Which family has the most Oscar nominations?
Most film industry professionals go their entire careers chasing an Academy Award nomination, hoping for the chance to grace the stage in Beverly Hills to collect their very own golden statue. An Oscar nod has become the most coveted honour in Hollywood, solid confirmation that a film, an actor, or a creative ranks amongst the best of the best. One family has received that confirmation almost 100 times.
It’s no secret that film is a business often built on nepotism. From the Coppolas to the Fondas, a number of famous show business families have secured their permanent place within the industry, each member’s success only serving the success of the rest. But the most Academy Award-nominated family is one you might never have even considered.
Though the Coppolas have certainly mirrored their success in numbers at the Academy Awards, with nine nominees and seven winners to their name, their numbers are dwarfed by the success of the Newmans. With 95 nominations to their family name, the Newmans haven’t found success in directing or acting like many Hollywood families who have featured more heavily in the spotlight amidst talks surrounding nepotism.
Rather, the Newmans have found unparalleled success in film music, with 95 nominations to their name across arrangement, original songs, and film scoring. The nominations are dominated by father Alfred Newman, who makes up a hefty percentage of the number with 45 nominations and nine wins to his name. He was the mind behind the scores for Wuthering Heights, All About Eve, and more.
Perhaps expectedly, Randy Newman is a relative of Alfred’s – his nephew, to be precise. Known for his beloved animated scores for Pixar classics Toy Story and Monsters, Inc., Randy has collected another 22 nominations for the family. He has taken home the ‘Best Original Song’ title twice for the aforementioned films.
Alfred also passed his gift for film scoring onto his children, David and Thomas. The former contributed music to the likes of 1989’s Heathers and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, while the latter scored The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. He has also followed in Randy’s footsteps and scored a number of Pixar films, including Finding Nemo and Elemental.
The family have even competed against each other for awards in the past, with Randy going up against Thomas in 2019 for Marriage Story and 1917, respectively. The talent for pairing music with film clearly runs deep within the family, as the Newmans have collectively created some of the most beautiful and beloved film scores in history.
