Double Trouble for Foxx's Oscar Quest?

Feb. 4, 2005 — -- Congratulations, Jamie Foxx, you've joined a handful of actors nominated for two Oscars in a single year. Now, are you ready for the bad news?

Nine other actors have been double nominees, and none of them won twice. But, wait, Mr. Foxx, the numbers are even grimmer.

Three of the last five double nominees were doubly disappointed on Oscar night -- losing in both categories.

In fact, even when double nominees do win, these two-timers more often take the lesser prize of supporting actor honors.

One more thing: As you often hear in commercials for mutual funds, "Past performance is no indication of future value." The same holds true for double Oscar nominees. Five of the nine two-timers were never again nominated for an Academy Award.

Foxx certainly has a lot to be proud of this year. Nominated as best actor for "Ray," he's also up for the best supporting actor Oscar for his work in "Collateral."

His portrayal of Ray Charles in "Ray" is amazing, and only more impressive when you consider that this Juilliard-trained piano player performed all the music, in a note-for-note homage to the music legend.

So what if Foxx didn't sing? He's also far and away the best part of "Collateral," playing a hijacked cab driver forced to take hit man Tom Cruise on the ride of his life.

Oscar night might be just as harrowing for Foxx. Here's a look at how nine previous double nominees have faired.

Fay Bainter in 1939

They say the best measure of supporting actors is that they make the lead actors look good. For double nominees, however, that's often a bittersweet skill, since they are helping the people they end up competing against.

Bainter, the first double nominee, won best supporting actress for "Jezebel," a film in which Bette Davis gave a career-defining performance as a tempestuous Southern belle. Bainter, 47, played the aunt who's mortified by her niece's scandalous behavior.

Bainter could have also won as best actress. She was nominated for "White Banners," in which she played a woman who takes a job as a housekeeper so that she can spy on the child she bore out of wedlock and gave up for adoption. Bainter earned acclaim for "White Banners," but Davis took home the Oscar.

Bainter wouldn't be nominated again until 1961, for her performance in "The Children's Hour."

Teresa Wright in 1943

Modern Hollywood may value youth, but few of today's over-achieving stars can match the early success of Teresa Wright, who earned Oscar nominations in her first three films, all before her 25th birthday. She played opposite Bette Davis in "Little Foxes," portrayed Lou Gehrig's wife in "The Pride of the Yankees" and took on a supporting role in the wartime classic "Mrs. Miniver."

"Mrs. Miniver" lorded over the 1943 Oscars show, and it was for more than poor Greer Garson, who won best actress for her role as the title character. Garson set the all-time record that year for long-winded acceptance speeches when she came to the podium to accept the award and rambled for seven long minutes.