In 1949, the winner of the Best Actress Oscar was Olivia De Havilland for William Wyler's literary adaptation “The Heiress; it was De Havilland's second Oscar after winning for “To Each His Own” in 1946.

Water and Barrymore probably cancelled each other out, and the Supporting Actress winner was Merceded McCambridge for “All the King's Men,” which swept the Best Picture and other Oscars.