How a Tie Is Possible at Oscars Explained After 2026 Event

Photo Credit: Al Seib/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images

The Oscars 2026 had no shortage of surprises. Two short films, The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva, ended up sharing the same award. A tie, which rarely happens, made many fans grow curious as to how a tie can occur at the Oscars.

Here are all the details.

Why tied wins happen at Oscars

Since the Academy Awards began in 1929, ties in competitive categories have happened only a few times.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences counts votes using a precise system. Every ballot is tallied carefully. If two nominees receive the same number of votes, both are declared winners. That’s exactly what happened during the 2026 Oscars.

During the ceremony, actor Kumail Nanjiani came on stage to present the award for Best Live Action Short Film. “And the Oscar goes to… It’s a tie! I’m not joking. It’s actually a tie,” Nanjiani said.

The crowd reacted with part surprise and part confusion. Nanjiani kept going, trying to calm the room. “So, everyone, calm down. We’re going to get through this. Focus up. I’m calm. Remain calm.”

He then explained what happens next. “I’m going to name one winner. They’ll come up, accept their award, and then I’ll come back and name another winner, and then they’ll accept their award.”

First, the team behind The Singers came on stage to accept their Oscar. After their speech, Nanjiani returned to reveal the second winner, Two People Exchanging Saliva. Before announcing the second film, he joked with the audience. “Ironic that the short film Oscar is going to take twice as long.”

While the moment surprised viewers, ties at the Oscars have actually happened before.

All tied wins in Oscars history before 2026 listed

Before the 2026 edition, the Oscars had seen ties only a handful of times. They have been listed below:

1932 – 5th Academy Awards (Best Actor): Fredric March won for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Wallace Beery also won for The Champ.

1949 – 22nd Academy Awards (Best Documentary Short Subject): A Chance to Live and So Much for So Little shared the award in this category.

1968 – 41st Academy Awards (Best Actress): Katharine Hepburn (The Lion in Winter) and Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl) tied after receiving the same number of votes.

1986 – 58th Academy Awards (Best Documentary Feature): Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got and Down & Out shared the Oscar in the documentary category.

1994 – 67th Academy Awards (Best Live Action Short Film): Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life and Trevor both won the award.

2012 – 85th Academy Awards (Best Sound Editing): Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty tied and shared the Oscar.

Now, The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva have joined this rare club.

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