Oscars and the Shadows: When Horror First Triumphed

For decades, the Academy Awards have been accused of favouring a certain type of film and, more often than not, a certain type of filmmaker. The ceremony’s history is peppered with controversy, from the #OscarsSoWhite campaign to the fallout of #MeToo, both of which have exposed the institution’s tendency to reward a narrow slice of Hollywood. The Oscars have a habit of gravitating towards grand historical dramas, earnest biopics, and the sort of films that fit neatly into a particular vision of American life. It’s little wonder, then, that some genres have found themselves left out in the cold.

Horror, in particular, has rarely been welcomed into the Academy’s embrace. The genre’s penchant for unsettling allegories—whether tackling racism, misogyny, or the darker corners of capitalism—has often been at odds with the more comfortable narratives the Oscars seem to prefer. For many, horror is dismissed as little more than a parade of jump scares and masked killers, a view that has kept it on the fringes of awards season for years.

Breaking Through the Academy’s Defences

Yet, every so often, a horror film manages to slip through the cracks. The recent success of ‘The Substance’ in 2024, a body horror piece that managed to claim an Oscar, felt like a significant shift. With ‘Sinners’ making waves in the 2026 awards circuit, there’s a sense that the genre might finally be inching towards the mainstream. But these victories didn’t come out of nowhere. They stand on the shoulders of earlier films that forced the Academy to take notice, even if only briefly.

‘The Exorcist’ managed to secure awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound, while ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ famously swept several major categories, including Best Picture. These moments, though rare, have hinted at the genre’s potential to be more than just a source of cheap thrills.

The Original Oscar-Winning Fright

Long before these modern successes, however, there was a film that set the precedent. In 1931, ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ arrived on the scene, with Frederic March delivering a performance that would become legendary. Taking on the dual roles of the well-meaning scientist and his monstrous alter ego, March brought Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale to life in a way that had never been seen before—at least, not with sound. Earlier silent versions, including John Barrymore’s, had paved the way, but March’s transformation into Hyde was something else entirely.

His portrayal was so compelling that it earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor, though he did have to share the honour with Wallace Beery for ‘The Champ’. The image of March morphing into his terrifying counterpart remains one of early Hollywood’s most memorable moments.

“The actor mastered these opposing parts, transforming into his terrifying alter ego in an incredibly unforgettable scene, although he did have to share his Oscar win with Wallace Beery for The Champ.”

Recognition Remains Elusive

Despite this early breakthrough, it would be nearly four decades before another horror performance was recognised by the Academy. Ruth Gordon’s win for ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ in 1968 marked the next occasion, and since then, only a handful of actors—Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes—have managed to claim Oscar gold for roles in the genre. These wins are the exception, not the rule, and horror remains a rare visitor to the winner’s podium.

Even now, as the genre edges closer to mainstream acceptance, its relationship with the Academy is complicated. The path from the shadows to the spotlight has been long, and the journey is far from over.