#45: John Wayne and Barbra Streisand (1970)

In 1970, Hollywood legend John Wayne stood proudly beside Barbra Streisand, clutching his long-awaited Oscar for Best Actor for True Grit. After decades of defining the Western genre, Wayne’s portrayal of the gruff, one-eyed U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn finally earned him Academy recognition.

The win was a career-defining moment for The Duke, who had been a box office icon but had never won a competitive Oscar. Standing next to Streisand—one of Hollywood’s rising stars—Wayne’s victory symbolized a bridge between classic Hollywood and a new era of cinema, proving that his larger-than-life presence still reigned supreme.