The most Oscars won by an actor all time leaderboard looks settled — yet every awards season brings actors one ceremony closer to history. Here is who could still climb the acting Oscar mountain.

Katharine Hepburn's four competitive acting Oscars remain unmatched. Meryl Streep and Frances McDormand each have three wins and would need one more to tie the most Oscars won by an actor all time record.

Two-time winners like Cate Blanchett, Denzel Washington, and Anthony Hopkins need two more victories to reach Hepburn's mark. The most Oscars won by an actor all time race favors longevity plus prestige projects.

Academy members vote within acting branches each year, and voter fatigue often blocks repeat winners. That math makes the most Oscars won by an actor all time record harder to break than nomination totals suggest.

Acting Oscar records span from Walter Brennan's 1930s supporting run to modern streaming-era campaigns. The most Oscars won by an actor all time list evolves slowly because wins compound across entire careers.