Who was the first person to win an Oscar for playing a member of the opposite sex?

The history of the Academic Awards contains a lot of interesting trivia and memorable events. One of the most distinguished and outstanding Oscar winners is the American actress Lydia Susanna Hunter, who was born on the 2nd of April, 1945. She is best known by her stage name Linda Hunt. Every experienced TV viewer remembers her role of Henrietta Lange in the CBS series NCIS: Los Angeles.

Anyway, Hunt's most curious work is her role as the male Chinese-Australian photographer Billy Kwan. For it Hunt won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1983, becoming the first person to win an Oscar for playing a character of the opposite sex.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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47 Comments

Jeff Lupetin

YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY!

Kristen Richardson

No. Hoffman was nominated but didn't win. His character was a male actor that no one would work with and so disguised himself as a woman. Linda Hunt's character, Billy Kwan, was a man.

stevemanning

Linda Hunt is a amazing actress who has been in many very good films.

Corey Taylor

Jeff Lupetin, Thank you, no idea why the question writer didn't bother INCLUDING THE NAME OF THE FILM!

elizawheeler

I thought it must be Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie, but his name wasn't there so I guessed.

catmom

Gloria De Salvo, I love your cat ears.🐾

catmom

Daryl Stephenson, I saw Boys Don't Cry & Hilary Swank was excellent in this movie but I cried my eyes out. She was also excellent in Million Dollar Baby & so was Clint Eastwood too.

Lynne Zeman

Daryl Stephenson, I believe so. But the Year of Living Dangerously was released well before that, in 1982. Great film. I have been impressed with Hunt ever since. She was recently been in NCIS LA