Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Oscars 2021: Frances McDormand now has the second most Best Actress awards – here’s who has the most

Nomadland star previously won for Fargo and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Ellie Harrison
Monday 26 April 2021 07:01 BST
Comments
Oscars 2021: Best moments from this year's Academy Awards

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Frances McDormand won Best Actress at the 2021 Oscars for her role in Nomadland, making her the woman with the second most awards in the category.

In what was widely considered the tightest race in this year’s acting categories, McDormand beat off competition from Andra Day (The United States vs Billie Holiday), Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman), Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) and Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom).

Nomadland also won Best Picture and Best Director (for Chloe Zhao). In the film, McDormand plays a woman struggling to stay afloat, who joins the vandwelling community in the contemporary American west.

“I have no words,” said McDormand in her acceptance speech. “My voice is in my sword. We know the sword is our work and I like work. Thank you for knowing that and thanks for this.”

The win represents McDormand’s third in the category, with the actor having previously won Best Actress for her roles in Fargo (1997) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2018).

She is in second place for the most victories in the category, only behind the four-time winner Katharine Hepburn.

Hepburn, who died in 2003, won for Morning Glory (1934), Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner (1968), The Lion in Winter (1969) and On Golden Pond (1982).

The 93rd Academy Awards took place on 25 April, having been delayed for two months due to the ongoing pandemic.

The ceremony was held primarily in Los Angeles’s famed Union Station, with nominees from outside of the US attending the event via international hubs.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in