando A Dry White Season Ian McKenzie Nominated Yes [1][2][3]
1992 Jaye Davidson The Crying Game Dil Nominated Cisgender Homosexual Felt that his "androgynous look alienated him from the gay community"; Davidson has since quit acting. [150]
1995 Kevin Spacey The Usual Suspects Roger 'Verbal' Kint Won No Spacey came out as a gay man in his statement addressing a sexual misconduct accusation by actor Anthony Rapp in 2017. [18][151]
2001 Ian McKellen The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Gandalf Nominated Yes (See notes above in Best Actor section.) [152]
2002 Christopher Walken Catch Me If You Can Frank Abagnale Sr. Nominated Cisgender Bisexual Yes [146]
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Speculated to be LGBTQ

The following list is composed of actors who have been claimed to be LGBT by others. They have been outed by a third party either while alive or after their death. However, they never publicly came out.

More information Year, Name ...
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Year Name Film Role Status Alleged Demographic Reference
1944 Clifton Webb Laura Waldo Lydecker Nominated Gay [31]
Monty Woolley Since You Went Away Colonel William G. Smollett Nominated [26][27][28]
1945 John Dall The Corn is Green Morgan Evans Nominated [153]
1946 Clifton Webb The Razor's Edge Elliott Templeton Nominated [31]
1956 Anthony Perkins Friendly Persuasion Josh Birdwell Nominated Bisexual [154][155]
1961 Montgomery Clift Judgment at Nuremberg Rudolph Peterson Nominated [30]
1962 Victor Buono What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Edwin Flagg Nominated Gay [156]
1981 James Coco Only When I Laugh Jimmy Perrino Nominated [157]
Howard E. Rollins, Jr. Ragtime Coalhouse Walker, Jr. Nominated [158]
1986 Denholm Elliott A Room with a View Mr. Emerson Nominated Bisexual [159][160]
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Performances of LGBTQ Characters Nominated for or Awarded Best Actor in a Supporting Role

More information Year, Film ...
Performances of LGBTQ Characters Nominated for or Awarded Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Year Film Role Character's Demographic Actor Actor's Demographic Status Refs
1941 The Maltese Falcon Kasper 'The Fat Man' Gutman Queer Sydney Greenstreet Cisgender Heterosexual Nominated [161][162][163]
1946 The Razor's Edge Elliott Templeton Gay Clifton Webb Cisgender Homosexual Nominated [citation needed]
1955 Rebel Without a Cause John 'Plato' Crawford Sal Mineo Cisgender Bisexual Nominated [134][135][136][137][138]
1962 Lawrence of Arabia Sherif Ali bin el Kharish Omar Sharif Cisgender Heterosexual Nominated [37][36][38]
1975 Dog Day Afternoon Leon Shermer Transgender woman Chris Sarandon Nominated [164][41]
1981 Only When I Laugh Jimmy Perry Gay James Coco Cisgender Undetermined Nominated [165]
1982 The World According to Garp Roberta Muldoon Transgender woman John Lithgow Cisgender Heterosexual Nominated [166][167]
Victor/Victoria Carroll 'Toddy' Todd Gay Robert Preston Nominated [165]
1990 Longtime Companion David Bruce Davison Nominated [168][169]
1991 JFK Clay Shaw Tommy Lee Jones Nominated [170]
1992 The Crying Game Dil Transgender woman Jaye Davidson Cisgender Homosexual Nominated [171][172]
1997 As Good as It Gets Simon Bishop Gay Greg Kinnear Cisgender Heterosexual Nominated [173]
2002 The Hours Richard Brown Ed Harris Nominated [174][175]
2005 Brokeback Mountain Jack Twist Gay or Bisexual Jake Gyllenhaal Nominated [176][177][178]
2011 Beginners Hal Fields Gay Christopher Plummer Won [179]
2013 Dallas Buyers Club Rayon Transgender woman Jared Leto Won [180][181]
2017 The Shape of Water Giles Gay Richard Jenkins Nominated [182]
2018 Can You Ever Forgive Me? Jack Hock Richard E. Grant Nominated [183]
Green Book Don Shirley Mahershala Ali Won [184]
2021 The Power of the Dog Peter Gordon Bi-curious Kodi Smit-McPhee Nominated [citation needed]
2023 American Fiction Clifford "Cliff" Ellison Gay Sterling K. Brown Nominated [185]
2024 The Apprentice Roy Cohn Jeremy Strong Nominated [186]
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Note: Nominated for his performance in 2024's The Brutalist, Guy Pearce's character rapes his male protagonist. However, the action transpires in an ambiguous manner, leaving the audience to interpret whether the character is in fact gay or bisexual or if the attack is a narrative scheme supposed to highlight the power dynamics between protagonist and antagonist.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Confirmed individuals

Lily Tomlin, lesbian, nominated for 1 Oscar.
Linda Hunt, lesbian, winner of 1 Oscar.
Tilda Swinton, queer, winner of 1 Oscar.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, bisexual, nominated for 1 Oscar.
More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Year Name Film Role Status Actor's Demographic Out at the time? Observation Reference
1949 Ethel Waters Pinky Dicey Johnson Nominated Cisgender Bisexual No [187]
1973 Tatum O'Neal Paper Moon Addie Loggins Won [188]
1975 Lily Tomlin Nashville Linnea Reese Nominated Cisgender Lesbian [189][190][191][192][193]
1976 Jodie Foster Taxi Driver Iris 'Easy' Steensma Nominated Cisgender Lesbian (See note on Best Actress table.) [69]
1980 Eva Le Gallienne Resurrection Pearl Nominated Cisgender Lesbian Yes [194]
1983 Linda Hunt The Year of Living Dangerously Billy Kwan Won Hunt portrayed a character who was a cisgender male, and was the first person to win an Oscar for playing a member of the opposite gender. [195][196][197][198]
1993 Anna Paquin The Piano Flora McGrath Won Cisgender Bisexual No [199]
1999 Angelina Jolie Girl, Interrupted Lisa Rowe Won Yes [71][72][73]
2002 Queen Latifah Chicago Matron 'Mama' Morton Nominated Cisgender Unspecified No Latifah hasn't identified her sexual orientation, but during her speech at the BET Awards 2021, she referenced Eboni Nichols as her partner. [200]
2007 Tilda Swinton Michael Clayton Karen Crowder Won Cisgender Queer [201]
2009 Mo'Nique Precious Mary Lee Johnston Won [202]
2021 Ariana DeBose West Side Story Anita Won Yes DeBose is the first openly queer actor of color to win an Oscar, in any category. [203]
Olivia Colman The Father Anne Nominated Non-Binary No
Aunjanue Ellis King Richard Oracene Price Nominated Cisgender Bisexual No [204]
2022 Stephanie Hsu Everything Everywhere All at Once Joy Wang / Jobu Tupaki Nominated Cisgender Queer Yes [205][better source needed]
2023 Jodie Foster Nyad Bonnie Stoll Nominated Cisgender Lesbian Yes (See note on Best Actress table.) [69]
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Speculated to be LGBTQ

The following list is composed of actresses who have been claimed to be LGBT by others. They have been outed by a third party either while alive or after their death. However, they never publicly came out.

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Year Name Film Role Status Alleged demographic Reference
1938 Spring Byington You Can't Take It with You Penelope 'Penny' Sycamore Nominated Lesbian and bisexual [206][207][208][209][210]
1947 Marjorie Main The Egg and I Phoebe 'Ma' Kettle Nominated [210]
1966 Sandy Dennis Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Honey Won Bisexual [211][212][213][214]
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Performances of LGBTQ Characters Nominated for or Awarded Best Actress in a Supporting Role

More information Year, Film ...
Performances of LGBTQ Characters Nominated for or Awarded Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Year Film Role Character's demographic Actress Actress's demographic Status References
1940 Rebecca Mrs. Danvers Lesbian Judith Anderson Cisgender Heterosexual Nominated [215][216][217]
1950 Caged Evelyn Harper Hope Emerson Nominated [citation needed]
1964 The Night of the Iguana Judith Fellowes Grayson Hall Nominated [165]
1968 Rachel, Rachel Calla Mackie Estelle Parsons Nominated [218][165]
1983 Silkwood Dolly Pelliker Cher Nominated [165]
1985 The Color Purple Shug Avery Bisexual Margaret Avery Nominated [165]
1998 Primary Colors Libby Holden Lesbian Kathy Bates Nominated [219]
1999 Being John Malkovich Maxine Lund Bisexual Catherine Keener Nominated [220]
Girl, Interrupted Lisa Rowe Angelina Jolie Cisgender Bisexual Won [221]
2001 Iris Iris Murdoch Kate Winslet Cisgender Heterosexual Nominated [100][101]
2008 Vicky Cristina Barcelona María Elena Penélope Cruz Won [222]
2011 Albert Nobbs Hubert Page Transgender man Janet McTeer Nominated [114][115]
2015 Carol Therese Belivet Lesbian Rooney Mara Nominated [117]
2018 The Favourite Baroness Abigail Masham Lesbian or Bisexual Emma Stone Nominated [119]
Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough Rachel Weisz Nominated [119]
2019 Bombshell Kayla Pospisil Margot Robbie Nominated [223][224]
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once Deirdre Beaubeirdre Unclear[a] Jamie Lee Curtis Won [225]
Joy Wang / Jobu Tupaki Lesbian Stephanie Hsu Cisgender Queer Nominated [205][226][227]
2023 Nyad Bonnie Stoll Jodie Foster Cisgender
Unspecified LGBT		 Nominated [228]
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Best Animated Feature

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Year Name Film Status Nominee's Demographic Reference
2008 Byron Howard Bolt Nominated Cisgender Homosexual [229]
2010 Dean DeBlois How to Train Your Dragon Nominated [230]
Lee Unkrich Toy Story 3 Won Cisgender Bisexual [231]
2012 Chris Butler ParaNorman Nominated Cisgender Homosexual [232]
2014 Dean DeBlois How to Train Your Dragon 2 Nominated [230]
2016 Byron Howard Zootopia Won [229]
2017 Darla K. Anderson Coco Won Cisgender Lesbian [233]
Lee Unkrich Won Cisgender Bisexual [231]
2018 Scott Rudin Isle of Dogs Nominated Cisgender Homosexual [234]
2019 Chris Butler Missing Link Nominated [232]
Dean DeBlois How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World Nominated [230]
2020 Kori Rae Onward Nominated Cisgender Lesbian [235]
2021 Byron Howard Encanto Won Cisgender Homosexual [229]
2024 Adam Elliot Memoir of a Snail Nominated [236]
Jeff Hermann The Wild Robot Nominated [237]
2025 Byron Howard Zootopia 2 Nominated [229]
Adrian Molina Elio Nominated [238]
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Best Animated Feature winners and nominees with LGBTQ themes

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Status Relevant Theme Reference
2007 Persepolis Nominated Gay
2012 ParaNorman Nominated
2017 The Breadwinner Nominated Non-binary
2021 Flee Nominated Gay
The Mitchells vs. the Machines Nominated Queer
2023 Nimona Nominated Gay
2024 Memoir of a Snail Nominated
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Best Cinematography

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Cinematography
Year Name Film Status Milestone Demographic Reference
1978 Néstor Almendros Days of Heaven Won Cisgender Homosexual [239]
1979 Kramer vs. Kramer Nominated
1980 The Blue Lagoon Nominated
James Crabe The Formula Nominated [240]
1982 Néstor Almendros Sophie's Choice Nominated [239]
1985 David Watkin Out of Africa Won [241]
2017 Rachel Morrison Mudbound Nominated First female nominee for Best Cinematography Cisgender Lesbian [242]
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Best Costume Design

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Costume Design
Year Name Film Status Reference
1950 Walter Plunkett The Magnificent Yankee Nominated [243]
That Forsyte Woman Nominated
1951 Orry-Kelly An American in Paris Won [244]
Walter Plunkett Won [243]
Kind Lady Nominated
Irene Sharaff An American in Paris Won [245]
Edward Stevenson David and Bathsheba Nominated [240]
The Mudlark Nominated
1952 Miles White The Greatest Show on Earth Nominated
1953 Walter Plunkett The Actress Nominated [243]
Young Bess Nominated
Irene Sharaff Call Me Madam Nominated [245]
1954 Brigadoon Nominated
A Star Is Born Nominated
Miles White There's No Business Like Show Business Nominated [240]
1955 Irene Sharaff Guys and Dolls Nominated [245]
1956 The King and I Won
Miles White Around the World in 80 Days Nominated [240]
1957 Orry-Kelly Les Girls Won [244]
Walter Plunkett Raintree County Nominated [243]
1958 Cecil Beaton Gigi Won [245]
Walter Plunkett Some Came Running Nominated [243]
1959 Orry-Kelly Some Like It Hot Won [244]
Irene Sharaff Porgy and Bess Nominated [245]
Howard Shoup The Young Philadelphians Nominated [246]
1960 Irene Sharaff Can-Can Nominated [245]
Howard Shoup The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond Nominated [246]
Edward Stevenson The Facts of Life Won [240]
1961 Piero Gherardi La Dolce Vita Won [247]
Walter Plunkett Pocketful of Miracles Nominated [243]
Irene Sharaff West Side Story Won [245]
Howard Shoup Claudelle Inglish Nominated [246]
1962 Orry-Kelly Gypsy Nominated [244]
1963 Piero Gherardi 8½ Won [247]
Walter Plunkett How the West Was Won Nominated [243]
Irene Sharaff Cleopatra Won [245]
Piero Tosi The Leopard Nominated [248]
1964 Cecil Beaton My Fair Lady Won [245]
Howard Shoup Kisses for My President Nominated [246]
1965 A Rage to Live Nominated
1966 Danilo Donati The Gospel According to St. Matthew Nominated [247]
Mandragola Nominated
Piero Gherardi Juliet of the Spirits Nominated
Irene Sharaff Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Won [245]
1967 Danilo Donati The Taming of the Shrew Nominated [247]
Irene Sharaff Nominated [245]
1968 Danilo Donati Romeo and Juliet Won [247]
1969 Irene Sharaff Hello, Dolly! Nominated [245]
1971 Piero Tosi Death in Venice Nominated [248]
1972 Ray Aghayan Lady Sings the Blues Nominated [249]
Bob Mackie Nominated
1973 Piero Tosi Ludwig Nominated [248]
1975 Ray Aghayan Funny Lady Nominated [249]
Bob Mackie Nominated
1976 Danilo Donati Fellini's Casanova Won [247]
William Ware Theiss Bound for Glory Nominated [250]
1977 Florence Klotz A Little Night Music Nominated [245]
Burton Miller Airport '77 Nominated [246]
Irene Sharaff The Other Side of Midnight Nominated [245]
1979 William Ware Theiss Butch and Sundance: The Early Days Nominated [250]
Piero Tosi La Cage aux Folles Nominated [248]
Albert Wolsky All That Jazz Won [251]
1981 Bob Mackie Pennies from Heaven Nominated [249]
1982 Piero Tosi La Traviata Nominated [248]
Albert Wolsky Sophie's Choice Nominated [251]
1983 William Ware Theiss Heart Like a Wheel Nominated [250]
1985 Albert Wolsky The Journey of Natty Gann Nominated [251]
1991 Richard Hornung Barton Fink Nominated [252]
Albert Wolsky Bugsy Won [251]
1992 Toys Nominated
1999 Gary Jones The Talented Mr. Ripley Nominated [253]
2001 Angus Strathie Moulin Rouge! Won [254]
2006 Patricia Field The Devil Wears Prada Nominated [255]
2007 Albert Wolsky Across the Universe Nominated [251]
2008 Danny Glicker Milk Nominated [256]
Albert Wolsky Revolutionary Road Nominated [251]
2012 Paco Delgado Les Misérables Nominated [257]
2015 The Danish Girl Nominated
2021 Paul Tazewell West Side Story Nominated [258]
2024 Wicked Won
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Best Director

Jerome Robbins, first openly LGBT winner for Best Director.
Pedro Almodóvar, gay, winner of 2 Oscars, nominated for 5.
More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Director
Year Name Film Status Director's Demographic Observation Reference
1932/33 George Cukor Little Women Nominated Cisgender Homosexual [259]
1940 The Philadelphia Story Nominated
1947 A Double Life Nominated
1950 Born Yesterday Nominated
1951 Vincente Minnelli An American in Paris Nominated Cisgender Homosexual or Bisexual [260]
1953 Charles Walters Lili Nominated Cisgender Homosexual [261]
1958 Vincente Minnelli Gigi Won Cisgender Homosexual or Bisexual [260]
1961 Jerome Robbins West Side Story Won Cisgender Bisexual [262]
1963 Tony Richardson Tom Jones Won [33]
1964 George Cukor My Fair Lady Won Cisgender Homosexual [259]
Peter Glenville Becket Nominated [263]
1965 John Schlesinger Darling Nominated [264]
1968 Franco Zeffirelli Romeo and Juliet Nominated [265]
1969 John Schlesinger Midnight Cowboy Won [264]
1971 Sunday Bloody Sunday Nominated
1986 James Ivory A Room with a View Nominated [266]
1992 Howards End Nominated
1993 The Remains of the Day Nominated
1997 Gus Van Sant Good Will Hunting Nominated [267]
2000 Stephen Daldry Billy Elliot Nominated [268]
2002 Pedro Almodóvar Talk to Her Nominated 2002 marked the first time ever that 3 out the 5 directors nominated for Best Director were gay. [269]
Stephen Daldry The Hours Nominated [268]
Rob Marshall Chicago Nominated [270]
2008 Stephen Daldry The Reader Nominated [268]
Gus Van Sant Milk Nominated [267]
2009 Lee Daniels Precious Nominated First Black gay man nominee for Best Director [271]
Close

Speculated to be LGBTQ

The following list is composed of directors who have been claimed to be LGBT by others. They have been outed by a third party either while alive or after their death. However, they never publicly came out.

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Director
Year Name Film Status Alleged demographic Reference
1935 John Ford The Informer Won Gay or Bisexual [272][273][274]
1939 Stagecoach Nominated
1940 The Grapes of Wrath Won
1941 How Green Was My Valley Won
1952 The Quiet Man Won
1978 Michael Cimino The Deer Hunter Won Transgender or Non-binary [275][276]
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Best International Feature Film

Best International Feature Film winners and nominees with LGBTQ themes

More information Year, Director ...
Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
Year Director Film Status Demographic Country Ref.
1972 Jaime de Armiñán My Dearest Senorita Nominated Intersex Spain [277]
1977 Ettore Scola A Special Day Nominated Gay Italy
1979 Franco Brusati To Forget Venice Nominated Gay & Lesbian Italy [278]
1985 István Szabó Colonel Redl Nominated Gay Hungary [279]
1993 Chen Kaige Farewell My Concubine Nominated Hong Kong
Ang Lee The Wedding Banquet Nominated Taiwan
1994 Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabío Strawberry and Chocolate Nominated Cuba
1995 Marleen Gorris Antonia's Line Won Lesbian Netherlands
1999 Pedro Almodovar All About My Mother Won Transgender Spain
2002 Paula van der Oest Zus & Zo Nominated Gay Netherlands [280]
2017 Sebastián Lelio A Fantastic Woman Won Transgender Chile
2019 Pedro Almodovar Pain and Glory Nominated Gay Spain
2021 Jonas Poher Rasmussen Flee Nominated Denmark
2022 Lukas Dhont Close Nominated Belgium
2024 Jacques Audiard Emilia Pérez Nominated Transgender France
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Best Documentary Feature

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature
Year Name Film Status Milestone Reference
1955 Nancy Hamilton Helen Keller in Her Story Won [26]
1984 Rob Epstein The Times of Harvey Milk Won First gay-themed film by openly gay filmmakers to win an Academy Award [281]
Richard Schmiechen Won
1988 Bruce Weber Let's Get Lost Nominated [282]
1989 Rob Epstein Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt Won [281]
1992 David Haugland Changing Our Minds: The Story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker Nominated [283]
2000 Frances Reid Long Night's Journey into Day Nominated [284]
2006 Laura Poitras My Country, My Country Nominated [285]
2012 David France How to Survive a Plague Nominated [286]
Howard Gertler Nominated [287]
2014 Laura Poitras Citizenfour Won
Joshua Oppenheimer The Act of Killing Nominated [288]
2016 Joshua Oppenheimer The Look of Silence Nominated
2017 Yance Ford Strong Island Nominated First openly transgender man to be nominated for an Academy Award [289]
2022 Nan Goldin All the Beauty and the Bloodshed Nominated [290]
Laura Poitras [285]
2025 Tig Notaro Come See Me in the Good Light Nominated [291]
Pavel Talankin Mr. Nobody Against Putin Won [238]
Ryan White Come See Me in the Good Light Nominated [292]
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Best Documentary Short Subject

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject
Year Name Film Status Reference
1952 Norman McLaren Neighbours Won [293]
1991 Debra Chasnoff Deadly Deception: General Electric, Nuclear Weapons and Our Environment Won [294]
1994 Dee Mosbacher Straight from the Heart Nominated [284]
Frances Reid Nominated
2002 Robert Houston Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks Nominated [295]
2004 Mighty Times: The Children's March Won
2018 Rob Epstein End Game Nominated [281]
[296]
Jeffrey Friedman Nominated
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Best Film Editing

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Film Editing
Year Name Film Status Demographic Reference
1961 William H. Reynolds Fanny Nominated Cisgender Homosexual [240]
1965 The Sound of Music Won
1966 The Sand Pebbles Nominated
1969 Hello, Dolly! Nominated
1972 The Godfather Nominated
1973 The Sting Won
1977 The Turning Point Nominated
2017 Tatiana S. Riegel I, Tonya Nominated Cisgender Lesbian [297]
2018 John Ottman Bohemian Rhapsody Won Cisgender Homosexual [298]
2025 Andy Jurgensen One Battle After Another Won [299]
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Best Makeup & Hairstyling

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Year Name Film Status Demographic Reference
1992 Matthew W. Mungle Bram Stoker's Dracula Won Gay [300]
1993 Schindler's List Nominated
1996 Ghosts of Mississippi Nominated
2002 John E. Jackson Frida Won
2005 Tami Lane The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Won Lesbian [301]
2011 J. Roy Helland The Iron Lady Won Gay [302]
2011 Matthew W. Mungle Albert Nobbs Nominated [300]
2012 Tami Lane The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Nominated Lesbian [301]
2020 Matthew W. Mungle Hillbilly Elegy Nominated Gay [300]
Sergio Lopez-Rivera Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Won [303]
2021 Frederic Aspiras House of Gucci Nominated [304]
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Best Music, Original Score

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Original Score
Year Name Film Status Reference
1939 Aaron Copland Of Mice and Men Nominated [305]
1940 Our Town Nominated
1943 The North Star Nominated
1949 The Heiress Won
1954 Leonard Bernstein On the Waterfront Nominated [306]
1965 Jacques Demy The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Nominated [307]
1967 Richard Rodney Bennett Far from the Madding Crowd Nominated [308]
1971 Nicholas and Alexandra Nominated
1974 Murder on the Orient Express Nominated
1980 John Corigliano Altered States Nominated [234]
1992 Richard Robbins Howards End Nominated [309]
1993 The Remains of the Day Nominated
1995 Marc Shaiman The American President Nominated [310]
1996 The First Wives Club Nominated
1998 Patch Adams Nominated
1999 John Corigliano The Red Violin Won [234]
2013 Owen Pallett Her Nominated [311]
2016 Mica Levi Jackie Nominated [312]
2018 Marc Shaiman Mary Poppins Returns Nominated [310]
2023 Laura Karpman American Fiction Nominated [313]
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Best Music, Original Song Score or Adaptation

More information Year, Name ...
Original Song Score or Adaptation
Year Name Film Status Milestone Reference
1939 Aaron Copland Of Mice and Men Nominated [305]
Roger Edens Babes in Arms Nominated [314]
1940 Aaron Copland Our Town Nominated [305]
Roger Edens Strike Up the Band Nominated [314]
1942 For Me and My Gal Nominated
1948 Easter Parade Won Only composer to win three consecutive awards in this category.
1949 On the Town Won
1950 Annie Get Your Gun Won
1952 Gian Carlo Menotti The Medium Nominated [315]
1968 Jacques Demy The Young Girls of Rochefort Nominated [307]
1970 Rod McKuen A Boy Named Charlie Brown Nominated [316]
1972 Ralph Burns Cabaret Won [317]
1974 Frederick Loewe The Little Prince Nominated [318]
Angela Morley Nominated First openly transgender Academy Award nominee [319]
1977 The Slipper and the Rose—The Story of Cinderella Nominated
1979 Ralph Burns All That Jazz Won [317]
1982 Annie Nominated
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Best Music, Original Song

Elton John, gay, winner of 2 Oscars, nominated for 5.
More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Original Song
Year Name Film Song Status Demographic Observation Reference
1936 Cole Porter Born to Dance "I've Got You Under My Skin" Nominated Gay [320]
1940 Roger Edens Strike Up the Band "Our Love Affair" Nominated [314]
1941 Cole Porter You'll Never Get Rich "Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye" Nominated [320]
1943 Something to Shout About "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" Nominated
1947 Roger Edens Good News "Pass That Peace Pipe" Nominated [314]
1956 Cole Porter High Society "True Love" Nominated [320]
1958 Frederick Loewe Gigi "Gigi" Won [318]
1960 Manos Hatzidakis Never on Sunday "Never on Sunday" Won [321]
1965 Jacques Demy The Umbrellas of Cherbourg "I Will Wait for You" Nominated Bisexual [307]
1969 Rod McKuen The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie "Jean" Nominated Queer [316]
1974 Frederick Loewe The Little Prince "Little Prince" Nominated Gay [318]
1975 John Kander Funny Lady "How Lucky Can You Get" Nominated [322]
1978 Paul Jabara Thank God It's Friday "Last Dance" Won [323]
1980 Lesley Gore Fame "Out Here on My Own" Nominated Lesbian [324]
Dean Pitchford "Fame" Won Gay [325]
1982 Peter Allen Arthur "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" Won Gay [326]
1984 Dean Pitchford Footloose "Footloose" Nominated [325]
"Let's Hear It for the Boy" Nominated
1986 Howard Ashman Little Shop of Horrors "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" Nominated [234]
1989 Dean Pitchford Chances Are "After All" Nominated [325]
Howard Ashman The Little Mermaid "Kiss the Girl" Nominated [234]
"Under the Sea" Won
1990 Stephen Sondheim Dick Tracy "Sooner or Later" Won
1991 Howard Ashman Beauty and the Beast "Be Our Guest" Nominated First person with AIDS to be given both a posthumous award and nominations.

First gay man to be awarded Best Original Song twice.

"Beauty and the Beast" Won
"Belle" Nominated
1992 Aladdin "Friend Like Me" Nominated
1993 Marc Shaiman Sleepless in Seattle "A Wink and a Smile" Nominated [310]
1994 Elton John The Lion King "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" Won [327]
"Circle of Life" Nominated
"Hakuna Matata" Nominated
1999 Marc Shaiman South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut "Blame Canada" Nominated [310]
2002 John Kander Chicago "I Move On" Nominated [322]
2006 Melissa Etheridge An Inconvenient Truth "I Need to Wake Up" Won Lesbian First openly lesbian winner for Original Song [234]
Henry Krieger Dreamgirls "Listen" Nominated Gay [328]
"Love You I Do" Nominated
"Patience" Nominated
2015 Anohni Racing Extinction "Manta Ray" Nominated Transgender First openly transgender person nominated for Original Song [329]
Lady Gaga The Hunting Ground "Til It Happens to You" Nominated Bisexual [75]
Sam Smith Spectre "Writing's on the Wall" Won Gay and non-binary Incorrectly pronounced themself as the first ever openly gay person to win an Oscar during their acceptance speech[330] after misinterpreting an interview where Sir Ian McKellen said no openly gay actor had ever won in the Leading Actor category.[331] They later apologized for the mistake and justified their point was to shine a light on the LGBTQ community.[332] [327]
2016 Benj Pasek La La Land "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)" Nominated Gay [333]
"City of Stars" Won
2017 The Greatest Showman "This Is Me" Nominated
Sufjan Stevens Call Me by Your Name "Mystery of Love" Nominated [334]
2018 Lady Gaga A Star Is Born "Shallow" Won Bisexual [75]
Marc Shaiman Mary Poppins Returns "The Place Where Lost Things Go" Nominated Gay [335]
Scott Wittman Nominated
2019 Elton John Rocketman "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" Won [327]
Cynthia Erivo Harriet "Stand Up" Nominated Bisexual [76]
2021 Billie Eilish No Time to Die "No Time to Die" Won [336]
2022 Lady Gaga Top Gun: Maverick "Hold My Hand" Nominated [75]
2023 Billie Eilish Barbie "What Was I Made For?" Won [336]
2024 Elton John Elton John: Never Too Late "Never Too Late" Nominated Gay [337]
Brandi Carlile Nominated Lesbian
2025 Mark Sonnenblick KPop Demon Hunters "Golden" Won Gay [238]
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Best Picture

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Picture
Year Name Film Status Demographic Reference
1963 Tony Richardson Tom Jones Won Bisexual [33]
1970 Ross Hunter Airport Nominated Gay [338]
1977 Arthur Laurents The Turning Point Nominated [339]
1985 David Weisman Kiss of the Spider Woman Nominated
1986 Ismail Merchant A Room with a View Nominated [266]
1992 Howards End Nominated
1993 The Remains of the Day Nominated
1999 Bruce Cohen American Beauty Won [340]
Dan Jinks Won
2002 Scott Rudin The Hours Nominated [234]
2007 No Country for Old Men Won
There Will Be Blood Nominated
2008 Bruce Cohen Milk Nominated [340]
Dan Jinks Nominated
2009 Lee Daniels Precious Nominated [271]
2010 Darla K. Anderson Toy Story 3 Nominated Lesbian [233]
Iain Canning The King's Speech Won Gay [341]
Scott Rudin The Social Network Nominated [234]
True Grit Nominated
2011 Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close Nominated
2012 Bruce Cohen Silver Linings Playbook Nominated [340]
Megan Ellison Zero Dark Thirty Nominated Lesbian [342]
Cameron Mackintosh Les Misérables Nominated Gay [343]
2013 Megan Ellison American Hustle Nominated Lesbian [342]
Her Nominated
Scott Rudin Captain Phillips Nominated Gay [234]
2014 The Grand Budapest Hotel Nominated
2016 Fences Nominated
Iain Canning Lion Nominated [341]
2017 Megan Ellison Phantom Thread Nominated Lesbian [342]
Luca Guadagnino Call Me by Your Name Nominated Gay [344]
Peter Spears Nominated [345]
Scott Rudin Lady Bird Nominated [234]
2020 Peter Spears Nomadland Won [345]
2021 Iain Canning The Power of the Dog Nominated [341]
2022 Tony Kushner The Fabelmans Nominated [346]
2023 Christine Vachon Past Lives Nominated Lesbian [347]
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Best Picture winners and nominees with LGBTQ themes

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Status Relevant Theme Reference
1969 Midnight Cowboy Won Bisexual [348]
1972 Cabaret Nominated Bisexual [349]
1975 Dog Day Afternoon Nominated Transgender [350]
1985 Kiss of the Spider Woman Nominated Gay [351]
1991 The Silence of the Lambs Won Transgender [352]
1992 The Crying Game Nominated [353]
1999 American Beauty Won Gay [354]
2002 The Hours Nominated Lesbian and Gay [355]
2005 Brokeback Mountain Nominated Gay [356]
Capote Nominated [357]
2008 Milk Nominated [358]
2010 Black Swan Nominated Bisexual [359]
The Kids Are All Right Nominated Lesbian
2013 Dallas Buyers Club Nominated Queer
Transgender		 [360]
2014 The Imitation Game Nominated Gay [361]
2016 Moonlight Won [362]
2017 Call Me by Your Name Nominated Bisexual [363]
2018 Bohemian Rhapsody Nominated [364]
The Favourite Nominated Lesbian and Bisexual [365]
2021 The Power of the Dog Nominated Queer [366]
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once Won Lesbian and Bisexual [125][225]
Tár Nominated [367][368]
2023 American Fiction Nominated Gay
Anatomy of a Fall Nominated Bisexual
Maestro Nominated
2024 Conclave Nominated Intersex
Emilia Pérez Nominated Transgender
Close

Speculated to be LGBTQ

The following list is composed of producers who have been claimed to be LGBT by others. They have been outed by a third party either alive or after their death. However, they never publicly came out.

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Picture
Year Name Film Status Alleged demographic Reference
1952 John Ford The Quiet Man Nominated Gay or Bisexual [369]
1978 Michael Cimino The Deer Hunter Won Transgender or Non-binary [370][276]
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Best Production Design

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Production Design
Year Name Film Status Reference
1936 Edwin B. Willis The Great Ziegfeld Nominated [240]
Romeo and Juliet Nominated
1941 Howard Bristol The Little Foxes Nominated
Samuel M. Comer Hold Back the Dawn Nominated
Edwin B. Willis Blossoms in the Dust Won
When Ladies Meet Nominated
1942 Howard Bristol The Pride of the Yankees Nominated
Samuel M. Comer Take a Letter, Darling Nominated
Jack D. Moore Random Harvest Nominated
Edwin B. Willis Nominated
1943 Howard Bristol The North Star Nominated
George James Hopkins Mission to Moscow Nominated [31]
This Is the Army Nominated
Edwin B. Willis Madame Curie Nominated [240]
Thousands Cheer Nominated
1944 Howard Bristol The Princess and the Pirate Nominated
Samuel M. Comer No Time for Love Nominated
Edwin B. Willis Gaslight Won
Kismet Nominated
Richard Pefferle Nominated
1945 Samuel M. Comer Frenchman's Creek Won
Love Letters Nominated
Edwin B. Willis National Velvet Nominated
The Picture of Dorian Gray Nominated
1946 Samuel M. Comer Kitty Nominated
Paul S. Fox The Razor's Edge Nominated
Edwin B. Willis The Yearling Won
1947 Paul S. Fox The Foxes of Harrow Nominated
George James Hopkins Life with Father Nominated [31]
1949 Paul S. Fox Come to the Stable Nominated [240]
Jack D. Moore Little Women Won
Edwin B. Willis Won
Madame Bovary Nominated
1950 Samuel M. Comer Samson and Delilah Won
Sunset Boulevard Won
Edwin B. Willis Annie Get Your Gun Nominated
The Red Danube Nominated
1951 Paul S. Fox David and Bathsheba Nominated
House on Telegraph Hill Nominated
F. Keogh Gleason An American in Paris Won
George James Hopkins A Streetcar Named Desire Won [31]
Jack D. Moore Too Young to Kiss Nominated [240]
Edwin B. Willis An American in Paris Won
Too Young to Kiss Nominated
1952 Howard Bristol Hans Christian Andersen Nominated
Paul S. Fox The Snows of Kilimanjaro Nominated
F. Keogh Gleason The Bad and the Beautiful Won
Arthur Krams The Merry Widow Nominated
Edwin B. Willis The Bad and the Beautiful Won
The Merry Widow Nominated
1953 Paul S. Fox The President's Lady Nominated
The Robe Won
F. Keogh Gleason The Story of Three Loves Nominated
Arthur Krams Lili Nominated
The Story of Three Loves Nominated
Jack D. Moore Nominated
Young Bess Nominated
Edwin B. Willis Julius Caesar Won
Lili Nominated
The Story of Three Loves Nominated
Young Bess Nominated
1954 Samuel M. Comer The Country Girl Nominated
Red Garters Nominated
Sabrina Nominated
Paul S. Fox Désirée Nominated
F. Keogh Gleason Brigadoon Nominated
George James Hopkins A Star Is Born Nominated [31]
Irene Sharaff Nominated [245]
Edwin B. Willis Brigadoon Nominated [240]
Executive Suite Nominated
1955 Howard Bristol Guys and Dolls Nominated
Samuel M. Comer The Rose Tattoo Won
To Catch a Thief Nominated
Paul S. Fox Daddy Long Legs Nominated
Henry Grace Blackboard Jungle Nominated
Arthur Krams The Rose Tattoo Won
To Catch a Thief Nominated
Oliver Smith Guys and Dolls Nominated [371]
Edwin B. Willis Blackboard Jungle Nominated [240]
I'll Cry Tomorrow Nominated
1956 Samuel M. Comer The Proud and Profane Nominated
The Ten Commandments Nominated
Ross J. Dowd Around the World in 80 Days Nominated
Paul S. Fox The King and I Won
F. Keogh Gleason Lust for Life Nominated
Somebody Up There Likes Me Won
Edwin B. Willis Lust for Life Nominated
Somebody Up There Likes Me Won
1957 Samuel M. Comer Funny Face Nominated
Richard Pefferle Les Girls Nominated
Edwin B. Willis Nominated
Raintree County Nominated
1958 Samuel M. Comer Vertigo Nominated
Paul S. Fox A Certain Smile Nominated
F. Keogh Gleason Gigi Won
Henry Grace Won
George James Hopkins Auntie Mame Nominated [31]
1959 Paul S. Fox Career Nominated [240]
Henry Grace North by Northwest Nominated
Arthur Krams Career Nominated
Oliver Messel Suddenly, Last Summer Nominated [372]
1960 Samuel M. Comer It Started in Naples Nominated [240]
Visit to a Small Planet Nominated
Ross J. Dowd The Facts of Life Nominated
Henry Grace Cimarron Nominated
George James Hopkins Sunrise at Campobello Nominated [31]
Arthur Krams Visit to a Small Planet Nominated [240]
1961 Howard Bristol Flower Drum Song Nominated
Samuel M. Comer Breakfast at Tiffany's Nominated
Summer and Smoke Nominated
Piero Gherardi La Dolce Vita Nominated [247]
Arthur Krams Summer and Smoke Nominated [240]
1962 Samuel M. Comer The Pigeon That Took Rome Nominated
Henry Grace Mutiny on the Bounty Nominated
Period of Adjustment Nominated
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm Nominated
George James Hopkins Days of Wine and Roses Nominated [31]
The Music Man Nominated
1963 Samuel M. Comer Come Blow Your Horn Nominated [240]
Hud Nominated
Love with the Proper Stranger Nominated
Paul S. Fox Cleopatra Won
Piero Gherardi 8½ Nominated [247]
Henry Grace How the West Was Won Nominated [240]
Twilight of Honor Nominated
1964 Cecil Beaton My Fair Lady Won [245]
Henry Grace The Americanization of Emily Nominated [240]
The Unsinkable Molly Brown Nominated
George James Hopkins My Fair Lady Won [31]
1965 Henry Grace A Patch of Blue Nominated [240]
George James Hopkins Inside Daisy Clover Nominated [31]
1966 Piero Gherardi Juliet of the Spirits Nominated [247]
Henry Grace Mister Buddwing Nominated [240]
George James Hopkins Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Won [31]
1967 Howard Bristol Thoroughly Modern Millie Nominated [240]
1968 Star! Nominated
1969 George James Hopkins Hello, Dolly! Won [31]
Jack D. Moore Sweet Charity Nominated [240]
1970 Samuel M. Comer Tora! Tora! Tora! Nominated
Arthur Krams Nominated
Jack D. Moore Airport Nominated
1982 Franco Zeffirelli La Traviata Nominated [265]
1987 Ferdinando Scarfiotti The Last Emperor Won [373]
1992 Toys Nominated
2005 Jan Pascale Good Night, and Good Luck Nominated [374]
2012 Lee Sandales War Horse Nominated
2020 Jan Pascale Mank Won
Lee Sandales 1917 Nominated
2024 Wicked Won [375]
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Best Short Film (Animated)

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
Year Name Film Status Demographic Reference
1969 Ryan Larkin Walking Nominated Bisexual [376]
2003 Adam Elliot Harvie Krumpet Won Gay [236]
2020 Adrien Merigeau Genius Loci Nominated Non-Binary [377]
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Best Short Film (Live Action)

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film
Year Name Film Status Demographic Reference
1952 Norman McLaren Neighbours Nominated Gay [293]
1957 A Chairy Tale Nominated
1960 Ismail Merchant The Creation of Woman Nominated [266]
1992 Christian Taylor The Lady in Waiting Nominated [378]
1994 Randy Stone Trevor Won [379]
2020 Travon Free Two Distant Strangers Won Bisexual [380]
2025 Lee Knight A Friend of Dorothy Nominated Gay [381]
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Best Sound Mixing

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing
Year Name Film Status Demographic Reference
2008 Lora Hirschberg The Dark Knight Nominated Lesbian [341]
2010 Inception Won
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Best Visual Effects

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Visual Effects
Year Name Film Status Demographic Reference
2025 Charmaine Chan Jurassic World Rebirth Nominated Queer [382]
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Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Year Name Film Adapted from Status Milestone Demographic Reference
1944 John Van Druten Gaslight Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton Nominated Gay [240]
1951 Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams Nominated [383]
1956 Baby Doll 27 Wagons Full of Cotton and The Unsatisfactory Supper by Tennessee Williams Nominated
1958 Terence Rattigan Separate Tables Separate Tables by Terence Rattigan Nominated [384]
Alec Guinness The Horse's Mouth The Horse's Mouth by Joyce Cary Nominated (See note above in Best Actor section.) Bisexual [385][386][387]
1960 Gavin Lambert Sons and Lovers Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence Nominated Gay [388]
1970 Larry Kramer Women in Love Women in Love by D.H. Lawrence Nominated [389]
1973 James Bridges The Paper Chase The Paper Chase by John Jay Osborn Jr. Nominated [390]
1974 Paul Dehn Murder on the Orient Express Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Nominated [391]
1977 Gavin Lambert I Never Promised You a Rose Garden I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg Nominated [388]
Peter Shaffer Equus Equus by Peter Shaffer Nominated [392]
1980 David Stevens Breaker Morant Breaker Morant by Kenneth G. Ross Nominated [393]
1984 Peter Shaffer Amadeus Amadeus by Peter Shaffer Won [392]
1994 Alan Bennett The Madness of King George The Madness of George III by Alan Bennett Nominated Bisexual [394]
1998 Bill Condon Gods and Monsters Father of Frankenstein by Christopher Bram Won Gay [234]
2002 Chicago Chicago by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse Nominated
2005 Tony Kushner Munich Vengeance by George Jonas Nominated [346]
2010 Lee Unkrich Toy Story 3 Characters from the film Toy Story by Pete Docter, Lasseter, Joe Ranft, & Stanton Nominated Bisexual [231]
2011 John Logan Hugo The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick Nominated Gay [395]
Jim Rash The Descendants The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings Won [396]
2012 Tony Kushner Lincoln Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin Nominated [346]
2015 Emma Donoghue Room Room by Emma Donoghue Nominated Lesbian [397]
Phyllis Nagy Carol The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith Nominated [398]
2016 Tarell Alvin McCraney Moonlight In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney Won Gay [399]
2017 James Ivory Call Me by Your Name Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman Won [266]
Dee Rees Mudbound Mudbound by Hillary Jordan Nominated First queer black woman to be nominated for a screenplay Oscar Lesbian [400]
2018 Jeff Whitty Can You Ever Forgive Me? Can You Ever Forgive Me? by Lee Israel Nominated Gay [401]
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Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
Year Name Film Status Demographic Reference
1942 Noël Coward In Which We Serve Nominated Gay [402]
George Oppenheimer The War Against Mrs. Hadley Nominated [240]
1952 Terence Rattigan The Sound Barrier Nominated [384]
1961 William Inge Splendor in the Grass Won [403]
1965 Jacques Demy The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Nominated Bisexual [307]
1968 Arthur C. Clarke 2001: A Space Odyssey Nominated Gay [404]
1969 Luchino Visconti The Damned Nominated [405]
1977 Arthur Laurents The Turning Point Nominated [339]
1979 James Bridges The China Syndrome Nominated [390]
1986 Hanif Kureishi My Beautiful Laundrette Nominated Bisexual [406]
1990 Bruce Joel Rubin Ghost Won Gay [407]
1993 Ron Nyswaner Philadelphia Nominated [408]
1999 Alan Ball American Beauty Won [264]
2000 John Logan Gladiator Nominated [395]
2002 Pedro Almodóvar Talk to Her Won [269]
Todd Haynes Far from Heaven Nominated [409]
2004 John Logan The Aviator Nominated [395]
2008 Dustin Lance Black Milk Won [234]
2010 Lisa Cholodenko The Kids Are All Right Nominated Lesbian [410]
2015 Jonathan Herman Straight Outta Compton Nominated Gay [411]
2022 Tony Kushner The Fabelmans Nominated [346]
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Speculated to be LGBTQ

The following list is composed of writers who have been claimed to be LGBT by others. They have been outed by a third party either alive or after their death. However, they never publicly came out.

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
Year Name Film Status Alleged demographic Reference
1978 Michael Cimino The Deer Hunter Nominated Transgender or Non-binary [412][276]
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Best Writing (Original Story)

More information Year, Name ...
Academy Award for Best Original Story
Year Name Film Status Demographic Reference
1946 John Patrick The Strange Love of Martha Ivers Nominated Gay [240]
1950 Leonard Spigelgass Mystery Street Nominated
1951 James Bernard Seven Days to Noon Won [413]
Paul Dehn Won [391]
1955 Nicholas Ray Rebel Without a Cause Nominated Bisexual [414]
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Governors Awards

The Governors Awards are an annual ceremony hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences dedicated to honor actors and filmmakers with lifetime achievement awards. Three awards are given: the Academy Honorary Award, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. Unlike the Academy Awards, the nominations and voting for these awards are restricted to members of the Board of Governors of AMPAS.

The Academy Honorary Award honors exceptional career achievements, contributions to the motion picture industry, and service to the academy.[415] The Academy Honorary Award is often awarded in preference to those with noted achievements in motion pictures who have nevertheless never won an Academy Award. Thus, many of its recipients are Classic Hollywood stars, such as Lillian Gish, Barbara Stanwyck, Kirk Douglas, and Lauren Bacall.

Among its Honorary Awards for acting, the academy also presents deserving young actors with the Special Juvenile Academy Award. (Most of those are not listed here; some of the early "Special Awards" that later became known in that acting category as the "Special Juvenile Academy Award" are listed with "Special Award" added parenthetically.)[416]

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award honors an individual's outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes.

The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award honors creative producers, whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production.

More information Year, Name ...
Governors Awards
Year Name Award Achievement Demographic Reference
1942 Noël Coward Academy Honorary Award For his outstanding production achievement in In Which We Serve. (Certificate of Merit) Gay [402]
1954 Greta Garbo For her unforgettable screen performances. (Statuette) Bisexual (Alleged) [417]
1961 Jerome Robbins For his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film. (Statuette) Bisexual [262]
1969 Cary Grant For his unique mastery of the art of screen acting with the respect and affection of his colleagues. (Statuette) Bisexual (Alleged) [24][25]
1973 Henri Langlois For his devotion to the art of film, his massive contributions in preserving its past and his unswerving faith in its future. (Statuette) Gay [418]
1979 Alec Guinness For advancing the art of screen acting through a host of memorable and distinguished performances. (Statuette) Bisexual [419][420][421]
2013 Piero Tosi A visionary whose incomparable costume designs shaped timeless, living art in motion pictures. (Statuette) Gay [248]
2014 Angelina Jolie Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award Outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes. (Statuette) Bisexual [71][72][73]
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Notes

  1. [a]
    In one of the alternate universes shown in the film, Evelyn and Deirdre are shown to be in a romantic relationship. The main universe Evelyn is depicted as straight while the main universe Deirdre is not depicted as any specific sexuality.

References

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