Awards

How Many Oscar Awards Are Given Each Year? A Quick Overview

Finally, the countdown to the Oscars is close to concluding, and it's time to find out everything that will happen on the most important night in cinema, such as how many awards the Academy will present. Here, check the details.

Oscar statues are seen backstage during the 88th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on February 28, 2016.
© Christopher Polk/Getty ImagesOscar statues are seen backstage during the 88th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on February 28, 2016.

If we talk about the Oscars, we are quickly referencing the prestige of the film industry. Taking home one of these statuettes has never been too easy, as only the best stars are honored and, consequently, praised by their peers.

The most important night of the year will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2024, so there are only a few days left to see who will emerge victorious. ABC is the broadcaster responsible for live and online coverage of the Academy event.

This year, Oppenheimer and Poor Things are just two of the films leading in categories, so they are expected to break some records and establish themselves as some of the most significant and outstanding projects of the evening.

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How many Oscars are awarded?

The 2024 edition will award around 23 Academy statuettes, as these are its categories. The number of Oscars given each year may vary, as it depends on the specific categories in competition and any rule changes.

Winners of the Best Sound Mixing award for ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ pose in the press room during the 89th Annual Academy Awards. (Source: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Winners of the Best Sound Mixing award for ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ pose in the press room during the 89th Annual Academy Awards. (Source: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

These categories include awards for acting, directing, production design, cinematography, editing, original score, original song, costume design, makeup and hairstyling, visual effects, among others.

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Additionally, there are four major categories known as The Big Four: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. It’s important to note that the exact number of awards may change from year to year due to specific decisions.

Record breakers: Who won more than one Oscar in one night?

Winning an Oscar is not an easy task… and winning several is even more challenging. Although it takes effort to take home a golden statuette, many movies and stars have achieved this feat in a single edition.

The movie that won the most Academy Awards in a single ceremony is Ben-Hur from 1959, which received a total of 11 awards. Of course, it wasn’t the only one to claim the title; it was followed by Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

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Walt Disney holds the record for the most awards in a single night, as in the 1954 ceremony, the popular animator received four honorary awards and one competitive award, totaling five Oscars in one night.

As for actors and actresses, the record is held by Katharine Hepburn, who won four Oscars for Best Actress at the 1934 ceremony, making her one of the most talented in the entire industry.

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Ariadna is a multisport journalist specialized in delivering key, high-value information across competitions, including tournament formats, rules, lineups and injury updates, while also producing evergreen content. Her career in journalism began in 2021 at Indie Emergente, a digital music magazine, where she honed her skills in writing and reporting. In 2023, she expanded her expertise by contributing to Spoiler Latinoamerica, creating general culture content, before joining Spoiler US in 2024 to focus on entertainment coverage. With almost six years of experience across different media outlets, Ariadna has developed strong expertise at the intersection of sports and entertainment, covering live events such as Super Bowls, FIFA World Cup opening and closing ceremonies, Olympic Games and UEFA Champions League finals, bringing depth, accuracy and real-time insight to her reporting.

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