Fact Finder - Movies

In 2005, Cate Blanchett achieved a unique milestone in Academy Award history. She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of the legendary screen icon Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese's 'The Aviator.' This made Blanchett the first (and currently only) person to win an Academy Award for playing a real-life person who had also won an Academy Award. Katharine Hepburn herself holds the record for the most acting Oscars in history, with four Best Actress wins. To prepare for the role, Blanchett meticulously studied Hepburn’s distinct Mid-Atlantic accent and her athletic mannerisms. While several actors have been nominated for playing Oscar winners—such as Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland—Blanchett remains the only one to take the statue home, a meta-moment of Hollywood royalty honoring its own history.