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Poll: Universally Understood Oscar Performances

Which Oscar winning acting performance, performed in whole or in part in a non-English or a non-verbal language,* do you think best transcends language?

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Roberto Benigni in Life Is Beautiful (1997)

Language: Italian | German | English
Guido Orefice Best Lead Actor: Life Is Beautiful (1997)

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Marlee Matlin in Children of a Lesser God (1986)

Languages: American Sign Language | English
Sarah Norman Best Lead Actress: Children of a Lesser God (1986)

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Marion Cotillard in La Vie En Rose (2007)

Languages: French | English
Edith Piaf Best Lead Actress: La Vie En Rose (2007)

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Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker (1962)

Languages: American Sign Language | English | Silent: Non-Verbal
Helen Keller Best Supporting Actress: The Miracle Worker (1962)

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Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Languages: German | French | English | Italian
Col. Hans Landa Best Supporting Actor: Inglourious Basterds (2009)

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Robert De Niro in The Godfather Part II (1974)

Languages: Sicilian | English
Don Vito Corleone Best Supporting Actor: The Godfather Part II (1974)

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Jane Wyman in Johnny Belinda (1948)

Languages: Mute: Non-Verbal | American Sign Language
Belinda McDonald Best Lead Actress: Johnny Belinda (1948)

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Penélope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Languages: Spanish | English
Maria Elena Best Supporting Actress: Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

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Holly Hunter in The Piano (1993)

Languages: Mute: Non-Verbal |Some English Voice-Over Narration (not as sound of Ada's voice, but as the sound of Ada's thoughts)
Ada McGrath Best Lead Actress: The Piano (1993)

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Benicio Del Toro in Traffic (2000)

Languages: Spanish | English
Javier Rodriguez Best Supporting Actor: Traffic (2000)

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Jean Dujardin in The Artist (2011)

Languages: Silent: Non-Verbal | Intertitles
George Valentin Best Lead Actor: The Artist (2011)

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Sophia Loren in Two Women (1960)

Language: Italian
Cesira Best Lead Actress: Two Women (1960)

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John Mills in Ryan's Daughter (1970)

Languages: Mute: Non-Verbal
Michael Best Supporting Actor: Ryan's Daughter (1970)

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Anne Bancroft in The Miracle Worker (1962)

Languages: English | American Sign Language | Silent: Non-Verbal
Anne Sullivan Best Actress: The Miracle Worker (1962)
added 07 March 2019 *significant non-English communication

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Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant (2015)

Languages: English | Pawnee | Arikara
Hugh Glass Best Actor: The Revenant (2015)
added 07 March 2019 *significant non-English communication

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Riz Ahmed in Sound of Metal (2019)

Languages: English | American Sign Language | Silent: Non-Verbal
Ruben Best Actor Nominee: Sound of Metal (2019)
Invalid Answer Option (Oscar Nominee only, not an Oscar Winner)
erroneously added 05 April 2021

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Troy Kotsur in CODA (2021)

Languages: English | American Sign Language | Silent: Non-Verbal
Frank Rossi Best Supporting Actor: CODA (2021)
added 27 March 2022

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