Achieving the EGOT designation is one of the most outstanding honors one can make in the entertainment industry, as they symbolize excellence within the world of television, music, film, and theater. As of the time of writing, there have only been 17 artists that have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award. This includes the likes of Rita Moreno, Alan Menkin, and Jennifer Hudson.
There are, however, several others that are just short of reaching this prestigious achievement. In particular, there is a range of actors that are simply missing the illusive Oscar from their collection. For some, this win may be a bit more difficult to get, but there's still hope for others.
Cynthia Erivo
From thrillers like Widows to Broadway hits like The Color Purple to the eagerly awaited film adaptation of the musical Wicked, Cynthia Erivo has become one of this generation's greatest stage and screen actors.
Her EGOT journey began with her brilliant work in The Color Purple as she had won her Tony, Grammy, and Emmy for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Musical Theater Album, and Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program, respectively. Unfortunately, she has yet to win her Oscar despite being nominated twice for her work in Harriet — one for Best Actress and the other for Best Original Song.
Dick Van Dyke
A true icon of the entertainment industry, Dick Van Dyke's career has spanned across seven long decades. With golden-age musicals like Mary Poppins to more recent successes like Night at the Museum, fans may be surprised that he's never been nominated for a single Oscar. Not even an Honorary one.
However, this should not discredit his successes. Van Dyke first won his Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance in Bye Bye Birdie. He then received a Grammy for Mary Poppins, where he won Best Recording For Children. But Van Dyke's greatest achievement comes from the Emmys, of which he has won a total of five; four Primetime and one Daytime.
Hugh Jackman
While Hugh Jackman gained global popularity for his iconic performance as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, the rest of his filmography and stage work is unforgettable. Jackman received his Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety Program. His Grammy win was for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Visual Media, which was given to The Greatest Showman.
Jackman is also the recipient of two Tonys; the first for Best Actor in a Musical for The Boy From Oz, and second being the honorary Special Tony Award. Having already earned a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars for his performance in Les Misérables, fans are sure that his talents will likely get him a win sometime in the future.
Audra McDonald
Recognized primarily as a Broadway legend, Audra McDonald has also graced the screen in fan-favorite TV shows such as Private Practice and The Gilded Age, as well as movies like Beauty and the Beast and Respect. Where she has yet to receive an Oscar nomination, her other successes are not to be ignored.
McDonald won her Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Program for her performance in Sweeney Todd (Live from Lincoln Center). She has also won two Grammy Awards — Best Classical Album and Best Opera Recording — for her work in Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. What's most impressive, however, is how she's the recipient of six Tonys, the most any person has ever won for performing.
James Whitmore
Known for being in numerous film adaptations of plays and musicals like Oklahoma! and Kiss Me, Kate, James Whitmore was also featured in memorable projects such as The Twilight Zone and The Shawshank Redemption.
He first won a Tony in 1948 for Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer in Command Decision. Whitmore received his Grammy for Best Spoken Word Recording for Give 'em Hell, Harry. However, it wasn't until a few decades later, with The Practice, that he eventually won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Across his career, Whitmore was nominated for two Oscars - Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor — unfortunately, he couldn't clinch that win nor claim the EGOT status.
Bette Midler
Between her performance in the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus, the female-centric comedy The First Wives Club, and a production of Fiddler on the Roof, Better Midler has solidified her status as an acting icon.
Her success in the industry is illuminated by the sheer volume of awards she's received. Even without winning an Oscar, despite her two nominations for Best Actress, Midler has won three Grammys — including Record of the Year — for her famed music career. She's also won three Emmys, all for her variety show performances. Her Tony win was somewhat unconventional as she was first bestowed the Special Tony Award, only to win Best Actress in a Musical decades later for Hello, Dolly.
Billy Porter
Where people may recognize Billy Porter for his groundbreaking fashion moments on the red carpets, his lengthy career in musical theater and television has been incredibly successful. Given that he's only appeared in a handful of films, like Cinderella, it isn't too shocking that he hasn't been nominated for an Oscar. However, fans are sure that this will soon change.
Porter first received his Tony for Kinky Boots, where he won Best Leading Actor in a Musical. Kinky Boots was also the project that got him his Grammy win as the company won for Best Musical Theater Album. His second Tony was non-performative as he was a producer of The Strange Loop, which ended up winning Best Musical. Porter's Emmy win came from his brilliant performance in Pose, where he received the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Lily Tomlin
Having made her mark in the comedic scene over the last five decades, Lily Tomlin has starred in some of the most iconic projects of all time, including films like 9 to 5 and TV shows like Grace and Frankie, which highlights the brilliance of female friendships.
Where she's missing the Oscar to achieve her EGOT status, Tomlin has at least been honored with a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Nashville. Her first major award win came from her Grammy, where she won Best Comedy Recording. Her Tony wins also coincidentally reflect her Big Business co-star, Midler, as Tomlin first received the Special Tony Award, only to win Best Actress in a Play a few years later. But most impressively, Tomlin is the recipient of seven Emmy Awards, mostly for her famed Variety shows.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
As one of the great composers and lyricists of this generation, Lin-Manuel Miranda has not only given fans the gift of Broadway phenomenons like Hamilton, and emotional Disney flicks like Encanto, Miranda has also acted in the likes of His Dark Materials as well as (soon to be), Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Miranda has been littered with numerous awards that extend the likes of EGOT - for example, a Pulitzer Prize. So where he hasn't won an Oscar yet, despite his two nominations for Best Original Song, Miranda's career has been stellar. He's won two Primetime Emmys, three Tony Awards, and has also received three Grammys; however, this number could increase soon as he's currently up for two more awards.
James Earl Jones
Where James Earl Jones is most famously known as the menacing voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, Jones' illustrious career has spanned seven decades, with great successes on both stage and screen. From Shakespeare's plays to Coming to America, he's one of the most versatile actors of all time.
With his iconic bass voice, it's no surprise he won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Recording. Jones also won three Emmys, including one for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. He's also received three Tonys — two for Best Actor in a Play and one Special Tony Award. Jones is unique in regard to achieving the EGOT as he technically has an Oscar; however, it was bestowed as an Honorary Award and was thus not a competitive win. So where he has the trophy, he has only really received a nomination for Best Actor for The Great White Hope.