Think back to all those Oscar nights spent in front of the television. The gowns, the speeches, the suspense of the envelope. And sometimes, a woman at the podium making the whole show her own.
It has been happening since 1948 — longer than most people realize. Here is a walk through every woman who has hosted Hollywood’s biggest night.
The Early Years: Radio, Television, and Hollywood Royalty
It all started with Agnes Moorehead in 1948, back when the Oscars were still broadcast over the radio. You probably remember her best as Endora on Bewitched. But long before that, she made history as the first female co-host of the Academy Awards.
The ceremony moved to television in 1953, and two years later, comedic actress and six-time Oscar nominee Thelma Ritter co-hosted the 27th annual show from New York City in 1955, while Bob Hope handled things out in Los Angeles.
That two-city format continued for a few more years. Claudette Colbert — best known for It Happened One Night — co-hosted from New York in 1956. Celeste Holm of All About Eve fame did the same in 1957. Both years, Jerry Lewis held down the L.A. stage.
Then came Rosalind Russell in 1958, sharing the stage with Bob Hope, Jack Lemmon, David Niven, James Stewart — and, yes, Donald Duck.
The 1970s: A Golden Era of Female Talent
After a long gap, women returned to the Oscars stage in a big way during the 1970s. It reads like a who’s who of our generation’s favorite stars.
Helen Hayes — an EGOT winner and one of the most celebrated actresses of her era — co-hosted in 1972 alongside Jack Lemmon, Sammy Davis Jr., and Alan King.
The hilarious Carol Burnett took the stage in 1973 with Michael Caine, Charlton Heston, and Rock Hudson. If you watched her variety show every week, you can only imagine how much fun that must have been.
Diana Ross followed in 1974, fresh off her Best Actress nomination for Lady Sings the Blues. She hosted alongside David Niven, John Huston, and Burt Reynolds.
In 1975, Shirley MacLaine joined Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, and Frank Sinatra on the Oscars stage. Quite a lineup.
Goldie Hawn charmed the crowd in 1976 alongside Gene Kelly, Walter Matthau, George Segal, and Robert Shaw. Then in 1977, Jane Fonda and Ellen Burstyn co-hosted together — alongside Warren Beatty (Shirley MacLaine’s younger brother!) and Richard Pryor.
The 1980s: Big Casts and Bigger Moments
Liza Minnelli joined the hosting ranks in 1983, sharing duties with Walter Matthau, Dudley Moore, and Richard Pryor.
The 1985 ceremony might have set a record for co-hosts. Jack Lemmon led a group that included Glenn Close, Candice Bergen, Amy Irving, Diana Ross, and Kathleen Turner — alongside Jeff Bridges, Michael Douglas, Gregory Hines, William Hurt, and Tom Selleck.
Jane Fonda returned in 1986 with Alan Alda and Robin Williams. Known for her political activism, Fonda made news during the opening monologue when she flashed a hand gesture in support of Corazon “Cory” Aquino, the Philippines’ first female president.
Then Goldie Hawn came back for a second turn in 1987, this time with Chevy Chase and Paul Hogan.
Whoopi Goldberg: Four Times and Counting
No woman has owned the Oscars stage quite like Whoopi Goldberg. She hosted four times — in 1994, 1996, 1999, and 2002 — and each one was memorable.
In 1994, she became the first woman ever to host the Oscars solo. She opened by saying, “Things are a little different: The host is wearing a dress, and that is a first.” That hosting gig earned her an Emmy nomination.
She came back in 1996 and earned another Emmy nomination. She later told Variety that she “loved” the job. “You have to be part babysitter and part psychiatrist and psychologist when you’re up there,” she said, “because you want to put people at ease.”
Her 1999 appearance was especially theatrical. She opened dressed as Queen Elizabeth II in full regalia — a nod to Oscar nominations for Shakespeare in Love and Elizabeth — and was introduced as “Her Majesty Whoopi Goldberg.” She also came out later in a metallic ensemble and an electric blue wig.
Her fourth and final hosting turn came in 2002, when she made her entrance on a swing that flew in from above, wearing a Moulin Rouge-inspired outfit. “I had a great time,” she said years later. “The critics didn’t love me, but I never cared much what the critics thought as long as people had a good time.”
Into the 2000s and Beyond
Ellen DeGeneres stepped up in 2007 and won over the crowd — literally vacuuming in the audience as part of her opening. She earned an Emmy nomination for the effort. She returned in 2014 and delivered one of the most talked-about moments in Oscars history: an A-list selfie and an impromptu celebrity pizza party.
Anne Hathaway co-hosted with James Franco in 2011. She later admitted to PEOPLE that she had actually turned the gig down before Franco convinced her to do it. “Your first instinct is usually the right one,” she said. “It’s just a no-win situation.”
The most recent female hosting team came together in 2022, when Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and Wanda Sykes made history as the first all-female hosting trio. Each hosted one hour of the show.
That night became one of the most talked-about in Oscars history after Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock. Schumer returned to the stage after a costume change and quipped, “I’ve been getting out of that Spider-Man costume. Did I miss anything? There’s, like, a different vibe in here.” Critics praised her for bringing some much-needed lightness to the moment.
Schumer, Hall, and Sykes remain the last women to host the Oscars. Jimmy Kimmel took over in 2023 and 2024, with Conan O’Brien hosting in 2026.
From Agnes Moorehead at a radio microphone in 1948 to three women commanding the Dolby Theatre stage in 2022 — what a run it has been.