Twenty-seven years ago, Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench etched their names into Oscar history with a record that remains unmatched. They are the only actresses ever nominated in the same year for portraying the same historical figure—Queen Elizabeth I—in two distinct films. It's a quirky footnote in Academy lore that still fascinates film buffs.
Blanchett's Breakout Role
In 1998, Blanchett was a rising Australian actress on the verge of superstardom. She had already impressed in indie films like Oscar and Lucinda opposite Ralph Fiennes, but playing Elizabeth I in Elizabeth catapulted her to international acclaim. The role earned her a Best Actress nomination and set the stage for a career that would include Oscar wins for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine. Many predicted she would win that year, but Shakespeare in Love swept the ceremony, with Gwyneth Paltrow taking home the trophy.
Dench's Eight-Minute Triumph
Judi Dench, already a theater legend with six Olivier Awards, brought Queen Elizabeth I to life in Shakespeare in Love with just eight minutes of screen time. Despite the brevity, her performance was so commanding that she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. In her speech, she famously joked, "I feel for eight minutes on the screen, I should only get a little bit of him." Critics agreed—Janet Maslin of The New York Times called Dench's queen "one of the film's utmost treats."
Other Near-Matches in Oscar History
While Blanchett and Dench's record stands alone, other actors have come close. Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart were both nominated for playing different ages of Rose in Titanic (1997). Barry Fitzgerald was nominated for both lead and supporting actor for the same role in Going My Way (1944)—a loophole later closed. Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley earned nominations for playing Leda Caruso in The Lost Daughter (2021). And Dench herself was nominated alongside Kate Winslet for playing Iris Murdoch in Iris (2001).
This unique Oscar moment remains a testament to the power of great performances, even when they share a royal subject. For more on Oscar history and record-breaking feats, check out our coverage of the Michael Jackson biopic that became the first billion-dollar biopic and Olivia Rodrigo's chart domination.
