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Academy Award for Best Actor

The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The award is traditionally presented by the previous year's Best Actress winner.

Academy Award for Best Actor
The 2023 recipient: Cillian Murphy
Awarded forBest Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
CountryUnited States
Presented byAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
First awarded1929
Most recent winnerCillian Murphy, Oppenheimer (2024)
Most awardsDaniel Day-Lewis (3)
Most nominationsLaurence Olivier and Spencer Tracy (9)
Websiteoscars.org

The Best Actor award has been presented 96 times, to 86 actors. The first winner was German actor Emil Jannings for his roles in The Last Command (1928) and The Way of All Flesh (1927).[1] The most recent winner is Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer (2023), who simultaneously became the first Irish born actor to win this award. Italian actor Roberto Benigni gave the first winning non-English performance in Life Is Beautiful (1997) in this category. The record for most wins is three, held by Daniel Day-Lewis, while nine other actors have won twice. The record for most nominations is nine, jointly held by Spencer Tracy and Laurence Olivier. James Dean remains the only actor to have been posthumously nominated for this award more than once. At the 5th Academy Awards, Fredric March finished one vote ahead of Wallace Beery; under the rules of the time, this meant both actors were awarded, in this category's only tie.

Nominations process

Nominees are currently determined by single transferable vote within the actors branch of AMPAS; winners are selected by a plurality vote from the entire eligible voting members of the Academy.[2]

In the first three years of the awards, actors and actresses were nominated as the best individuals in their categories. At that time, all of their work during the qualifying period (as many as three films, in some cases) was listed after the award.[3] Despite this, at the 3rd Academy Awards, held in 1930, only one film was cited in each winner's award regardless of how many they were eligible to be considered for during that span.[4] The current system, in which an actor is nominated for a specific performance in a single film, was introduced for the 4th Academy Awards.[3] Starting with the 9th Academy Awards, held in 1937, the category was limited to a maximum five nominations per year.[3]

Emil Jannings was the inaugural winner, for two films: The Last Command (1928) & The Way of All Flesh (1927).
Warner Baxter won for In Old Arizona (1928).
George Arliss won for Disraeli (1929).
Lionel Barrymore won for A Free Soul (1931).
Fredric March won twice, for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) & The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).
Wallace Beery won for The Champ (1931), in a tie with Fredric March.
Charles Laughton won for The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933).
Clark Gable won for It Happened One Night (1934).
Victor McLaglen won for The Informer (1935).
Paul Muni won for The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936).
Spencer Tracy was the first actor to consecutively win twice, for Captains Courageous (1937) & Boys Town (1938).
Robert Donat won for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939).
James Stewart won for The Philadelphia Story (1940).
Gary Cooper won twice, for Sergeant York (1941) & High Noon (1952).
James Cagney won for Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942).
Paul Lukas won for Watch on the Rhine (1943).
Bing Crosby won for Going My Way (1944).
Ray Milland won for The Lost Weekend (1945).
Ronald Colman won for A Double Life (1947).
Laurence Olivier won for Hamlet (1948); first self-directed win (and simultaneous Best Picture).
Broderick Crawford won for All the King's Men (1949).
José Ferrer won for Cyrano de Bergerac (1950); Tony winner for the same role–first to accomplish this + the category's first latino winner.
Humphrey Bogart won for The African Queen (1951).
William Holden won for Stalag 17 (1953).
Marlon Brando won twice, for On the Waterfront (1954) & The Godfather (1972).
Ernest Borgnine won for Marty (1955).
Yul Brynner won for The King and I (1956); first Asian winner in category.
Alec Guinness won for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
David Niven won for Separate Tables (1958).
Charlton Heston won for Ben-Hur (1959).
Burt Lancaster won for Elmer Gantry (1960).
Maximilian Schell won for Judgment at Nuremberg (1961).
Gregory Peck won for To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).
Sidney Poitier won for Lilies of the Field (1963); first black actor to win.
Rex Harrison won for My Fair Lady (1964).
Lee Marvin won for playing dual roles in Cat Ballou (1965).
Paul Scofield won for A Man for All Seasons (1966).
Rod Steiger won for In the Heat of the Night (1967).
Cliff Robertson won for CHAЯLY (1968).
John Wayne won for True Grit (1969).
George C. Scott won for Patton (1970).
Gene Hackman won for The French Connection (1971).
Jack Lemmon won for Save the Tiger (1973).
Art Carney won for Harry & Tonto (1974).
Jack Nicholson won twice, for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) & As Good as It Gets (1997).
Peter Finch won for Network (1976); first actor to win posthumously.
Richard Dreyfuss won for The Goodbye Girl (1977).
Jon Voight won for Coming Home (1978).
Dustin Hoffman won twice, for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) & Rain Man (1988).
Robert De Niro won for Raging Bull (1980).
Henry Fonda won for On Golden Pond (1981)
Ben Kingsley won for Gandhi (1982).
Robert Duvall won for Tender Mercies (1983).
F. Murray Abraham won for Amadeus (1984).
William Hurt won for Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985).
Paul Newman won for The Color of Money (1986).
Michael Douglas won for Wall Street (1987).
Daniel Day-Lewis won thrice, for My Left Foot (1989), There Will Be Blood (2007), & Lincoln (2012).
Jeremy Irons won for Reversal of Fortune (1990).
Anthony Hopkins won twice, for The Silence of the Lambs (1991) & The Father (2020)—the latter rendering him the overall oldest acting winner, at age 83.
Al Pacino won for Scent of a Woman (1992).
Tom Hanks won twice consecutively, for Philadelphia (1993) & Forrest Gump (1994).
Nicolas Cage won for Leaving Las Vegas (1995).
Geoffrey Rush won for Shine (1996).
Roberto Benigni won for Life Is Beautiful (1997); first Italian-spoken role to win for the category.
Kevin Spacey won for American Beauty (1999).
Russell Crowe won for Gladiator (2000).
Denzel Washington won for Training Day (2001).
Adrien Brody won for The Pianist (2002); became this category's youngest winner, at age 29.
Sean Penn won twice, for Mystic River (2003) & Milk (2008).
Jamie Foxx won for Ray (2004).
Philip Seymour Hoffman won for Capote (2005).
Forest Whitaker won for The Last King of Scotland (2006).
Jeff Bridges won for Crazy Heart (2009).
Colin Firth won for The King's Speech (2010).
Jean Dujardin won for The Artist (2011).
Matthew McConaughey won for Dallas Buyers Club (2013).
Eddie Redmayne won for The Theory of Everything (2014).
Leonardo DiCaprio won for The Revenant (2015).
Casey Affleck won for Manchester by the Sea (2016).
Gary Oldman won for Darkest Hour (2017).
Rami Malek won for Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).
Joaquin Phoenix won for Joker (2019).
Will Smith won for King Richard (2021).
Brendan Fraser won for The Whale (2022).

Winners and nominees

In the following table, the years are listed as per Academy convention, and generally correspond to the year of film release in Los Angeles County; the ceremonies are always held the following year.[5] For the first five ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned twelve months, from August 1 to July 31.[6] For the 6th ceremony held in 1934, the eligibility period lasted from August 1, 1932, to December 31, 1933.[6] Since the 7th ceremony held in 1935, the period of eligibility became the full previous calendar year from January 1 to December 31.[6]

Table key
‡Indicates the winner
§Indicates winner who refused the award
†Indicates a posthumous winner
†Indicates a posthumous nominee

1920s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
1927/28
(1st) 		Emil Jannings ‡[A]Grand Duke Sergius AlexanderThe Last Command[7]
August SchillingThe Way of All Flesh
Richard BarthelmessNickie ElkinsThe Noose
Patent Leather KidThe Patent Leather Kid
Charlie Chaplin[B]The TrampThe Circus[8]
1928/29
(2nd)
[note 1]		Warner Baxter ‡The Cisco KidIn Old Arizona[9]
George BancroftThunderbolt Jim LangThunderbolt
Chester MorrisChick WilliamsAlibi
Paul MuniJames DykeThe Valiant
Lewis StoneCount PahlenThe Patriot

1930s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
1929/30
(3rd) 		George Arliss ‡[C]Benjamin DisraeliDisraeli[10]
George ArlissThe RajaThe Green Goddess
Wallace BeeryButch "Machine Gun" SchmidtThe Big House
Maurice Chevalier [C]Pierre MirandeThe Big Pond
Count Alfred RenardThe Love Parade
Ronald Colman [C]Capt. Hugh "Bulldog" DrummondBulldog Drummond
MichelCondemned
Lawrence TibbettYegorThe Rogue Song
1930/31
(4th) 		Lionel Barrymore ‡Stephen AsheA Free Soul[11]
Jackie CooperSkippy SkinnerSkippy
Richard DixYancey CravatCimarron
Fredric MarchTony CavendishThe Royal Family of Broadway
Adolphe MenjouWalter BurnsThe Front Page
1931/32
(5th) 		Wallace Beery ‡ (Tie) [D]Andy "Champ" PurcellThe Champ[12]
Fredric March ‡ (Tie) [D]Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward HydeDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Alfred LuntThe ActorThe Guardsman
1932/33
(6th) 		Charles Laughton ‡King Henry VIIIThe Private Life of Henry VIII[13]
Leslie HowardPeter StandishBerkeley Square
Paul MuniJames AllenI Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
1934
(7th) 		Clark Gable ‡Peter WarneIt Happened One Night[14]
Frank MorganAlessandro, Duke of FlorenceThe Affairs of Cellini
William PowellNick CharlesThe Thin Man
1935
(8th) 		Victor McLaglen ‡Gypo NolanThe Informer[15]
Clark GableLt. Fletcher ChristianMutiny on the Bounty
Charles LaughtonCaptain William Bligh
Franchot ToneMidshipman Roger Byam
Paul Muni (Write-in)[E]Joe RadekBlack Fury
1936
(9th) 		Paul Muni ‡Louis PasteurThe Story of Louis Pasteur[16]
Gary CooperLongfellow DeedsMr. Deeds Goes to Town
Walter HustonSam DodsworthDodsworth
William PowellGodfrey ParkMy Man Godfrey
Spencer TracyFather Tim MullinSan Francisco
1937
(10th) 		Spencer Tracy ‡Manuel FidelloCaptains Courageous[17]
Charles BoyerEmperor Napoleon BonaparteConquest
Fredric MarchNorman MaineA Star Is Born
Robert MontgomeryDannyNight Must Fall
Paul MuniÉmile ZolaThe Life of Emile Zola
1938
(11th) 		Spencer Tracy ‡Father Edward FlanaganBoys Town[18]
Charles BoyerPepe le MokoAlgiers
James CagneyRocky SullivanAngels with Dirty Faces
Robert DonatDr. Andrew MansonThe Citadel
Leslie HowardProfessor Henry HigginsPygmalion
1939
(12th) 		Robert Donat ‡Charles Edward ChippingGoodbye, Mr. Chips[19]
Clark GableRhett ButlerGone with the Wind
Laurence OlivierHeathcliffWuthering Heights
Mickey RooneyMickey MoranBabes in Arms
James StewartJefferson SmithMr. Smith Goes to Washington

1940s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
1940
(13th) 		James Stewart ‡Macaulay "Mike" ConnorThe Philadelphia Story[20]
Charlie ChaplinAdenoid Hynkel & The BarberThe Great Dictator
Henry FondaTom JoadThe Grapes of Wrath
Raymond MasseyAbraham LincolnAbe Lincoln in Illinois
Laurence OlivierMaximilian "Maxim" de WinterRebecca
1941
(14th) 		Gary Cooper ‡Sgt. Alvin YorkSergeant York[21]
Cary GrantRoger AdamsPenny Serenade
Walter HustonMr. ScratchThe Devil and Daniel Webster
Robert MontgomeryJoe PendletonHere Comes Mr. Jordan
Orson WellesCharles Foster KaneCitizen Kane
1942
(15th) 		James Cagney ‡George M. CohanYankee Doodle Dandy[22]
Ronald ColmanCharles RainierRandom Harvest
Gary CooperLou GehrigThe Pride of the Yankees
Walter PidgeonClem MiniverMrs. Miniver
Monty WoolleyHowardThe Pied Piper
1943
(16th) 		Paul Lukas ‡Kurt MullerWatch on the Rhine[23]
Humphrey BogartRick BlaineCasablanca
Gary CooperRobert JordanFor Whom the Bell Tolls
Walter PidgeonPierre CurieMadame Curie
Mickey RooneyHomer MacauleyThe Human Comedy
1944
(17th) 		Bing Crosby ‡Father Chuck O'MalleyGoing My Way[24]
Charles BoyerGregory AntonGaslight
Barry Fitzgerald [F]Father FitzgibbonGoing My Way
Cary GrantErnie MottNone but the Lonely Heart
Alexander KnoxWoodrow WilsonWilson
1945
(18th) 		Ray Milland ‡Don BirnamThe Lost Weekend[25]
Bing CrosbyFather Chuck O'MalleyThe Bells of St. Mary's
Gene KellyJoseph BradyAnchors Aweigh
Gregory PeckFather FrancisThe Keys of the Kingdom
Cornel WildeFrédéric ChopinA Song to Remember
1946
(19th) 		Fredric March ‡Platoon Sergeant Al StephensonThe Best Years of Our Lives[26]
Laurence OlivierKing Henry V of EnglandHenry V
Larry ParksAl JolsonThe Jolson Story
Gregory PeckEzra "Penny" BaxterThe Yearling
James StewartGeorge BaileyIt's a Wonderful Life
1947
(20th) 		Ronald Colman ‡Anthony JohnA Double Life[27]
John GarfieldCharlie DavisBody and Soul
Gregory PeckPhilip Schuyler GreenGentleman's Agreement
William PowellClarence Day Sr.Life with Father
Michael RedgraveOrin MannonMourning Becomes Electra
1948
(21st) 		Laurence Olivier ‡Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkHamlet[28]
Lew AyresDr. Robert RichardsonJohnny Belinda
Montgomery CliftRalph "Steve" StevensonThe Search
Dan Dailey"Skid" JohnsonWhen My Baby Smiles at Me
Clifton WebbLynn Aloysius BelvedereSitting Pretty
1949
(22nd) 		Broderick Crawford ‡Willie StarkAll the King's Men[29]
Kirk DouglasMichael "Midge" KellyChampion
Gregory PeckBrig. General Frank SavageTwelve O'Clock High
Richard ToddCpl. Lachlan "Lachie" MacLachlanThe Hasty Heart
John WayneSergeant John M. StrykerSands of Iwo Jima

1950s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
1950
(23rd) 		José Ferrer ‡Cyrano de BergeracCyrano de Bergerac[30]
Louis CalhernOliver Wendell Holmes Jr.The Magnificent Yankee
William HoldenJoe GillisSunset Boulevard
James StewartElwood P. DowdHarvey
Spencer TracyStanley T. BanksFather of the Bride
1951
(24th) 		Humphrey Bogart ‡Charlie AllnutThe African Queen[31]
Marlon BrandoStanley KowalskiA Streetcar Named Desire
Montgomery CliftGeorge EastmanA Place in the Sun
Arthur KennedyLarry NevinsBright Victory
Fredric MarchWilly LomanDeath of a Salesman
1952
(25th) 		Gary Cooper ‡Marshal Will KaneHigh Noon[32]
Marlon BrandoEmiliano ZapataViva Zapata!
Kirk DouglasJonathan ShieldsThe Bad and the Beautiful
José FerrerHenri de Toulouse-Lautrec & Comte Alphonse de Toulouse-LautrecMoulin Rouge
Alec GuinnessHenry HollandThe Lavender Hill Mob
1953
(26th) 		William Holden ‡Sgt. J.J. SeftonStalag 17[33]
Marlon BrandoMark AntonyJulius Caesar
Richard BurtonMarcellus GallioThe Robe
Montgomery CliftPvt. Robert E. Lee "Prew" PrewittFrom Here to Eternity
Burt Lancaster1st Sgt. Milton Warden
1954
(27th) 		Marlon Brando ‡Terry MalloyOn the Waterfront[34]
Humphrey BogartLt. Cmdr. Philip Francis QueegThe Caine Mutiny
Bing CrosbyFrank ElginThe Country Girl
James MasonNorman MaineA Star Is Born
Dan O'HerlihyRobinson CrusoeRobinson Crusoe
1955
(28th) 		Ernest Borgnine ‡Marty PilettiMarty[35]
James CagneyMartin SnyderLove Me or Leave Me
James Dean †Cal TraskEast of Eden
Frank SinatraFrankie MachineThe Man with the Golden Arm
Spencer TracyJohn J. MacreedyBad Day at Black Rock
1956
(29th) 		Yul Brynner ‡King Mongkut of SiamThe King and I[36]
James Dean †Jett RinkGiant
Kirk DouglasVincent van GoghLust for Life
Rock HudsonJordan "Bick" Benedict Jr.Giant
Laurence OlivierKing Richard IIIRichard III
1957
(30th) 		Alec Guinness ‡Colonel NicholsonThe Bridge on the River Kwai[37]
Marlon BrandoMajor Lloyd "Ace" Gruver, USAFSayonara
Anthony FranciosaPolo PopeA Hatful of Rain
Charles LaughtonSir Wilfrid RobartsWitness for the Prosecution
Anthony QuinnGinoWild Is the Wind
1958
(31st) 		David Niven ‡Major Angus PollockSeparate Tables[38]
Tony CurtisJohn "Joker" JacksonThe Defiant Ones
Paul NewmanBrick PollittCat on a Hot Tin Roof
Sidney PoitierNoah CullenThe Defiant Ones
Spencer TracyThe Old ManThe Old Man and the Sea
1959
(32nd) 		Charlton Heston ‡Judah Ben-HurBen-Hur[39]
Laurence HarveyJoe LamptonRoom at the Top
Jack LemmonJerry / DaphneSome Like It Hot
Paul MuniDr. Sam AbelmanThe Last Angry Man
James StewartPaul BieglerAnatomy of a Murder

1960s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
1960
(33rd) 		Burt Lancaster ‡Elmer GantryElmer Gantry[40]
Trevor HowardWalter MorelSons and Lovers
Jack LemmonC. C. "Bud" BaxterThe Apartment
Laurence OlivierArchie RiceThe Entertainer
Spencer TracyHenry DrummondInherit the Wind
1961
(34th) 		Maximilian Schell ‡Hans RolfeJudgment at Nuremberg[41]
Charles BoyerCesarFanny
Paul Newman"Fast" Eddie FelsonThe Hustler
Spencer TracyChief Judge Dan HaywoodJudgment at Nuremberg
Stuart WhitmanJim FullerThe Mark
1962
(35th) 		Gregory Peck ‡Atticus FinchTo Kill a Mockingbird[42]
Burt LancasterRobert StroudBirdman of Alcatraz
Jack LemmonJoe ClayDays of Wine and Roses
Marcello MastroianniFerdinando CefalùDivorce Italian Style
Peter O'TooleThomas Edward LawrenceLawrence of Arabia
1963
(36th) 		Sidney Poitier ‡Homer SmithLilies of the Field[43]
Albert FinneyTom JonesTom Jones
Richard HarrisFrank MachinThis Sporting Life
Rex HarrisonJulius CaesarCleopatra
Paul NewmanHud BannonHud
1964
(37th) 		Rex Harrison ‡Professor Henry HigginsMy Fair Lady[44]
Richard BurtonThomas BecketBecket
Peter O'TooleKing Henry II
Anthony QuinnAlexis ZorbaZorba the Greek
Peter SellersGroup Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley, and Dr. StrangeloveDr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
1965
(38th) 		Lee Marvin ‡Kid Shelleen & Tim StrawnCat Ballou[45]
Richard BurtonAlec LeamasThe Spy Who Came in from the Cold
Laurence OlivierOthelloOthello
Rod SteigerSol NazermanThe Pawnbroker
Oskar WernerWillie SchumannShip of Fools
1966
(39th) 		Paul Scofield ‡Sir Thomas MoreA Man for All Seasons[46]
Alan ArkinLt. RozanovThe Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming
Richard BurtonGeorgeWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Michael CaineAlfie ElkinsAlfie
Steve McQueenJake HolmanThe Sand Pebbles
1967
(40th) 		Rod Steiger ‡Bill GillespieIn the Heat of the Night[47]
Warren BeattyClyde BarrowBonnie and Clyde
Dustin HoffmanBenjamin BraddockThe Graduate
Paul NewmanLucas "Luke" JacksonCool Hand Luke
Spencer Tracy †Matt DraytonGuess Who's Coming to Dinner
1968
(41st) 		Cliff Robertson ‡Charly GordonCharly[48]
Alan ArkinJohn SingerThe Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
Alan BatesYakov BokThe Fixer
Ron MoodyFaginOliver!
Peter O'TooleKing Henry IIThe Lion in Winter
1969
(42nd) 		John Wayne ‡Reuben "Rooster" CogburnTrue Grit[49]
Richard BurtonKing Henry VIIIAnne of the Thousand Days
Dustin HoffmanEnrico Salvatore "Ratso" RizzoMidnight Cowboy
Peter O'TooleArthur ChippingGoodbye, Mr. Chips
Jon VoightJoe BuckMidnight Cowboy

1970s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
1970
(43rd) 		George C. Scott §[50]General George S. Patton Jr.Patton[51]
Melvyn DouglasTom GarrisonI Never Sang for My Father
James Earl JonesJack JeffersonThe Great White Hope
Jack NicholsonRobert Eroica DupeaFive Easy Pieces
Ryan O'NealOliver Barrett IVLove Story
1971
(44th) 		Gene Hackman ‡Jimmy "Popeye" DoyleThe French Connection[52]
Peter FinchDr. Daniel HirshSunday Bloody Sunday
Walter MatthauJoseph P. KotcherKotch
George C. ScottDr. Herbert BockThe Hospital
TopolTevyeFiddler on the Roof
1972
(45th) 		Marlon Brando §[50]Vito CorleoneThe Godfather[53]
Michael CaineMilo TindleSleuth
Laurence OlivierAndrew Wyke
Peter O'TooleJack Gurney, 14th Earl of GurneyThe Ruling Class
Paul WinfieldNathan Lee MorganSounder
1973
(46th) 		Jack Lemmon ‡Harry StonerSave the Tiger[54]
Marlon BrandoPaulLast Tango in Paris
Jack NicholsonSignalman 1st Class Billy L. "Badass" BudduskyThe Last Detail
Al PacinoFrank SerpicoSerpico
Robert RedfordJohnny "Kelly" HookerThe Sting
1974
(47th) 		Art Carney ‡Harry CoombesHarry and Tonto[55]
Albert FinneyHercule PoirotMurder on the Orient Express
Dustin HoffmanLenny BruceLenny
Jack NicholsonJ. J. "Jake" GittesChinatown
Al PacinoMichael CorleoneThe Godfather Part II
1975
(48th) 		Jack Nicholson ‡Randle Patrick McMurphyOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest[56]
Walter MatthauWilly ClarkThe Sunshine Boys
Al PacinoSonny WortzikDog Day Afternoon
Maximilian SchellArthur GoldmanThe Man in the Glass Booth
James WhitmoreHarry S. TrumanGive 'em Hell, Harry!
1976
(49th) 		Peter Finch †Howard BealeNetwork[57]
Robert De NiroTravis BickleTaxi Driver
Giancarlo GianniniPasqualino FrafusoSeven Beauties
William HoldenMax SchumacherNetwork
Sylvester StalloneRocky BalboaRocky
1977
(50th) 		Richard Dreyfuss ‡Elliot GarfieldThe Goodbye Girl[58]
Woody AllenAlvy SingerAnnie Hall
Richard BurtonMartin DysartEquus
Marcello MastroianniGabrieleA Special Day
John TravoltaTony ManeroSaturday Night Fever
1978
(51st) 		Jon Voight ‡Luke MartinComing Home[59]
Warren BeattyJoe Pendleton / Leo Farnsworth / Tom JarrettHeaven Can Wait
Gary BuseyBuddy HollyThe Buddy Holly Story
Robert De NiroMichael VronskyThe Deer Hunter
Laurence OlivierEzra LiebermanThe Boys from Brazil
1979
(52nd) 		Dustin Hoffman ‡Ted KramerKramer vs. Kramer[60]
Jack LemmonJack GodellThe China Syndrome
Al PacinoArthur Kirkland...And Justice for All
Roy ScheiderJoe GideonAll That Jazz
Peter SellersChance the gardener / Chauncey GardinerBeing There

1980s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
1980
(53rd) 		Robert De Niro ‡Jake LaMottaRaging Bull[61]
Robert DuvallLt. Col. Wilbur "Bull" MeechumThe Great Santini
John HurtJohn MerrickThe Elephant Man
Jack LemmonScottie TempletonTribute
Peter O'TooleEli CrossThe Stunt Man
1981
(54th) 		Henry Fonda ‡Norman Thayer Jr.On Golden Pond[62]
Warren BeattyJohn "Jack" ReedReds
Burt LancasterLou PascalAtlantic City
Dudley MooreArthur BachArthur
Paul NewmanMichael GallagherAbsence of Malice
1982
(55th) 		Ben Kingsley ‡Mahatma GandhiGandhi[63]
Dustin HoffmanMichael Dorsey / Dorothy MichaelsTootsie
Jack LemmonEdmund HormanMissing
Paul NewmanFrank GalvinThe Verdict
Peter O'TooleAlan SwannMy Favorite Year
1983
(56th) 		Robert Duvall ‡Mac SledgeTender Mercies[64]
Michael CaineDr. Frank BryantEducating Rita
Tom ContiGowan McGlandReuben, Reuben
Tom CourtenayNormanThe Dresser
Albert FinneySir
1984
(57th) 		F. Murray Abraham ‡Antonio SalieriAmadeus[65]
Jeff BridgesScott Hayden / StarmanStarman
Albert FinneyGeoffrey FirminUnder the Volcano
Tom HulceWolfgang Amadeus MozartAmadeus
Sam WaterstonSydney SchanbergThe Killing Fields
1985
(58th) 		William Hurt ‡Luis MolinaKiss of the Spider Woman[66]
Harrison FordJohn BookWitness
James GarnerMurphy JonesMurphy's Romance
Jack NicholsonCharley PartannaPrizzi's Honor
Jon VoightOscar "Manny" ManheimRunaway Train
1986
(59th) 		Paul Newman ‡"Fast" Eddie FelsonThe Color of Money[67]
Dexter GordonDale TurnerRound Midnight
Bob HoskinsGeorgeMona Lisa
William HurtJames LeedsChildren of a Lesser God
James WoodsRichard BoyleSalvador
1987
(60th) 		Michael Douglas ‡Gordon GekkoWall Street[68]
William HurtTom GrunickBroadcast News
Marcello MastroianniRomano PatroniDark Eyes
Jack NicholsonFrancis PhelanIronweed
Robin WilliamsAdrian CronauerGood Morning, Vietnam
1988
(61st) 		Dustin Hoffman ‡Raymond BabbittRain Man[69]
Gene HackmanRupert AndersonMississippi Burning
Tom HanksJosh BaskinBig
Edward James OlmosJaime EscalanteStand and Deliver
Max von SydowLassefar "Lasse" KarlssonPelle the Conqueror
1989
(62nd) 		Daniel Day-Lewis ‡Christy BrownMy Left Foot[70]
Kenneth BranaghKing Henry VHenry V
Tom CruiseRon KovicBorn on the Fourth of July
Morgan FreemanHoke ColburnDriving Miss Daisy
Robin WilliamsJohn KeatingDead Poets Society

1990s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
1990
(63rd) 		Jeremy Irons ‡Claus von BülowReversal of Fortune[71]
Kevin CostnerLt. John J. DunbarDances with Wolves
Robert De NiroLeonard LoweAwakenings
Gérard DepardieuCyrano de BergeracCyrano de Bergerac
Richard Harris"Bull" McCabeThe Field
1991
(64th) 		Anthony Hopkins ‡Dr. Hannibal LecterThe Silence of the Lambs[72]
Warren BeattyBenjamin "Bugsy" SiegelBugsy
Robert De NiroMax CadyCape Fear
Nick NolteTom WingoThe Prince of Tides
Robin WilliamsHenry "Parry" SaganThe Fisher King
1992
(65th) 		Al Pacino ‡Lt. Col. Frank SladeScent of a Woman[73]
Robert Downey Jr.Charlie ChaplinChaplin
Clint EastwoodWill MunnyUnforgiven
Stephen ReaFergusThe Crying Game
Denzel WashingtonMalcolm Little / Malcolm XMalcolm X
1993
(66th) 		Tom Hanks ‡Andrew BeckettPhiladelphia[74]
Daniel Day-LewisGerard "Gerry" ConlonIn the Name of the Father
Laurence FishburneIke TurnerWhat's Love Got to Do with It
Anthony HopkinsJames StevensThe Remains of the Day
Liam NeesonOskar SchindlerSchindler's List
1994
(67th) 		Tom Hanks ‡Forrest GumpForrest Gump[75]
Morgan FreemanEllis Boyd "Red" ReddingThe Shawshank Redemption
Nigel HawthorneKing George IIIThe Madness of King George
Paul NewmanDonald "Sully" SullivanNobody's Fool
John TravoltaVincent VegaPulp Fiction
1995
(68th) 		Nicolas Cage ‡Ben SandersonLeaving Las Vegas[76]
Richard DreyfussGlenn HollandMr. Holland's Opus
Anthony HopkinsRichard NixonNixon
Sean PennMatthew PonceletDead Man Walking
Massimo Troisi †Mario RuoppoloIl Postino: The Postman
1996
(69th) 		Geoffrey Rush ‡David HelfgottShine[77]
Tom CruiseJerry MaguireJerry Maguire
Ralph FiennesCount László de AlmásyThe English Patient
Woody HarrelsonLarry FlyntThe People vs. Larry Flynt
Billy Bob ThorntonKarl ChildersSling Blade
1997
(70th) 		Jack Nicholson ‡Melvin UdallAs Good as It Gets[78]
Matt DamonWill HuntingGood Will Hunting
Robert DuvallEuliss "Sonny" Dewey / The Apostle E. F.The Apostle
Peter FondaUlysses "Ulee" JacksonUlee's Gold
Dustin HoffmanStanley MotssWag the Dog
1998
(71st) 		Roberto Benigni ‡Guido OreficeLife Is Beautiful[79]
Tom HanksCaptain John H. MillerSaving Private Ryan
Ian McKellenJames WhaleGods and Monsters
Nick NolteWade WhitehouseAffliction
Edward NortonDerek VinyardAmerican History X
1999
(72nd) 		Kevin Spacey ‡Lester BurnhamAmerican Beauty[80]
Russell CroweJeffrey WigandThe Insider
Richard FarnsworthAlvin StraightThe Straight Story
Sean PennEmmet RaySweet and Lowdown
Denzel WashingtonRubin "The Hurricane" CarterThe Hurricane

2000s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
2000
(73rd) 		Russell Crowe ‡Maximus Decimus MeridiusGladiator[81]
Javier BardemReinaldo ArenasBefore Night Falls
Tom HanksChuck NolandCast Away
Ed HarrisJackson PollockPollock
Geoffrey RushMarquis de SadeQuills
2001
(74th) 		Denzel Washington ‡Detective Alonzo HarrisTraining Day[82]
Russell CroweJohn Forbes Nash Jr.A Beautiful Mind
Sean PennSam DawsonI Am Sam
Will SmithCassius Clay / Muhammad AliAli
Tom WilkinsonDr. Matt FowlerIn the Bedroom
2002
(75th) 		Adrien Brody ‡Władysław SzpilmanThe Pianist[83]
Nicolas CageCharlie Kaufman & Donald KaufmanAdaptation.
Michael CaineThomas FowlerThe Quiet American
Daniel Day-LewisWilliam "Bill the Butcher" CuttingGangs of New York
Jack NicholsonWarren R. SchmidtAbout Schmidt
2003
(76th) 		Sean Penn ‡Jimmy MarkumMystic River[84]
Johnny DeppCaptain Jack SparrowPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Ben KingsleyCol. Massoud Amir BehraniHouse of Sand and Fog
Jude LawW. P. InmanCold Mountain
Bill MurrayBob HarrisLost in Translation
2004
(77th) 		Jamie Foxx ‡Ray CharlesRay[85]
Don CheadlePaul RusesabaginaHotel Rwanda
Johnny DeppSir James Matthew BarrieFinding Neverland
Leonardo DiCaprioHoward HughesThe Aviator
Clint EastwoodFrankie DunnMillion Dollar Baby
2005
(78th) 		Philip Seymour Hoffman ‡Truman CapoteCapote[86]
Terrence HowardDJayHustle & Flow
Heath LedgerEnnis Del MarBrokeback Mountain
Joaquin PhoenixJohnny CashWalk the Line
David StrathairnEdward R. MurrowGood Night, and Good Luck.
2006
(79th) 		Forest Whitaker ‡Idi AminThe Last King of Scotland[87]
Leonardo DiCaprioDanny ArcherBlood Diamond
Ryan GoslingDan DunneHalf Nelson
Peter O'TooleMaurice RussellVenus
Will SmithChris GardnerThe Pursuit of Happyness
2007
(80th) 		Daniel Day-Lewis ‡Daniel PlainviewThere Will Be Blood[88]
George ClooneyMichael ClaytonMichael Clayton
Johnny DeppSweeney Todd / Benjamin BarkerSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee JonesHank DeerfieldIn the Valley of Elah
Viggo MortensenNikolai LuzhinEastern Promises
2008
(81st) 		Sean Penn ‡Harvey MilkMilk[89]
Richard JenkinsWalter ValeThe Visitor
Frank LangellaRichard NixonFrost/Nixon
Brad PittBenjamin ButtonThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey RourkeRandy "The Ram" RobinsonThe Wrestler
2009
(82nd) 		Jeff Bridges ‡Otis "Bad" BlakeCrazy Heart[90]
George ClooneyRyan BinghamUp in the Air
Colin FirthGeorge FalconerA Single Man
Morgan FreemanNelson MandelaInvictus
Jeremy RennerSFC William JamesThe Hurt Locker

2010s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
2010
(83rd) 		Colin Firth ‡King George VIThe King's Speech[91]
Javier BardemUxbalBiutiful
Jeff BridgesReuben "Rooster" CogburnTrue Grit
Jesse EisenbergMark ZuckerbergThe Social Network
James FrancoAron Ralston127 Hours
2011
(84th) 		Jean Dujardin ‡George ValentinThe Artist[92]
Demián BichirCarlos GalindoA Better Life
George ClooneyMatt KingThe Descendants
Gary OldmanGeorge SmileyTinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad PittBilly BeaneMoneyball
2012
(85th) 		Daniel Day-Lewis ‡Abraham LincolnLincoln[93]
Bradley CooperPatrizio "Pat" Solitano Jr.Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh JackmanJean ValjeanLes Misérables
Joaquin PhoenixFreddie QuellThe Master
Denzel WashingtonWilliam "Whip" WhitakerFlight
2013
(86th) 		Matthew McConaughey ‡Ron WoodroofDallas Buyers Club[94]
Christian BaleIrving RosenfeldAmerican Hustle
Bruce DernWoodrow "Woody" GrantNebraska
Leonardo DiCaprioJordan BelfortThe Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetel EjioforSolomon Northup12 Years a Slave
2014
(87th) 		Eddie Redmayne ‡Stephen HawkingThe Theory of Everything[95]
Steve CarellJohn du PontFoxcatcher
Bradley CooperChris KyleAmerican Sniper
Benedict CumberbatchAlan TuringThe Imitation Game
Michael KeatonRiggan ThomsonBirdman
2015
(88th) 		Leonardo DiCaprio ‡Hugh GlassThe Revenant[96]
Bryan CranstonDalton TrumboTrumbo
Matt DamonMark WatneyThe Martian
Michael FassbenderSteve JobsSteve Jobs
Eddie RedmayneEinar Wegener / Lili ElbeThe Danish Girl
2016
(89th) 		Casey Affleck ‡Lee ChandlerManchester by the Sea[97]
Andrew GarfieldDesmond DossHacksaw Ridge
Ryan GoslingSebastian WilderLa La Land
Viggo MortensenBen CashCaptain Fantastic
Denzel WashingtonTroy MaxsonFences
2017
(90th) 		Gary Oldman ‡Winston ChurchillDarkest Hour[98]
Timothée ChalametElio PerlmanCall Me by Your Name
Daniel Day-LewisReynolds WoodcockPhantom Thread
Daniel KaluuyaChris WashingtonGet Out
Denzel WashingtonRoman J. IsraelRoman J. Israel, Esq.
2018
(91st) 		Rami Malek ‡Freddie MercuryBohemian Rhapsody[99]
Christian BaleDick CheneyVice
Bradley CooperJackson MaineA Star Is Born
Willem DafoeVincent van GoghAt Eternity's Gate
Viggo MortensenAnthony "Tony Lip" VallelongaGreen Book
2019
(92nd) 		Joaquin Phoenix ‡Arthur Fleck / JokerJoker[100]
Antonio BanderasSalvador MalloPain and Glory
Leonardo DiCaprioRick DaltonOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood
Adam DriverCharlie BarberMarriage Story
Jonathan PryceCardinal Jorge Mario BergoglioThe Two Popes

2020s

YearActorRole(s)FilmRef.
2020/21
[101]
(93rd)		Anthony Hopkins ‡AnthonyThe Father[102]
Riz AhmedRuben StoneSound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman †Levee GreenMa Rainey's Black Bottom
Gary OldmanHerman J. MankiewiczMank
Steven YeunJacob YiMinari
2021
(94th)		Will Smith ‡Richard WilliamsKing Richard[103]
Javier BardemDesi ArnazBeing the Ricardos
Benedict CumberbatchPhil BurbankThe Power of the Dog
Andrew GarfieldJonathan LarsonTick, Tick... Boom!
Denzel WashingtonLord MacbethThe Tragedy of Macbeth
2022
(95th)		Brendan Fraser ‡CharlieThe Whale[104]
Austin ButlerElvis PresleyElvis
Colin FarrellPádraic SúilleabháinThe Banshees of Inisherin
Paul MescalCalum PatersonAftersun
Bill NighyRodney WilliamsLiving
2023
(96th)		Cillian Murphy ‡J. Robert OppenheimerOppenheimer[105]
Bradley CooperLeonard BernsteinMaestro
Colman DomingoBayard RustinRustin
Paul GiamattiPaul HunhamThe Holdovers
Jeffrey WrightThelonious "Monk" EllisonAmerican Fiction

Multiple awards and nominations

The following individuals received two or more Best Actor awards:

WinsActorNominations
3Daniel Day-Lewis6
2Spencer Tracy9
Jack Nicholson8
Marlon Brando7
Dustin Hoffman
Gary Cooper5
Tom Hanks
Fredric March
Sean Penn
Anthony Hopkins4

The following individuals received three or more Best Actor nominations:

NominationsActor
9Laurence Olivier
Spencer Tracy
8Paul Newman
Jack Nicholson
Peter O'Toole
7Marlon Brando
Dustin Hoffman
Jack Lemmon
Denzel Washington
6Richard Burton
Daniel Day-Lewis
5Gary Cooper
Robert De Niro
Leonardo DiCaprio
Tom Hanks
Fredric March
Paul Muni
Al Pacino
Gregory Peck
Sean Penn
James Stewart
4Warren Beatty
Charles Boyer
Michael Caine
Bradley Cooper
Albert Finney
Anthony Hopkins
Burt Lancaster
3Javier Bardem
Humphrey Bogart
Jeff Bridges
James Cagney
Montgomery Clift
George Clooney
Ronald Colman
Bing Crosby
Russell Crowe
Johnny Depp
Kirk Douglas
Robert Duvall
Morgan Freeman
Clark Gable
William Holden
William Hurt
Charles Laughton
Marcello Mastroianni
Viggo Mortensen
Gary Oldman
Joaquin Phoenix
William Powell
Will Smith
Jon Voight
Robin Williams

Age superlatives

RecordActorFilmYearAgeRef.
Oldest WinnerAnthony HopkinsThe Father202083[106]
Oldest Nominee
Youngest WinnerAdrien BrodyThe Pianist200229
Youngest NomineeJackie CooperSkippy19319

Films with multiple Leading Actor nominations

Winners are in bold.

Multiple character nominations

The following were nominated for their portrayals of the same fictional or non-fictional character in separate films (including variations of the original).

Winners are in bold.

See also

Notes

A^ : According to longstanding Hollywood legend,[107] reported by Susan Orlean,[108] Rin Tin Tin actually received the most Best Actor votes, but the Academy (not wishing to give the first award to a dog) refactored the votes to ensure that Jannings won.[109]
B^ :The Circus originally received three nominations: Best Director (Comedy Picture), Best Actor, and Best Writing (Original Story) – for Charles Chaplin. However, the Academy subsequently decided to remove Chaplin's name from the competitive award categories and instead to confer upon him a Special Award "for acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus".[8]
C1 2 3 : Rules at the time of the first three ceremonies allowed for a performer to receive a single nomination which could honor their work in more than one film. George Arliss, Maurice Chevalier, and Ronald Colman were all nominated for two different roles in the same category. Current Academy rules forbid this from happening. No official reason was ever given as to why Arliss won the award for only one of the two films he was listed for.[110]
D1 2 : Fredric March received one more vote than Wallace Beery. Academy rules at that time considered such a close margin to be a tie, so both March and Beery received the award. Under the current rules, it is stipulated that a tie must result in the exact same number of votes.[111]
E^ : As with the previous year, when the Academy relaxed the rules to allow write-in votes following the outcry over Bette Davis's snub for Of Human Bondage, the Academy permitted write-in votes this year as well. Thus, Paul Muni received a write-in nomination for his performance in Black Fury, and actually finished second in the votes. Although as with Davis the previous year, the Academy does not recognize these two as "official nominees", they are nevertheless listed on the official website amongst their respective years' nominations for posterity's sake.[112]
F^ : Due to category confusion, Barry Fitzgerald received nominations (each for the same performance as Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way) in both the leading and supporting actor categories for 1944, winning the Oscar for the latter. As a result of this fiasco, the Academy amended its rules so that if any actor or actress received enough votes to land in the final five nominees for both again, they would only receive the nomination for the category in which they obtained the largest percentage of recognition.[113]

References

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Academy Award for Best Actor.
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