Only One EGOT Winner is From Illinois, And She’s Our Favorite

There are only 19 people in the history of award shows to receive an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony and just one of those talented individuals in from Illinois. 

Award season is my favorite part of winter, especially this year, when it's colder than ever and the award shows are so close on the calendar!

The Emmys generally kick off award show season in September, but because of the writers and actors strikes last fall, they were pushed until January of this year.

I'm sure the celebs were a little stressed having to prep for the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards and the Emmys in a ten day span, but I personally loved it and would support a smashed award show season anytime.

While the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards are both pretty fun to watch and great to win if you're a celeb, neither one of them count to achieve EGOT status.

Nope, to score an EGOT, you have to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony... EGOT. Does it sound simple? Because there are only 19 EGOT winners in the history of TV and movies, with the first Richard Rodgers, securing his EGOT status in 1962 and the most recent, adding that E to his 'GOT' last Monday.

Elton John is the most recent EGOT winner after winning the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special this year for 'Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.'

I know what you're thinking... is Elton John from Illinois??? Ok, you weren't thinking that, but you did read the title of this story and you're wondering when I'm going to get to OUR EGOT winner.

EGOT Winners from Illinois

There's only one EGOT star from Ilinois and that star is the one and only Jennifer Hudson, who is from Chicago.

Jennifer won her Daytime Emmy (which is still an Emmy!) for the animated short, 'Baba Yag' in 2021, she won her first Grammy for Best R&B Album in 2009 (she won another one in 2017 for Best Musical Theater Album for 'The Color Purple'), she won her Oscar in 2007 for Best Supporting Actress in 'Dreamgirls,' and she won a Tony for co-producing 'A Strange Loop,' in 2022.