Viola Davis has become the latest person to reach EGOT status, after winning her first Grammy Award.
It puts the American actor in an elite group of only a few people who have achieved the honorary title.
Let's take a look at what EGOT means, who else has reached the impressive milestone, and who might follow in their footsteps.
What is an EGOT? And how many of them are there?
EGOT — a term coined by actor Philip Michael Thomas in 1984 — is used to refer to a person who has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award during their career, reflecting their work in television, music, film and theatre.
It is not an official award given by any entertainment governing body, but it is seen as something of a pinnacle in the entertainment industry, and it has only been achieved by 18 people.
How did Viola Davis reach EGOT status?
Davis secured the G in her EGOT by winning a Grammy Award for best audiobook, narration, and storytelling recording for her memoir Finding Me.
"I just EGOT!" she shouted from the stage as she accepted the trophy.
"I wrote this book to honour the six-year-old Viola, to honour her, her life, her joy, her trauma, everything. And it has just been such a journey," she said.
On Instagram, Davis wrote: "The 6 year old Viola is screaming!!!!! She is so excited at the 57 year old she will become."
Davis has two Tony Awards for her theatre work, most recently for Fences in 2010. She also won an Emmy in 2015 for the TV drama How to Get Away with Murder, and an Oscar in 2017 for the film version of Fences.
She has been praised for winning all four of her EGOT awards for performances, as many of the awards are often won for production or other off-stage work.
One of Davis's fellow Grammy nominees for best audiobook, narration, and storytelling recording was an existing member of the EGOT club, American actor and comedian Mel Brooks.
Who else has achieved the EGOT?
Before Davis, the most recent EGOT winner was American singer and actor Jennifer Hudson, who in 2022 became the youngest woman to claim the title at 40 years of age.
Others to have previously achieved the EGOT include late British actor and fashion icon Audrey Hepburn, American actor and comedian Whoopi Goldberg, composer and theatre producer Andrew Lloyd Webber, and American musician John Legend, who in 2018 became the first black man to claim EGOT status.
Here's the full list of current EGOTs, and the years they completed the feat:
- Richard Rodgers (1962)
- Helen Hayes (1977)
- Rita Moreno (1977)
- John Gielgud (1991)
- Audrey Hepburn (1994)
- Marvin Hamlisch (1995)
- Jonathan Tunick (1997)
- Mel Brooks (2001)
- Mike Nichols (2001)
- Whoopi Goldberg (2002)
- Scott Rudin (2012)
- Robert Lopez (2014)
- Andrew Lloyd Webber (2018)
- Tim Rice (2018)
- John Legend (2018)
- Alan Menken (2020)
- Jennifer Hudson (2022)
- Viola Davis (2023)
Five other performers — Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, James Earl Jones, Harry Belafonte and Quincy Jones — have won all four EGOT awards, but received a non-competitive or honorary victory such as a Grammy Legend Award or an Academy Honorary Award.
Who is close to achieving the EGOT?
There are dozens of people who have won three out of the four entertainment awards needed to reach EGOT status.
British singer Adele, for example, is missing a Tony award. As is actor and singer Julie Andrews.
Others who are missing a Tony award include the likes of Cher, Eminem, Ron Howard, Paul McCartney, Trent Reznor and John Williams.
American actor Frances McDormand is missing a Grammy — as are the likes of Liza Minnelli, Helen Mirren, and Al Pacino.
Elton John is only missing an Emmy award, while a bunch of people are missing Oscars, such as Cyndi Lauper, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Bette Midler
No Australians have achieved EGOT status, but Geoffrey Rush is only missing a Grammy and Hugh Jackman is only missing an Oscar.
Former US president Barack Obama is still two awards away from EGOT status, after winning an Emmy last year and two Grammys prior to that.
ABC/AP
