This actor only made five movies and all were Best Picture nominees

There are some legendary actors who have defied the odds and scored multiple Oscar nominations over their careers. You’ll definitely recognize names like Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, and Katharine Hepburn. These stars are like magnets for Oscars and have graced the silver screen with some truly unforgettable performances.

When it comes to Oscar records, though, Meryl Streep is in a league of her own, boasting an astounding 21 nominations. To put that into perspective, her closest competition, Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson, have only 12 nominations each—almost like slackers by comparison!

Yet, there’s at least one actor who might overshadow Streep’s remarkable tally: John Cazale. He only appeared in five films over a span of just seven years, but every single one was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Cazale is perhaps best known for his role as Fredo in the classic drama The Godfather.

Cazale didn’t start acting until he was 37, landing his first major role in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. He followed that up with two more collaborations with Coppola: The Conversation and The Godfather Part II. After that, he starred alongside Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon, and finally appeared in the acclaimed war film The Deer Hunter.

Incredibly, all five of Cazale’s films received Best Picture nominations, and three of them won the Oscar! Tragically, his stellar record comes with a heartbreaking backstory. While filming The Deer Hunter, Cazale was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away shortly after the film wrapped, at just 42 years old.

One of Cazale’s most iconic moments is in The Godfather Part II, where he receives the infamous ‘kiss of death’ from Michael, who chillingly says, “I know it was you, Fredo.” Despite only having a handful of roles, John Cazale remains one of the greatest actors in film history, leaving a lasting impact on cinema.