The live-action short films “Two People Exchanging Saliva” and “The Singers” were both named winners at the Oscars on Sunday evening, the seventh time there has been a tie at the Academy Awards.
The most recent tie came in 2013, when “Skyfall” and “Zero Dark Thirty” both won in the category of best sound editing. In 1969, Katharine Hepburn, star of “The Lion in Winter,” and Barbra Streisand, star of “Funny Girl,” tied in the best actress category.
Other ties were in 1995, also between two live-action short films; in 1987, in the feature documentary category; in 1950, for short documentary; and in 1932, for best actor.
That tie, at the fifth Academy Awards, was between the actors Fredric March, for his portrayal of the dual titular personas in the film “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” and Wallace Beery, who played an alcoholic boxer in “The Champ.” (It was not a true tie, with March receiving one vote more than Beery. But the rules at the time stated that if a nominee came within three votes of the winner, they would also receive the award, according to the academy.)
At this year’s Oscars, even the winners seemed stumped by the realization that they were both walking away with a gold statuette. “I didn’t know that was a thing,” Sam Davis, who directed “The Singers,” said as he accepted the award.
Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh, the co-directors of “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” also said they were thrilled to share the award. “It’s such a dream,” Musteata said as she addressed the news media backstage. “Someone on Reddit asked us if we’d be happy to share the award,” she added, “and we were like, ‘Heck yeah.’”
Livia Albeck-Ripka is a Times reporter based in Los Angeles, covering breaking news, California and other subjects.
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