Brow Beat

On Oscar Night, One Man Could Complete His EGOT

Academy Award nominees Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, with their children.

Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Come Oscar night this year, one nominee may make history. Robert Lopez, who is nominated along with his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez for Best Original Song (“Let it Go,” from Frozen), may join the very exclusive club known as the winners of an EGOT (those 11 artists who have each won competitive Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards). Even more historic: He’d be the youngest ever to complete the award, finishing off his awards show grand slam before he even turned 40.

Lopez won the other major awards for his work on Avenue Q (for which he won a Tony), The Book of Mormon (for which he won two Tonys and a Grammy), and children’s TV show Wonder Pets. The latter earned him two Daytime Emmys—which, some have argued when discussing Whoopi Goldberg’s legitimacy as an EGOT, might not technically count. One arena where this argument has played out is Wikipedia, which ultimately cites Goldberg’s reaction to the dispute on 30 Rock: Goldberg (playing herself), tells Tracy Morgan’s character Tracy Jordan, “It still counts! Girl’s got [an] E!”

If he wins come Oscar night, Lopez should proudly take a cue from Whoopi.