‘The Singers’ and “Two People Exchanging Saliva’ Tie for Best Live-Action Short at 2026 Oscars

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The Oscars are famous for honoring outstanding films, but each year’s ceremony also features unforgettable, often unexpected, moments. From gaffes like the incorrect Best Picture announcement in 2017 (when La La Land was mistakenly named the winner) to highly publicized incidents like the one involving Will Smith and Chris Rock in 2022, some Oscar nights are more memorable than others for viewers.

The 2026 awards show has already seen some surprises, like early wins for Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and the very first award for Achievement in Casting, which went to Cassandra Kulukundis of One Battle After Another. But the biggest shock of the night came when a tie was announced – something that has only happened seven times in the history of the Oscars.

Below are the seven instances, including the 2026 Academy Awards, of awards that ended in a tie:

1932 – Best Actor

In 1932, at the fifth Academy Awards ceremony, a tie occurred for the first time ever. Both Frederic March, for his role in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Wallace Beery, for his performance in Mr. Champ, won the Best Actor award.

This incident led to a rule change for the Academy Awards. Previously, anyone who received within three votes of the winner would also be recognized with an award. Interestingly, only three actors were nominated in 1932: Fredric March, Walter Huston, and Alfred Lunt for his performance in The Guardian.

1950 – Best Documentary Short

In 1950, the Academy Awards saw another tie, this time in the Best Documentary Short category – a rare occurrence that hadn’t happened since 1932. Two films, Richard de Rosemont’s A Chance to Live and Edward Selzer’s So Much for So Little, shared the award from a field of four nominees.

1969 – Best Actress


Columbia Pictures

The 1969 Academy Awards saw a historic tie in the Best Actress category. Both Katharine Hepburn, for her role in The Lion in Winter, and Barbra Streisand, for Funny Girl, were awarded the prize for best female performance.

Barbra Streisand received an Oscar nomination for her debut film, and the Academy had to make a special exception to allow her to be considered. She tied with the winner in vote count, and it was the second consecutive year that Audrey Hepburn took home the award.

1987 – Best Documentary (Feature)

In 1987, the Academy Awards for Best Documentary (Feature) resulted in a tie. Two films, Artie Shaw: Time is All You’ve Got and Down and Out in America, shared the award at the 59th Academy Awards.

1995 – Best Live-Action Short Film

In 1995, at the 67th Academy Awards, the Best Live-Action Short category surprisingly had two winners. Both Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life (directed by Peter Capaldi and Ruth Kenley-Letts) and Trevor (directed by Peggy Rajski and Randy Stone) received the award.

2013 – Sound Editing


Sony Pictures Releasing

The last time two nominees tied for an Oscar was at the 2013 Academy Awards. Both Zero Dark Thirty (sound design by Paul N.J. Ottosson) and Skyfall (sound design by Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers) won the award for Best Sound Editing that year.

2026 – Best Live-Action Short Film

The 98th Academy Awards saw a rare tie – only the seventh in Oscars history and the first in 13 years. In the Best Live-Action Short Film category, two films, The Singers (by Sam A. Davis and Jack Piatt) and Two People Exchanging Saliva (by Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata), received an equal number of votes and both won the Oscar.

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2026-03-16 05:03