The EGOT is arguably the most prestigious and elusive achievement in the world of American entertainment, representing the "Grand Slam" of show business. As of December 2025, only a small, elite group of artists have managed to win all four of the major American performing arts awards: the Emmy, the Grammy, the Oscar, and the Tony Award. This exclusive club saw a significant update in 2024, cementing the status of a few more creative powerhouses and fueling speculation about who will be the next star to complete their collection.
The acronym itself—EGOT—is shorthand for an artist who has demonstrated unparalleled excellence across television (Emmy), music (Grammy), film (Oscar), and theater (Tony). Achieving this status often requires decades of work across multiple creative fields, making it a true testament to versatility and enduring talent. The competitive list currently stands at 23 individuals, with the most recent winners joining the ranks in a flurry of high-profile awards seasons.
The Exclusive Club: A Complete List of Competitive EGOT Winners
The EGOT is a monumental career goal, and the list of those who have achieved it is a who's who of legendary composers, actors, writers, and directors. The competitive EGOT requires an artist to win all four awards for artistic or technical work, excluding honorary or non-competitive awards. The first person to achieve this feat was composer Richard Rodgers in 1962, setting a benchmark for creative excellence that has rarely been matched.
Here is the complete list of competitive EGOT winners, listed in the order they achieved the coveted status:
- Richard Rodgers (Achieved in 1962): Composer, famous for musicals like The Sound of Music.
- Helen Hayes (Achieved in 1977): "First Lady of the American Theatre."
- Rita Moreno (Achieved in 1977): One of the few to also win the Peabody, making her a 'PEGOT' winner.
- Sir John Gielgud (Achieved in 1991): Renowned English actor and director.
- Audrey Hepburn (Achieved in 1994): Iconic actress, completed her EGOT posthumously with a Grammy.
- Marvin Hamlisch (Achieved in 1995): Composer, one of only two EGOT winners to also win a Pulitzer Prize.
- Jonathan Tunick (Achieved in 1997): Orchestrator and composer.
- Mel Brooks (Achieved in 2001): Comedy legend, writer, director, and actor.
- Mike Nichols (Achieved in 2001): Director of film and theater, including The Graduate.
- Whoopi Goldberg (Achieved in 2002): The first African-American to achieve the EGOT.
- Scott Rudin (Achieved in 2012): Producer (currently non-competitive due to industry removal).
- Robert Lopez (Achieved in 2013): Composer and lyricist, the youngest EGOT winner and the only double EGOT winner.
- John Legend (Achieved in 2018): Singer, songwriter, and producer, one of the youngest competitive EGOT winners.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber (Achieved in 2018): Legendary composer of musicals like Cats and The Phantom of the Opera.
- Tim Rice (Achieved in 2018): Lyricist, frequent collaborator with Andrew Lloyd Webber.
- Alan Menken (Achieved in 2020): Composer, known for classic Disney films.
- Jennifer Hudson (Achieved in 2022): Singer and actress, achieved the status as a producer on a Tony-winning musical.
- Viola Davis (Achieved in 2023): Actress, completed her EGOT with a Grammy for her audiobook narration.
- Elton John (Achieved in 2024): Music icon, completed his EGOT with an Emmy for his live concert special.
- Benj Pasek (Achieved in 2024): Songwriter/Lyricist, completed his EGOT with an Emmy for a song in Only Murders in the Building.
- Justin Paul (Achieved in 2024): Songwriter/Lyricist, completed his EGOT alongside Pasek.
Note: The total count of 23 includes a few individuals whose awards were non-competitive or special, but the competitive list is generally accepted as 23 as of the 2024 Emmy Awards.
The Latest Inductees: Elton John, Viola Davis, and the Pasek & Paul Duo
The recent additions to the EGOT club highlight the diversity of talent required to conquer all four major awards. The 2022-2024 awards seasons were particularly fruitful for new members.
Elton John officially joined the ranks at the delayed 2023 Emmy Awards ceremony in January 2024. His win for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) as a producer for Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium finally secured the Emmy he needed, making him the 23rd overall EGOT winner.
Just a year prior, in February 2023, actress Viola Davis achieved her EGOT with a Grammy Award for Best Audiobook, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for her memoir, Finding Me. This historic win made her the third Black actress to achieve the EGOT status, following Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Hudson.
The most recent competitive inductees are the songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who completed their EGOT in January 2024. The pair, known for their work on La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen, and The Greatest Showman, won the Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the song "Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?" from the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building. Their achievement underscores the power of modern musical theater and film composers in the EGOT landscape.
The Near-EGOT Contenders: Who is One Award Away?
The anticipation surrounding the next EGOT winner is a major talking point in the entertainment industry. A large group of highly decorated artists are just one award shy of the coveted status, a group often referred to as "Near-EGOT" or "Triple Crown" winners. These individuals have three of the four major awards and are actively pursuing the final piece of the puzzle. Their next nominations are closely watched, as a single win could make history.
The following are some of the most prominent stars who are one award away from achieving the EGOT in 2025:
Needs an Oscar (O)
- Lin-Manuel Miranda: (Emmy, Grammy, Tony) The creator of Hamilton only needs an Oscar to complete his set. He has been nominated twice for Best Original Song, making him a perennial favorite.
- Hugh Jackman: (Emmy, Grammy, Tony) The Australian actor and Broadway star is a single Oscar win away from the grand slam.
- Audra McDonald: (Emmy, Grammy, Tony) One of the most decorated Tony winners of all time (with six competitive wins), she needs an Oscar to join the elite group.
Needs a Grammy (G)
- Cynthia Erivo: (Emmy, Oscar, Tony) The actress and singer is one Grammy away, having been nominated multiple times. If she wins, she would be one of the youngest EGOT winners ever.
- Jeremy Irons: (Emmy, Oscar, Tony) The veteran actor needs a Grammy, likely for a spoken word or musical theater recording.
Needs an Emmy (E)
- Adele: (Grammy, Oscar, Tony) The global music superstar is one Emmy away from the EGOT. Her recent television specials make an Emmy nomination a strong possibility.
- Kate Winslet: (Grammy, Oscar, Tony) The acclaimed actress needs a Grammy. This could come from a spoken word album or a cast recording if she ventures into musical theatre.
Needs a Tony (T)
- Eminem: (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar) The legendary rapper only needs a Tony Award. This is the most difficult category for him, as it would require him to compose music for, produce, or star in a Broadway production.
- Common: (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar) The rapper and actor needs a Tony to achieve the EGOT. He has expressed interest in Broadway, making this a possibility.
The Significance of the EGOT and the PEGOT Distinction
The EGOT is more than just a collection of trophies; it is a cultural phenomenon. It signifies an artist's ability to master the distinct creative demands of four different mediums: the intimacy of television (Emmy), the mass appeal of recorded music (Grammy), the artistic gravitas of film (Oscar), and the immediate, powerful presence of live theater (Tony).
The term itself gained popular recognition in the 1980s, largely due to a storyline on the TV show 30 Rock, cementing its place in the public consciousness as the ultimate artistic accomplishment. The competitive nature of the awards ensures that only those with true, cross-platform talent can succeed.
Furthermore, an even rarer distinction exists: the PEGOT. This adds the prestigious Peabody Award or the Pulitzer Prize to the standard four, creating an even more exclusive club. Only a handful of artists, including composer Richard Rodgers and actress Rita Moreno, have achieved this near-mythical status, highlighting the absolute pinnacle of creative achievement in American arts.
As the awards seasons continue, the world will be watching the "Near-EGOT" list, eager to see who will be the next celebrated artist to join the distinguished ranks of the EGOT winners.
Detail Author:
- Name : Miss Eileen Herzog II
- Username : hattie.rohan
- Email : batz.antonetta@rutherford.com
- Birthdate : 1970-01-12
- Address : 386 Camron Mews Suite 016 Lanefort, IA 27014-3259
- Phone : 207-208-3286
- Company : Farrell, Ledner and Bradtke
- Job : Extraction Worker
- Bio : Ut ipsum velit ut alias beatae a perferendis. Et et omnis aliquam molestias in. Expedita perferendis minima aut odit dolorem.
Socials
linkedin:
- url : https://linkedin.com/in/oberbrunnere
- username : oberbrunnere
- bio : Magnam porro a nam quo harum iusto quia.
- followers : 5783
- following : 1699
instagram:
- url : https://instagram.com/emery_oberbrunner
- username : emery_oberbrunner
- bio : Ut expedita labore saepe natus. Atque commodi sit nihil. Asperiores sequi deserunt blanditiis aut.
- followers : 999
- following : 1593