No, not “trophy wife” in the archaic and derogatory sense, in a redefining way. Scarlett Johansson has now become only the 12th actor to be nominated for two acting Oscars in the same year. She did this by portraying women who were anything but ordinary or idealistic wives. On the one hand, you have her depiction of Nicole, rediscovering her independence throughout an arduous divorce ( Best Actress, Marriage Story) and on the other you have Rosie, just trying to keep it together for her Nazi son during WWII (Best Supporting Actress, Jojo Rabbit). None of the prior double nominees ever won two Oscars in the same year; while Johansson’s work last year was exceptional, the odds are against her inventing the neologism “double trophy wife.” As we pray to the Academy, here is a list of the 11 double nominees to have come before her.
Cover Photo: Netflix/20th Century Fox
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Scarlett Johansson Double Nominees
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Fay Bainter (1939)
Fey Bainter was nominated for Best Actress (White Banners) and Best Supporting Actress (Jezebel). She ended up winning Best Supporting Actress but lost in the Best Actress category.
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Teresa Wright (1943)
Teresa Wright was nominated for Best Actress (The Pride of the Yankees) and Best Supporting Actress (Mrs. Miniver). Similarly to Bainter, Wright took home the Best Supporting Actress trophy but not the lead.
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Barry Fitzgerald (1945)
Barry Fitzgerald was nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Going My Way Fitzgerald (both for the same role). He ended up winning in the Best Supporting Actor category. For obvious reasons, a new rule was created to prevent this from ever happening again.
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Jessica Lange (1983)
Jessica Lange was nominated for Best Actress (Frances) and Best Supporting Actress (Tootsie). She ended up winning Best Supporting Actress because, well, she was up against Meryl Streep in the leading one.
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Sigourney Weaver (1989)
Sigourney Weaver was nominated for Best Actress (Gorillas in the Mist) and Best Supporting Actress (Working Girl). Unfortunately, Weaver went home empty-handed and, if predictions are correct, could share the same fate as Johansson.
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Al Pacino (1993)
Al Pacino was nominated for Best Actor (Scent of a Woman) and Best Supporting Actor (Glengarry Glen Ross). As we all know, he won his first Oscar for Scent of a Woman.
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Holly Hunter (1994)
Holly Hunter was nominated for Best Actress (The Piano) and Best Supporting Actress (The Firm). She ended up winning Best Actress for The Firm, losing in the supporting category to 11-year-old Anna Paquin.
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Emma Thompson (1994)
Emma Thompson was nominated for Best Actress (The Remains of the Day) and Best Supporting Actress (In the Name of the Father). She lost both awards to the winners above.
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Julianne Moore (2003)
Julianne Moore was nominated for Best Actress (Far From Home) and Best Supporting Actress (The Hours). Like Weaver and Thompson, Moore went home empty—she lost to Nicole Kidman in the lead category (her costar at the time) and Catherine Zeta-Jones in the supporting one.
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Jamie Foxx (2005)
Jamie Foxx was nominated for Best Actor (Ray) and Best Supporting Actor (Collateral). He obviously won for his mesmerizing performance as Ray Charles, losing to Morgan Freeman in the supporting category.
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Cate Blanchett (2008)
Cate Blanchett was nominated for Best Supporting Actress (I'm Not There) and Best Actress (Elizabeth: The Golden Age). Her dual performances as historical figures (Bob Dylan and Queen Elizabeth I) went underappreciated and she went home with naught.
