Steven Spielberg has officially joined the elite EGOT club, making him one of only 22 people in history to win a competitive Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. The 79-year-old filmmaker achieved the milestone yesterday, February 1, 2026, when he won his first-ever Grammy during the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
The win came in the Best Music Film category for the documentary Music by John Williams, which Spielberg produced. The film chronicles the seven-decade career of his long-time collaborator, composer John Williams. Although Spielberg did not attend the ceremony in person, he released a statement saying the win “means the world” to him because it recognizes the massive influence Williams has had on global culture.
“John Williams’s influence on culture and music is immeasurable and his artistry and legacy is unrivalled; I am proud to be associated with Laurent’s beautiful film,” he said in his acceptance letter.
The road to EGOT
Spielberg’s journey to this ‘grand slam’ of show business has spanned several decades and various creative fields. Though he is primarily known for his work in film, he has consistently produced award-winning content across television and theater.
He first secured his place in the conversation through his legendary work in cinema – winning three Academy Awards including Best Director and Best Picture for Schindler’s List and Best Director for Saving Private Ryan.
In the television world, he has collected multiple Emmy Awards over the years. These wins range from producing high-profile war dramas like Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Taken, to his work on popular animated projects from the 1990s such as A Pinky & the Brain Christmas. His ability to maintain a high standard across different formats allowed him to stack up the necessary trophies long before the final two categories were even in sight.
The final pieces of the puzzle fell into place more recently through his work on the stage and in music documentaries. In 2022, he secured his Tony Award as a producer for the Best Musical winner A Strange Loop. Yesterday’s Grammy win for the John Williams documentary provided the final “G” needed for the title. Spielberg is now only the second person to achieve this status primarily as a director and producer, rather than as a performer or songwriter.
In his acceptance letter, Spielberg wrote:
“Thank you to all the Grammy voters, whose recognition of Music by John Williams means the world to me and our Amblin team, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, and congratulations to our partners at Imagine and the Walt Disney Company.”
A rare achievement
Achieving EGOT status is considered one of the most difficult feats in the entertainment industry. Spielberg now joins a small group of legends that includes Audrey Hepburn, Mel Brooks, Harry Belafonte, more recently, Elton John and Viola Davis. Other artists who have achieved this desired status are: Jennifer Hudson, Alan Menken, John Legend, and more.
Here’s the complete list of EGOTs:
Richard Rodgers (1962)
Helen Hayes (1977)
Rita Moreno (1977)
John Gielgud (1991)
Audrey Hepburn (1994)
Marvin Hamlisch (1995)
Jonathan Tunick (1997)
Mel Brooks (2001)
Mike Nichols (2001)
Whoopi Goldberg (2002)
Scott Rudin (2012)
Robert Lopez (2014)
Andrew Lloyd Webber (2018)
Tim Rice (2018)
John Legend (2018)
Alan Menken (2020)
Jennifer Hudson (2022)
Viola Davis (2023)
Elton John (2024)
Benj Pasek (2024)
Justin Paul (2024)
Steven Spielberg (2026)
His inclusion in the club shows just how his work has moved past traditional filmmaking and into the broader worlds of television, music documentaries, and stage production. It marks a historic moment for a director whose career has shaped the industry for over fifty years.