Which Got Nominated for More Oscars, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ or ‘Wicked’?
With Wicked up for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress, you might be wondering how its inspiration, 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, fared at the Academy Awards. The beloved family film has been transporting audiences to the dazzling world of Oz, thanks to Victor Fleming’s direction, stunning Technicolor and an unforgettable performance from Judy Garland, for nearly 100 years, so you might imagine that it scored big at the Oscars.
However, when awards season rolled around, the film found itself up against another very famous film: Gone With the Wind. While The Wizard of Oz would go on to become a cultural icon, it had a tough time competing with the historical epic that swept the Oscars that year.
The Wizard of Oz was nominated for six Oscars — but none were for Judy Garland
Everett Collection
At the 12th Academy Awards held in 1940, The Wizard of Oz was nominated for a total of six Oscars — Best Picture, Best Original Song, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score, Best Special Effects and Best Adapted Screenplay. However, Judy Garland’s performance as Dorothy was completely shut out. That year’s Best Actress winner was Vivien Leigh, who won for her portrayal of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone Wth the Wind; other nominees included Bette Davis and Greta Garbo.
It only won two Oscars
Despite being known for its amazing visuals, in the end, The Wizard of Oz ended up winning only two Oscars, and both were for music: One was for Best Original Song “Over the Rainbow,” composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg, and the other was for Best Original Score by Herbert Stothart.
Best Picture in 1940 went to Gone With the Wind
Everett Collection
Best Picture went to Gone With the Wind, which swept that year’s awards. It won eight Oscars in total — in addition to Best Actress for Leigh, it picked up Best Picture, Best Director for Victor Fleming and Best Supporting Actress for Hattie McDaniel, who was the first ever African American to win an Academy Award.
Will Wicked do better than The Wizard of Oz at the Oscars?
Universal Pictures/Everett Collection
This year, the film adaptation of Wicked has earned significant Oscar recognition. The movie, which premiered in November 2024, is nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande as Galinda, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Score and Best Visual Effects.
While The Wizard of Oz didn’t dominate the 1940 Oscars, its cultural and cinematic impact has only grown over time. Similarly, Wicked is already leaving its own mark on both the theater world and the film industry. Do you think Wicked will win big this year?
Remind 
Witches
October 2023
Take a fond look back at our favorite small-screen spellbinders
Buy This Issue