Oscar Winners & Nominees Who Were On Soap Operas Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. She appeared on both "One Life To Live" and "As The World Turns" and her win at the Academy Awards ceremony in 1992 was surrounded by rumours that her name was mistakenly read by the presenter, and that she was not the actual winner. Who is she?

Answer: Marisa Tomei

Marisa's win for Best Supporting Actress as Mona Lisa Vito in "My Cousin Vinny" has often been considered a fluke, and many disparaging comments have been made about her acting ability. Being nominated again in 2001 as Natalie Strout in "In The Bedroom" did nothing to dispel these rumours.

2. He played Chris on "Another World" and even did a stint on a night time soap as Randy on "Dallas" before being nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Who is he?

Answer: Brad Pitt

Often thought of as just a Hollywood pretty boy, he has fought that stereotype by constantly taking on diverse and unusual roles. Being nominated for his role as Jeffrey Goines in "12 Monkeys" helped him to be respected as a capable and talented actor and not just a hot hunk with rock hard abs.

3. He played a surfer on the Australian soap "Home And Away" before being nominated for Best Actor in 2005. Who is he?

Answer: Heath Ledger

"10 Things I Hate About You" was the first commercially successful American film that he starred in, leading to him often being typecast as a teen hunk. In an attempt to stop being typecast as such he took a lot of diverse roles in movies like "Monster's Ball", "The Order" and "Ned Kelly". It paid off in 2005, with his nomination for his role as Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain".

4. She played the dual roles of Frannie and Sabrina Hughes on "As The World Turns" before becoming a multiple Academy Award nominee. Who is she?

Answer: Julianne Moore

One of the more critically successful actresses to emerge from the world of daytime soap operas, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 1997 for playing porn actress Amber Waves in "Boogie Nights". She was nominated again for Best Actress in 1999 as Sarah Miles in "The End of The Affair" and became one of only a handful of actors to be nominated for two acting awards in the same year, when in 2002 she was nominated for Best Actress for playing Cathy Whitaker in "Far From Heaven" and for Supporting Actress in "The Hours" playing Laura Brown.

5. In the 1980s he played a character called Kenny Larkin on the Australian soap opera "Neighbours". Years later he would be an Academy Award Winner. Who is he?

Answer: Russell Crowe

Although he has a reputation of being a bit of a rough and tumble character, the one thing that's never been in question is his acting skills. He's been a three time nominee and won a gong in 2000. He was nominated for Best Actor in 1999 as Jeffrey Wigand in "The Insider", then again in 2000 as Maximus Decimus Meridius in "Gladiator" for which he won the trophy, and finally in 2001 as John Nash in "A Beautiful Mind".

6. He played Cicero Murphy on "Ryan's Hope" in 1981 and Roy Bingham on "Another World" from 1982 to 1984. Now he's an Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor. Who is he?

Answer: Morgan Freeman

Mr. Freeman won the Supporting Actor trophy in 2004 playing Eddie "Scrap Iron" Dupris in "Million Dollar Baby". He was also nominated for Supporting Actor in 1987 as Fast Black in "Street Smart" and for Best Actor, the first in 1989 as Hoke Colburn in "Driving Miss Daisy" and then again in 1994 as Red in "The Shawshank Redemption".

7. In 1989 she starred as the title character in the Mexican soap opera "Teresa". In 2002, she was nominated for Best Actress. She also includes the words, producer of a hit television show in her resume. Who is she?

Answer: Salma Hayek

This producer of the popular ABC hit television comedy, "Ugly Betty" was nominated in 2002 for her role of Frida Kahlo in the biopic "Frida". Jennifer Lopez was also desperately trying to get the Frida Kahlo story made, but in the end, Salma won the right to get the picture made and it is arguably her most critically successful role to date.

8. She played the role of Sarah Fairbanks on "Search For Tomorrow" in 1972. She is a very outspoken proponent for causes she believes in, as well as being a five time Academy Award nominee. Who is she?

Answer: Susan Sarandon

Her first Best Actress nomination was for the role of Sally in "Atlantic City" in 1981, her second ten years later was for playing Louise in "Thelma & Louise", and the third time in 1992, for the touching role of Michaela Odone in "Lorenzo's Oil". Her fourth nomination in 1994 was for the screen version of John Grisham's "The Client" playing Reggie Love, and she was ultimately successful and received her the trophy, for playing the kind hearted nun Sister Helen Prejean in "Dead Man Walking".

9. From 1973 to 1976 he played Josh Hall on "One Life To Live". He was nominated for Best Actor for playing a real person. Who is he?

Answer: Laurence Fishburne

Laurence Fishburne took on the controversial role of Ike Turner in the 1993 film "What's Love Got To Do With It". Ike Turner is rumoured to have been very displeased with the way he came across in the book that the film was based on, even claiming it to be untrue.

This made taking on the role somewhat daunting. Laurence Fishburne was more than up for the challenge and got himself an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in the process.

10. This actress was already a two time Academy Award winner before she made her soap opera debut in "General Hospital's" record setting Luke and Laura's wedding episode. Who is she?

Answer: Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor, a longtime "General Hospital" fan originated the role of the villainous Helena Cassidine in 1981. She was nominated for Best Actress for playing Susanna Drake in "Raintree County" in 1957, Maggie Pollitt in "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" in 1958, Catherine Holly in "Suddenly Last Summer" in 1959, Gloria Wandrous in "Butterfield 8" in 1960 and Martha in "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?" in 1966.

The last two nominations helped achieve the designation of multiple Oscar winning actress when she won both times.

Source: Author christina68

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor JuniorTheJaws before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Soap Operas are often looked down upon within the entertainment industry, but some of the Academy Awards most hailed and respected performances came from actors who worked in this medium. The information in this quiz is as of June 2007.

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