20 stars who won major awards posthumously

Catherine O’Hara was a comedy icon whose career never slowed down. She was just as popular near the end of her life as she was in the ‘90s. After her death, she won an Actor Award for her work in The Studio. 

Peter Finch received multiple prestigious awards after his death. The actor was awarded a Golden Globe and an Oscar for his role in Network. 

James Dean tragically died when he was just 24 years old. The actor was a rising star, and he received a variety of notable honors after his death, including multiple Golden Globes and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Raúl Juliá's awards cabinet expanded after his death, too. He won his first Golden Globe after his death, and he won an Emmy. 

Ray Charles was very accomplished in life, and his accomplishments continued in death. After dying, Charles won another five Grammys, bringing his total up to 17 and making him one of the most-awarded artists in Grammy history. 

It’s unlikely that anyone will ever catch up to Walt Disney’s record of 26 competitive and honorary Oscar wins. He was so good at making movies that Disney was winning Oscars in the afterlife. His final Oscar was awarded in 1968, about a year after his death, for the short film “Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day.”

After Chadwick Boseman’s shocking death, he received a bevy of prestigious awards. Among his honors were a Golden Globe, a Critics Choice Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Quincy Jones had an incredible influence on all facets of entertainment. Though he was best known for the music he made, after his death, he received an honorary Oscar for his contributions to film. 

Joan Rivers made everybody laugh. Though she was 81 when she died, the news was still shocking. Rivers was working right until the end, which is why she was awarded with a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album after her death.  

Leonard Cohen’s work was celebrated in life, and it’s still celebrated in death. He won his final Grammy Award in 2017 after dying the year prior. 

Amy Winehouse is one of the members of the tragic 27 Club. She lived to see herself win some Grammy Awards, but she died before she could see herself win her fifth. 

People have been winning posthumous Grammys for decades. Otis Redding received all of his nominations and won his two Grammys after his tragic death at age 26. 

David Bowie had an eternal quality. It felt as though he’d been around forever and that he was going to live forever. Of course, that wasn’t true, and he died at age 69. After his death, he won four Grammy Awards for his final album, Blackstar. 

Anthony Bourdain left an impact on both the culinary and television worlds. His legacy continued after his tragic death with a posthumous Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series. 

Heath Ledger’s death was a shock to Hollywood. He was one of the best actors of his generation, as evidenced by his posthumous Oscar win for his work as the Joker in The Dark Knight. 

Alice Pearce of Bewitched fame died in early 1966. Later that year, she won her lone Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy. 

Carrie Fisher tragically died without knowing she was a Grammy winner. The legendary actress received the award for Best Spoken Word Album after her death. 

Jimmy Carter wasn’t the first president to win a Grammy Award, but he was the only one to win posthumously. Carter received his fourth Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album in 2025, just months after his death. 

To many, Audrey Hepburn is still the ultimate movie star. She was talented and beautiful, and her legacy has endured long after her death. Hepburn won both an Emmy and a Grammy posthumously, ultimately propelling her to EGOT status. 

One of the most popular members of Fleetwood Mac, Christine McVie, continued her music career until her death. The icon then won a Grammy for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals after she was gone.