Finneas O’Connell and Billie Eilish recently created Oscar history.
After winning an Oscar for their original song, “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” Eilish, 22, and O’Connell, 26, were the youngest and second-youngest winners of two consecutive Oscars, respectively. The musical pair, who are siblings, won their first Oscar two years ago for the James Bond theme tune “No Time to Die.” Last month, their sad smash song “Barbie” won them the Grammy for song of the year.
The actress Luise Rainer, who was 28 years old when she won her second lead actress Oscar in 1938 for her role in the drama “The Good Earth” after taking home the same honour the year before for “The Great Ziegfeld,” previously held the record for the youngest person to win two Oscars.
Eilish declared, “I had a nightmare about this last night,” before burst out laughing and accepting the reward. “I feel extremely fortunate and honoured,” She also yelled, “You did not like me, but you are good at your job,” at a previous music instructor.
Eilish was one of the youngest Oscar winners ever when she won. The record in the original song category still belongs to Czech singer-songwriter Markéta Irglová, who won a share of the prize for the ballad “Falling Slowly” from the movie “Once” alongside co-star Glen Hansard when she was just 19 years old.
Fewer than 1% of winners have achieved two Oscar victories by the age of thirty. When Jodie Foster won her second lead actress award at age 29 for her role in “The Silence of the Lambs,” she accomplished the milestone. Hilary Swank won her second award in the same category at age 30 for her role in “Million Dollar Baby.”
Eilish and O’Connell defeated “I am Just Ken,” another nomination from “Barbie,” as well as the songs “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” from “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot,” and “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony” to win the original song prize.