See All 7 Times the Oscars Have Had a Tie (Including Once for Best Actress!)

The 98th Academy Awards, held on March 15, 2026, in Hollywood, made a memorable mark by witnessing a rare occurrence: a tie in the Best Live Action Short Film category. This event was only the seventh tie in the Oscars’ storied history. Presenter Kumail Nanjiani formally announced the tie during the live telecast, prompting a mix of excitement and confusion among the audience.

“It’s a tie. I’m not joking, it’s actually a tie. Everyone calm down, we’re gonna get through this,” Nanjiani told viewers, momentarily reining in the astonishment within the auditorium. “I’m gonna name one winner; they’ll come up, accept their award, and then I’ll come back and name another winner.” The audience’s reaction reflected both surprise and enthusiasm, and the light-hearted delivery helped ease the tension of the unprecedented situation.

Historically, ties at the Academy Awards have been rare. The first instance transpired in 1932, though it was slightly different from subsequent ties. That particular year, Fredric March won for his dual roles in *Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde*, while Wallace Beery took home the award for his performance in *The Champ*. March received one more vote than Beery, but due to the rules of that era, Beery was also awarded the Oscar for being within three votes of the winner.

The next major tie did not occur until the 1950 ceremony, when *So Much for So Little* and *A Chance to Live* shared the win for Best Documentary Short. From then onwards, some of the most memorable ties included Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn in 1969 for Best Actress, an event that has been celebrated in Oscar history due to the surprise element of two legends sharing the accolade. Hepburn, notorious for never attending the ceremony, had her Oscar accepted by director Anthony Harvey on her behalf.

The 1987 Academy Awards also featured a moment of equal recognition when Oprah Winfrey announced the tie in the Best Documentary Feature category between *Artie Shaw: Time is All You’ve Got* and *Down and Out in America*. Similarly, in 1995, the Best Live Action Short Film award went to both *Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life* and *Trevor*, with the former directed by actor Peter Capaldi. More recently, in 2013, the Best Sound Editing award was shared between *Skyfall* and *Zero Dark Thirty*, with actor Mark Wahlberg candidly noting the rarity of such occurrences.

At the 2026 Oscars, the ties continued the legacy of shared recognition when *The Singers* and *Two People Exchanging Saliva* emerged as joint winners in the Best Live Action Short Film category. Following their victories, Sam A. Davis, one of the producers of *The Singers*, expressed disbelief at the tie, stating, “Wow. I didn’t know that was a thing, a tie. But I’m happy to be up here.” His genuine excitement mirrored that of the audience, who cheered for the historic moment.

Natalie Musteata, the filmmaker of *Two People Exchanging Saliva*, was equally delighted during her acceptance speech. “We are so happy to be sharing this Oscar with *The Singers*. We love all of our fellow nominees and we’re so, so grateful to everyone who has supported our film and who made this film,” she remarked, epitomising the camaraderie and joy that surrounds the awards.

As the night concluded, host Conan O’Brien added a humorous touch by quipping, “I just want to say congratulations to both winners; you just ruined 22 million Oscar pools.” The light-hearted conclusion stood in stark contrast to the tension of the tie’s announcement, highlighting both the joy and unpredictability that the Academy Awards have been known for through the years.

With a legacy marked by competition and celebration of cinematic excellence, the 98th Academy Awards will be remembered not only for its glamorous presentations, but also for the rare moment of unity brought forth by a tie. It serves as a reminder of the community spirit that permeates the film industry, uniting filmmakers and audiences in shared joy, regardless of the competition.