The Academy Award ceremonies are usually celebratory, and a night where actors and filmmakers receive public recognition for all their hard work. However, sometimes industry stars are taken too soon, and on occasion, an Oscar nominee will pass away before any Academy Award recognition is confirmed. In these cases,Oscars can be awarded posthumously, a rare accolade that honors the talent and dedication of the deceased in their absence.
Famously, the Academy Awards feature a longstanding “In Memoriam” feature, where actors and filmmakers who have passed away since the previous awards are commemorated. This marks a moment for the industry to come together and remember, and this segment cements the passing of movie stars, writers, and producers in the cultural memory. A posthumous Oscar contributes to this tone of remembrance but in a different way. Inclusion in the “In Memoriam” segment honors the life of a star, whilstan Oscar in absentia honors a specific artistic creation or film appearance, illustrating that art always lives on, even if a life is tragically cut short.
Gone with the Wind
A sheltered and manipulative Southern belle and a roguish profiteer face off in a turbulent romance as the society around them crumbles with the end of slavery and is rebuilt during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods.
‘Gone With the Wind’ Screenwriter Sidney Howard Earned the First Posthumous Oscar
This long history of posthumous Oscar nominations and wins extends all the way back to 1940, when an award was attributed to a deceased talent for the very first time.The accolade went to screenwriter Sidney Howard for his work on the screenplay forGone With the Wind. Released in 1939 as an adaptation ofMargaret Mitchell’s popular novel, the film was a widespread success, securing eight Oscars and two honorary awards, which included the award for Outstanding Production (later known as the Best Picture prize). Howard won on the night for Best Adapted Screenplay but had unfortunately passed away months prior to the ceremony in a tractor accident on his farm.
Chadwick Boseman and Heath Ledger Notably Received Posthumous Recognition
Most recently, posthumous acclaim at the Academy Awards has been associated with the passing ofBlack PantherstarChadwick Boseman, who died in 2020 after a private four-year battle with colon cancer. The star was nominated for the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2021 Oscars for his performance as Levee Green in the musical dramaMa Rainey’s Black Bottom, although the award ultimately went toAnthony HopkinsforThe Father. Boseman later secured aposthumous Emmy at the 2022 awardsin the category of Outstanding Character Voice-Over for his contribution to the animated seriesWhat If…?,where Boseman’s wife collected the award in his honor. It has also been announced that Boseman will receive aposthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fameas part of the class of 2024, a testament to his enduring legacy.
Another actor who endures in our recent cultural memory isHeath Ledger, whose unforgettable career included lead performances in10 Things I Hate About YouandBrokeback Mountain. Ledger passed away in 2008, just as he was reaching the pinnacle of his fame. At the Oscars the following year,Ledger won the Academy Awardfor his compelling performance as the Joker inThe Dark Knight, a role that immortalized his talent and set a high bar for competing adaptations in the years to come. A posthumous win in an acting category is somewhat rarer than a nomination, whereLedger is one of just two stars to have secured this accolade since the ceremony’s beginnings. The other posthumous winner in an acting capacity isPeter Finch, who notably secured the Best Actoraward for his role as Howard Beale in the 1976 comedy-drama filmNetwork. Finch died in 1977 of a heart attack, just a few months before the Oscars.
James Dean Earned a Posthumous Oscar Nod
Other artists who were bestowed these posthumous honors include screenwriterBridget O’Connorand actorJames Dean. In 2012, O’Connor was nominated in the category of Best Adapted Screenplay for her contribution to the 2011 hit filmTinker Tailor Soldier Spybut sadly passed away before the movie’s release after a battle with cancer. On the night of the 84th Academy Awards, the Adapted Screenplay prize went to the writers of the comedy-dramaThe Descendants.
This Iconic Actor Was One of the Original Founders of the Oscars
The silent film star played an important role in founding the Academy Awards.
O’Connor is in good company when it comes to posthumous nominees who didn’t secure a win at the award ceremony. Much earlier in Academy Award history,James Deanwas posthumously nominated for Best Actor in 1956 for his role as Cal Trask inEast of Eden, where the award eventually went toErnest BorgnineforMarty. Dean had famously passed away the previous year in a motor collision at age 24.
Posthumous Oscars Honor the Legacies of Stars
Entertainment award ceremonies present a rare opportunity to honor talented stars even when they are no longer with us.The bestowing of posthumous awards speaks to the way in which art endures despite the fragility of human lives. Many of the stars who earned belated Oscars died suddenly due to illnesses or accidents, and the unexpectedness of their departure created ripples throughout the film industry as well as in popular culture.The tragedy of their passingadds even greater weight to the art they have created, and it is especially painful when a film receives widespread acclaim whilst the artist in question is unable to appreciate this praise. At 2024’s 96th Academy Awards, musicianRobbie Robertsonwill be recognized as the Oscars' most recent posthumous honoree, who is being nominated in the Best Original Score category for his work onKillers of the Flower Moon.
Thesebeloved filmmaking talents are allowed to live on through their work, where audiences can enjoy their creative output for decades to come. Their immortalization through film is further cemented with the help of Academy Award recognition, due to the lasting marker of excellence that this prize bestows on its winners. As such, a posthumous nomination or win is always of value, as it speaks to the lasting contribution these stars have made to their craft.
Gone with the Windis available to stream on Max in the U.S.
