Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film

The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film or Best Actor – Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television is a Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on a miniseries or motion picture made for television for the calendar year. The award was first presented at the 39th Golden Globe Awards on January 30, 1982, to Mickey Rooney for his role on Bill. Performances by an actor in a miniseries or television film were originally awarded in the Best Actor – Television Series Drama category before the creation of this category.

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
The 2023 recipient: Steven Yeun.
Awarded forBest Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Miniseries or Television Film
CountryUnited States
Presented byHollywood Foreign Press Association
First awardedJanuary 30, 1982
Currently held bySteven Yeun,
Beef (2023)
Most awardsRobert Duvall (2)
James Garner (2)
Al Pacino (2)
Most nominationsJames Woods (7)
Websitegoldenglobes.com

Since its inception, the award has been given to 44 actors. Steven Yeun is the current recipient of the award for his performance in Beef. Robert Duvall, James Garner, and Al Pacino have won the most awards in this category with two each. James Woods has been nominated for the award on seven occasions, the most within the category.

Winners and nominees

Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees.

KeyMeaning
Indicates the winning actor.
Mickey Rooney was the first recipient of the award, winning for his role on Bill as Bill Sackter.
Ted Danson won the award for his performance in Something About Amelia (1984).
Out of seven nominations, the most in the category, James Woods won for his role as D.J. in Promise (1986).
Michael Caine (top) and Stacy Keach (bottom) tied for the award in 1988 for their roles in Jack the Ripper and Hemingway.
James Garner won the award in 1990 and 1993 for his roles in Decoration Day and Barbarians at the Gate.
Robert Duvall won in 1989 and 1992 for his performances in Lonesome Dove and Stalin.
Raúl Juliá won posthumously for his role as Chico Mendes in The Burning Season (1994).
Gary Sinise won the award for his performance in Truman (1995) as Harry S. Truman.
Alan Rickman won for his role as Grigori Rasputin in Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny (1996).
Ving Rhames won in 1997 for his portrayal of Don King in Don King: Only in America. During the ceremony, Rhames gave the award to fellow nominee Jack Lemmon, stating "I feel that being an artist is about giving, and I'd like to give this to you."
Stanley Tucci won for his performance as Walter Winchell in Winchell (1999).
Brian Dennehy won the award for his role as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman (2000).
James Franco won in 2001 for his portrayal of James Dean in James Dean.
Bill Nighy won one out of three nominations for his role in Gideon's Daughter (2006).
Paul Giamatti won in 2008 for his performance in the miniseries John Adams.
Al Pacino won the award twice for his roles in Angels in America and You Don't Know Jack (2010).
Idris Elba received four nominations, winning in 2011 for his performance on Luther.
Oscar Isaac won the award for his portrayal of Nick Wasicsko in Show Me a Hero.
Ewan McGregor won the award for his dual performance in Fargo.

1980s

YearActorRoleProgramNetworkRef
1981
(39th)
Mickey RooneyBill SackterBillCBS[1]
Dirk BogardeRoald DahlThe Patricia Neal StoryCBS
Timothy HuttonDonald Branch BoothA Long Way HomeABC
Danny KayeMax FeldmanSkokieCBS
Peter O'TooleLucius Flavius SilvaMasadaABC
Ray SharkeyBill CarneyThe Ordeal of Bill CarneyCBS
Peter StraussEleazar Ben YairMasadaABC
1982
(40th)
Anthony AndrewsSebastian FlyteBrideshead RevisitedPBS[2]
Philip AnglimJohn MerrickThe Elephant ManABC
Robby BensonNolie MinorTwo of a KindCBS
Jeremy IronsCharles RyderBrideshead RevisitedPBS
Sam WaterstonJ. Robert OppenheimerOppenheimer
1983
(41st)
Richard ChamberlainRalph de BricassartThe Thorn BirdsABC[3]
Robert BlakeJames R. HoffaBlood FeudSyndicated
Louis Gossett Jr.Anwar al-SadatSadatOPT
Martin SheenJohn F. KennedyKennedyNBC
Peter StraussEmoryHeart of SteelABC
1984
(42nd)
Ted DansonSteven BennettSomething About AmeliaABC[4]
James GarnerHarold LearHeartsoundsABC
Sam NeillSidney ReillyReilly, Ace of SpiesPBS
Jason RobardsAndrei SakharovSakharovHBO
Treat WilliamsStanley KowalskiA Streetcar Named DesireABC
1985
(43rd)
Dustin HoffmanWilly LomanDeath of a SalesmanCBS[5]
Richard ChamberlainRaoul WallenbergWallenberg: A Hero's StoryNBC
Richard CrennaRichard BeckThe Rape of Richard BeckABC
Kirk DouglasAmos LasherAmosCBS
Peter StraussAbel RosnovskiKane and Abel
1986
(44th)
James WoodsD.J.PromiseCBS[6]
James GarnerBob BuehlerPromiseCBS
Mark HarmonTed BundyThe Deliberate StrangerNBC
Jan NiklasPeter the GreatPeter the Great
John RitterFrank ColemanUnnatural Causes
1987
(45th)
Randy QuaidLyndon B. JohnsonLBJ: The Early YearsNBC[7]
Alan ArkinLeon FeldhendlerEscape from SobiborCBS
Mark HarmonElmer JacksonAfter the Promise
Jack LemmonJames TyroneLong Day's Journey into NightShowtime
Judd NelsonJoe HuntBillionaire Boys ClubNBC
James WoodsJames StockdaleIn Love and War
1988
(46th)
Michael CaineJack the RipperJack the RipperCBS[8]
Stacy KeachErnest HemingwayHemingwaySyndicated
Richard ChamberlainJason BourneThe Bourne IdentityABC
Anthony HopkinsChavelThe Tenth ManCBS
Jack LemmonJohn M. SlatonThe Murder of Mary PhaganNBC
1989
(47th)
Robert DuvallCaptain Augustus "Gus" McCraeLonesome DoveCBS[9]
John GielgudAaron JastrowWar and RemembranceABC
Ben KingsleySimon WiesenthalMurderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal StoryHBO
Lane SmithRichard NixonThe Final DaysABC
James WoodsBill WilsonMy Name Is Bill W.CBS

1990s

YearActorRoleProgramNetworkRef
1990
(48th)
James GarnerAlbert Sidney FinchDecoration DayNBC[10]
Steven BauerEnrique "Kiki" CamarenaDrug Wars: The Camarena StoryNBC
Michael CaineDr. Henry Jekyll / Harry HydeJekyll & HydeABC
Tom HulceMichael SchwernerMurder in MississippiNBC
Burt LancasterGerard CarriereThe Phantom of the Opera
Ricky SchroderMarkThe Stranger WithinABC
1991
(49th)
Beau BridgesJames BradyWithout Warning: The James Brady StoryHBO[11]
Sam ElliottConn ConagherConagherTNT
Peter FalkColumboColumbo and the Murder of a Rock StarABC
Sam NeillMajor James LeggattOne Against the WindCBS
Sidney PoitierThurgood MarshallSeparate but EqualABC
1992
(50th)
Robert DuvallJoseph StalinStalinHBO[12]
Anthony AndrewsWilliam WhitfieldJewelsNBC
Philip CasnoffFrank SinatraSinatraCBS
Jon VoightProfessor Alfred KroeberThe Last of His TribeHBO
James WoodsRoy CohnCitizen Cohn
1993
(51st)
James GarnerF. Ross JohnsonBarbarians at the GateHBO[13]
Peter FalkColumboColumbo: Its All in the GameABC
Jack LemmonRobertA Life in the TheatreTNT
Matthew ModineDr. Don FrancisAnd the Band Played OnHBO
Peter StraussEd MacAffreyMen Don't TellCBS
1994
(52nd)
Raúl JuliáChico MendesThe Burning SeasonHBO[14]
Alan AldaDan CutlerWhite MileHBO
James GarnerIra MoranBreathing LessonsCBS
Rutger HauerXavier MarchFatherlandHBO
Samuel L. JacksonJamaalAgainst the Wall
1995
(53rd)
Gary SiniseHarry S. TrumanTrumanHBO[15]
Alec BaldwinStanley KowalskiA Streetcar Named DesireCBS
Charles S. DuttonBoy Willie CharlesThe Piano Lesson
Laurence FishburneCapt. Hannibal "Iowa" Lee, Jr.The Tuskegee AirmenHBO
James WoodsDanny DavisIndictment: The McMartin Trial
1996
(54th)
Alan RickmanGrigori RasputinRasputin: Dark Servant of DestinyHBO[16]
Armand AssanteJohn GottiGottiHBO
Beau BridgesRichard PhillipsLosing ChaseShowtime
Stephen ReaBruno HauptmanCrime of the CenturyHBO
James WoodsTemple RayburnThe Summer of Ben TylerCBS
1997
(55th)
Ving RhamesDon KingDon King: Only in AmericaHBO[17]
Armand AssanteUlyssesThe OdysseyNBC
Jack LemmonJuror #812 Angry MenShowtime
Matthew ModineSammy AyresWhat the Deaf Man HeardCBS
Gary SiniseGeorge C. WallaceGeorge WallaceTNT
1998
(56th)
Stanley TucciWalter WinchellWinchellHBO[18]
Peter FondaGideon ProsperThe TempestNBC
Sam NeillMerlinMerlin
Bill PaxtonJohn Paul VannA Bright Shining LieHBO
Christopher ReeveJason KempRear WindowABC
Patrick StewartCaptain AhabMoby DickUSA Network
1999
(57th)
Jack LemmonHenry DrummondInherit the WindShowtime[19]
Jack LemmonMorrie SchwartzTuesdays with MorrieABC
Liev SchreiberOrson WellesRKO 281HBO
Sam ShepardDashiell HammettDash and LillyA&E
Tom SizemoreBobby BattonWitness ProtectionHBO

2000s

YearActorRoleProgramNetworkRef
2000
(58th)
Brian DennehyWilly LomanDeath of a SalesmanShowtime[20]
Alec BaldwinRobert H. JacksonNurembergTNT
Brian CoxHermann Göring
Andy GarcíaArturo SandovalFor Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval StoryHBO
James WoodsDennis BarrieDirty PicturesShowtime
2001
(59th)
James FrancoJames DeanJames DeanTNT[21]
Kenneth BranaghReinhard HeydrichConspiracyHBO
Ben KingsleyOtto FrankAnne Frank: The Whole StoryABC
Damian LewisRichard WintersBand of BrothersHBO
Barry PepperRoger Maris61*
2002
(60th)
Albert FinneyWinston ChurchillThe Gathering StormHBO[22]
Michael GambonLyndon B. JohnsonPath to WarHBO
Michael KeatonRobert WienerLive from Baghdad
William H. MacyBill PorterDoor to DoorTNT
Linus RoacheRobert F. KennedyRFKFox
2003
(61st)
Al PacinoRoy CohnAngels in AmericaHBO[23]
Antonio BanderasPancho VillaAnd Starring Pancho Villa as Himself HBO
James BrolinRonald ReaganThe ReagansShowtime
Troy GarityBarry WinchellSoldier's Girl
Tom WilkinsonRuth ApplewoodNormalHBO
2004
(62nd)
Geoffrey RushPeter SellersThe Life and Death of Peter SellersHBO[24]
Mos DefVivien ThomasSomething the Lord MadeHBO
Jamie FoxxStanley Tookie WilliamsRedemption: The Stan Tookie Williams StoryFX
William H. MacyGigotThe Wool CapTNT
Patrick StewartKing Henry IIThe Lion in WinterShowtime
2005
(63rd)
Jonathan Rhys MeyersElvis PresleyElvisCBS[25]
Kenneth BranaghFranklin D. RooseveltWarm SpringsHBO
Ed HarrisMiles RobyEmpire Falls
Bill NighyLawrenceThe Girl in the Café
Donald SutherlandBill MeehanHuman TraffickingLifetime
2006
(64th)
Bill NighyGideon WarnerGideon's DaughterBBC America[26]
Andre BraugherNick AtwalerThiefFX
Robert DuvallPrentice "Print" RitterBroken TrailAMC
Michael EalyDarwyn al-SayeedSleeper CellShowtime
Chiwetel EjioforIan CarterTsunami: The AftermathHBO
Ben KingsleyHerman TarnowerMrs. Harris
Matthew PerryRon ClarkThe Ron Clark StoryTNT
2007
(65th)
Jim BroadbentLord LongfordLongfordHBO[27]
Adam BeachCharles EastmanBury My Heart at Wounded KneeHBO
Ernest BorgnineBert O'RileyA Grandpa for ChristmasHallmark Channel
Jason IsaacsSir Mark BrydonThe State WithinBBC America
James NesbittDoctor Tom Jackman / Mr. HydeJekyll
2008
(66th)
Paul GiamattiJohn AdamsJohn AdamsHBO[28]
Ralph FiennesBernard LaffertyBernard and DorisHBO
Kevin SpaceyRon KlainRecount
Kiefer SutherlandJack Bauer24: RedemptionFox
Tom WilkinsonJames BakerRecountHBO
2009
(67th)
Kevin BaconMichael StroblTaking ChanceHBO[29]
Kenneth BranaghKurt WallanderWallander: One Step BehindPBS
Chiwetel EjioforThabo MbekiEndgame
Brendan GleesonWinston ChurchillInto the StormHBO
Jeremy IronsAlfred StieglitzGeorgia O'KeeffeLifetime

2010s

YearActorRoleProgramNetworkRef
2010
(68th)
Al PacinoJack KevorkianYou Don't Know JackHBO[30]
Idris ElbaDCI John LutherLutherBBC America
Ian McShaneWaleran BigodThe Pillars of the EarthStarz
Dennis QuaidBill ClintonThe Special RelationshipHBO
Édgar RamírezIlich Ramírez SánchezCarlosSundance Channel
2011
(69th)
Idris ElbaDCI John LutherLutherBBC America[31]
Hugh BonnevilleRobert, Earl of GranthamDownton AbbeyPBS
William HurtHenry PaulsonToo Big to FailHBO
Bill NighyJohnny WorrickerPage EightPBS
Dominic WestHector MaddenThe HourBBC America
2012
(70th)
Kevin CostnerDevil Anse HatfieldHatfields & McCoysHistory[32]
Benedict CumberbatchSherlock HolmesSherlockPBS
Woody HarrelsonSteve SchmidtGame ChangeHBO
Toby JonesAlfred HitchcockThe Girl
Clive OwenErnest HemingwayHemingway & Gellhorn
2013
(71st)
Michael DouglasLiberaceBehind the CandelabraHBO[33]
Matt DamonScott ThorsonBehind the CandelabraHBO
Chiwetel EjioforLouis LesterDancing on the EdgeStarz
Idris ElbaDCI John LutherLutherBBC America
Al PacinoPhil SpectorPhil SpectorHBO
2014
(72nd)
Billy Bob ThorntonLorne MalvoFargoFX[34]
Martin FreemanLester NygaardFargoFX
Woody HarrelsonDetective Martin HartTrue DetectiveHBO
Matthew McConaugheyDetective Rust Cohle
Mark RuffaloNed WeeksThe Normal Heart
2015
(73rd)
Oscar IsaacNick WasicskoShow Me a HeroHBO[35]
Idris ElbaDCI John LutherLutherBBC America
David OyelowoPeter SnowdenNightingaleHBO
Mark RylanceThomas CromwellWolf HallPBS
Patrick WilsonState Trouper Lou SolversonFargoFX
2016
(74th)
Tom HiddlestonJonathan PineThe Night ManagerAMC[36]
Riz AhmedNasir "Naz" KhanThe Night OfHBO
Bryan CranstonLyndon B. JohnsonAll the WayHBO
John TurturroJohn StoneThe Night OfHBO
Courtney B. VanceJohnnie CochranThe People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime StoryFX
2017
(75th)
Ewan McGregorEmmit and Raymond "Ray" StussyFargoFX[37]
Robert De NiroBernard "Bernie" MadoffThe Wizard of LiesHBO
Jude LawPope Pius XIIIThe Young Pope
Kyle MacLachlanDale Cooper, Cooper's Double, Douglas "Dougie" JonesTwin PeaksShowtime
Geoffrey RushAlbert EinsteinGenius: EinsteinNat Geo
2018
(76th)
Darren CrissAndrew CunananThe Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime StoryFX[38]
Antonio BanderasPablo PicassoGenius: PicassoNat Geo
Daniel BrühlDr. Lazlo KreizlerThe AlienistTNT
Benedict CumberbatchPatrick MelrosePatrick MelroseShowtime
Hugh GrantJeremy ThorpeA Very English ScandalAmazon
2019
(77th)
Russell CroweRoger AilesThe Loudest VoiceShowtime[39]
Christopher AbbottCapt. John YossarianCatch-22Hulu
Sacha Baron CohenEli Cohen / Kamel Amin ThaabetThe SpyNetflix
Jared HarrisValery LegasovChernobylHBO
Sam RockwellBob FosseFosse/VerdonFX

2020s

YearActorRoleProgramNetworkRef
2020
(78th)
Mark RuffaloDominick and Thomas BirdseyI Know This Much Is TrueHBO[40]
Bryan CranstonMichael DesiatoYour HonorShowtime
Jeff DanielsJames ComeyThe Comey Rule
Hugh GrantJonathan FraserThe UndoingHBO
Ethan HawkeJohn BrownThe Good Lord BirdShowtime
2021
(79th)
Michael KeatonSamuel FinnixDopesickHulu[41]
Paul BettanyVisionWandaVisionDisney+
Oscar IsaacJonathan LevyScenes from a MarriageHBO
Ewan McGregorHalstonHalstonNetflix
Tahar RahimCharles SobhrajThe Serpent
2022
(80th)
Evan PetersJeffrey DahmerDahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer StoryNetflix[42]
Taron EgertonJames "Jimmy" Keene Jr.Black BirdApple TV+
Colin Firth Michael PetersonThe StaircaseHBO Max
Andrew GarfieldDetective Jeb PyreUnder the Banner of HeavenHulu
Sebastian StanTommy LeePam & Tommy
2023
(81st)
Steven YeunDanny ChoBeefNetflix[43]
Matt BomerHawkins "Hawk" FullerFellow TravelersShowtime
Sam ClaflinBilly DunneDaisy Jones & the SixPrime Video
Jon HammSheriff Roy TillmanFargoFX
Woody HarrelsonE. Howard HuntWhite House PlumbersHBO
David OyelowoBass ReevesLawmen: Bass ReevesParamount+

Superlatives

Multiple wins

WinsName
2Robert Duvall
James Garner
Al Pacino

Multiple nominations

NominationsName
7James Woods
6Jack Lemmon
5James Garner
4Idris Elba
Peter Strauss
3Kenneth Branagh
Richard Chamberlain
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Woody Harrelson
Ben Kingsley
Sam Neill
Bill Nighy
Al Pacino
2Anthony Andrews
Armand Assante
Alec Baldwin
Antonio Banderas
Beau Bridges
Michael Caine
Benedict Cumberbatch
Peter Falk
Mark Harmon
Jeremy Irons
William H. Macy
Matthew Modine
David Oyelowo
Geoffrey Rush
Gary Sinise
Patrick Stewart
Tom Wilkinson

See also

References