Pop Quiz Answers: Oscar Edition

BY THE NUMBERS

1. Three films have won the “Big 5” awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Actress) – 1934’s It Happened One Night, 1975’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and what 1991 serial killer thriller? Answer: The Silence of the Lambs
2. Three films are tied for most Oscar wins (11) for a single motion picture – 1959’s Ben-Hur, 1997’s Titanic, and what 2003 fantasy adventure, the final film in a highly successful franchise directed by Peter Jackson? Answer: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
3. What animator and film producer received the most nominations (59) AND wins (22) by an individual in Oscar history? Answer: Walt Disney
4. Three films are tied for most nominations (14) for a single motion picture – 1950’s All About Eve, Titanic (again), and what 2016 romantic musical that won Best Picture (for about a minute and a half)? BONUS QUESTION: This film is the third collaboration between its leads. Name either of the other movies in which the two co-star. Answer: La La Land (BONUS: Crazy, Stupid, Love or Gangster Squad)

WHAT A DEBUT

1. What actor and filmmaker won the Best Director prize for his debut, 1980’s Ordinary People? Answer: Robert Redford
2. Later nominated for his roles in American History X and Birdman, this actor received his first nod for his feature film debut in 1996’s Primal Fear. Answer: Edward Norton
3. What True Blood actress took home the Best Supporting Actress award at age 11 for her first screen appearance in 1993’s The Piano?  BONUS QUESTION: Name her female co-star, who earned the Best Actress prize for her performance. Answer: Anna Paquin (BONUS: Holly Hunter)
4. Screenwriter Alan Ball and director Sam Mendes both won for their debut, this 1999 dark comedy that also won Best Picture and Best Actor for Kevin Spacey. Answer: American Beauty

OSCAR RECORDS

1. In 1979, eight-year-old Justin Henry became the youngest nominee ever, earning a Best Supporting Actor nod for his role in what divorce drama? BONUS QUESTION: Henry’s on-screen parents took home the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress awards for their performances. Name either one. Answer: Kramer vs. Kramer (BONUS: Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep)
2. This composer, known for his work with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, has the most Oscar nominations of any living person (and the second-most in history) with 54. Answer: John Williams
3. Katharine Hepburn holds the record for most Best Actress wins with four. In second place is not who you might think (Meryl Streep) but this woman, who won her first Oscar for 1996’s Fargo. Answer: Frances McDormand
4. The only person to win both an Oscar and an Olympic medal is what late five-time NBA champion? Answer: Kobe Bryant

ALL IN THE FAMILY

1. Twice in Oscar history, family members have earned nominations for the same film: Laura Dern and Diane Ladd for 1991’s Rambling Rose, and Henry and Jane Fonda for what 1981 drama? Answer: On Golden Pond
2. Four members of the Coppola family have won Oscars: Carmine, Francis Ford, Sofia, and this actor who uses a stage name and won Best Actor for 1995’s Leaving Las Vegas. Answer: Nicolas Cage
3. This actress won in the supporting category in 1999 for Girl, Interrupted; her father, Jon Voight, won the Best Actor award for the 1978 Vietnam War romantic drama Coming Home. Answer: Angelina Jolie
4. This “Bad Guy” singer and her brother Finneas O’Connell have won two Academy Awards for Best Original Song, for “No Time to Die” and “What Was I Made For?”. BONUS QUESTION: For what 2023 fantasy comedy did the siblings win their second Oscar? Answer: Billie Eilish (BONUS: Barbie)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG BY DECADE (USE EACH ONCE – 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s)

1. “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”, “Up Where We Belong”, “Take My Breath Away” Answer: 1980s
2. “Lose Yourself”, “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp”, “Jai Ho” BONUS QUESTION: Name any one of the films for which these songs were written. Answer: 2000s (BONUS: 8 Mile, Hustle & Flow, Slumdog Millionaire)
3. “Theme from Shaft”, “The Way We Were”, “You Light Up My Life” Answer: 1970s
4. “Beauty and the Beast”, “Streets of Philadelphia”, “My Heart Will Go On” Answer: 1990s

WHICH ONE WON? (WHICH PERFORMANCE WON THE GIVEN ACTOR AN OSCAR?)

1. Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook, Joy BONUS QUESTION: What filmmaker directed all three of these films, as well as The Fighter and Three Kings? Answer: Silver Linings Playbook (BONUS: David O. Russell)
2. Robert De Niro – Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, Raging Bull Answer: Raging Bull
3. Denzel Washington – Cry Freedom, Glory, Malcolm X Answer: Glory
4. Katharine Hepburn – Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter, Morning Glory Answer: Trick question, she won for all of them.

PIXAR ANIMATED FEATURES (FINAL QUESTION)

Between 2000 and 2009, five Pixar films took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Name one. Answers: Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up)