Every Best Actress Winner In Oscar History
1927/1928: Janet Gaynor
For her roles in 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Gaynor beat out Louise Dresser and Gloria Swanson for the first ever Best Actress award.
1928/1929: Mary Pickford
Pickford won for her performance in Coquette as Norma Besant at the 2nd Academy Awards, beating out Ruth Chatterton, Betty Compson, Jeanne Eagels, Corinne Griffith and Bessie Love.
1929/1930: Norma Shearer
At the 3rd Academy Awards, Shearer won for her performance in The Divorcee, beating out Nancy Carroll, Ruth Chatterton, Greta Garbo and Gloria Swanson. She was also nominated for her role in Their Own Desire that same year.
1930/1931: Marie Dressler
Dressler took home the award at the 4th Academy Awards for her role in Min and Bill, nudging out Marlene Dietrich, Irene Dunne, Ann Harding and Norma Shearer.
1931/1932: Helen Hayes
For the 5th Academy Awards, Hayes took home the award for her perfomance in The Sin of Madelon Claudet, beating out Marie Dressler and Lynn Fontanne.
1932/1933: Katharine Hepburn
Arguably Hollywood’s most historic leading lady, Hepburn took home her first Academy Award at the 6th Academy Awards for her role in Morning Glory, edging out May Robson and Diana Wynyard.
1935: Claudette Colbert
Colbert took home the 7th Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in It Happened One Night, beating out Grace Moore, Norma Shearer and Bette Davis.
1936: Bette Davis
Another one of the all time greats, Davis won her first Academy Award at the 8th Academy Awards for her role in Dangerous, beating out Elisabeth Bergner, Claudette Colbert, Katharine Hepburn, Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon.
1937: Luise Rainer
Rainer took home the award next for her performance in The Great Ziegfeld, beating out Irene Dunne, Gladys George, Carole Lombard and Norma Shearer.
1938: Luise Rainer
Rainer took home the award again the next year for her performance in The Good Earth, beating out Irene Dunne, Greta Garbo, Janet Gaynor and Barbara Stanwyck.
1939: Bette Davis
Davis took home her second award win for her role in Jezebel, beating out Fay Bainter, Wendy Hiller, Norma Shearer and Margaret Sullivan.