The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has presented the annual Academy Awards, the Oscars, since 1929 (for performances in 1927-1928).
The Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Actress have been presented since the first ceremony, while the awards for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress have been presented since the ninth ceremony, in 1937 (for performances in 1936)
Number of Nominated Actors
Of the 928 Academy Award nominees in the four acting categories, a total of 343 have received two or more acting nominations (169 men, 174 women).
Meryl Streep is the most nominated performer in the acting categories, with 21 nominations between 1979 and 2018.
A three-time Oscar winner, Meryl Streep holds the record for the most nominations in the acting categories, with a total of 21.
As well as the record for total number of acting nominations, Streep holds the record for most nominations for Best Actress with 17, ahead of Katharine Hepburn with 12, and Bette Davis with 10.
Jack Nicholson is the most nominated male performer in the acting categories with 12 nominations.
The most Best Actor nominations is nine, for both Spencer Tracy and Laurence Olivier (Nicholson has eight).
Best Supporting Actress
Thelma Ritter is the most nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category with six.
In the Best Supporting Actor category, six actors have each received four nominations, they are Walter Brennan, Claude Rains, Arthur Kennedy, Jack Nicholson, Robert Duvall and Jeff Bridges.
Most Nominated Actors (Non-Winners or Losers)
The record for most nominations in the acting categories without a win, is eight by Peter O’Toole, followed by Richard Burton and Glenn Close with seven, and Deborah Kerr, Thelma Ritter and Amy Adams all with six.
Both O’Toole and Kerr did receive the Academy’s Honorary Oscar.