BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role

British film industry award From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role is an award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It has been awarded since the 6th British Academy Film Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film. From 1952 to 1967, there were two Best Actor awards: one for a British actor and another for a foreign actor. In 1968, the two prizes of British and Foreign actor were combined to create a single Best Actor award. Its current title, for Best Actor in a Leading Role, has been used since 1995.

Awarded forBest Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
LocationUnited Kingdom
Presented byBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts
Currently held byRobert Aramayo for I Swear (2025)
Quick facts for Best Actor, Awarded for ...
BAFTA Award for Best Actor
The 2025 recipient: Robert Aramayo
Awarded forBest Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
LocationUnited Kingdom
Presented byBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts
Currently held byRobert Aramayo for I Swear (2025)
Websitehttp://www.bafta.org/
Close

Peter Finch has the most wins in the category with five. The most recent winner of the award is Robert Aramayo for I Swear (2025).

Winners and nominees

Ralph Richardson was the first recipient of this award-winning for The Sound Barrier (1952)
  indicates the winner
Black and white photo of Marlon Brando in the film, A Streetcar Named Desire in 1948
Marlon Brando won three times for Viva Zapata! (1952), Julius Caesar (1953), and On the Waterfront (1954)
John Gielgud won for Julius Caesar (1953)
Laurence Olivier won for Richard III (1955)
Ernest Borgnine won for Marty (1955)
Peter Finch 2.jpg
Peter Finch won five times in 1956, 1960, 1961, 1971, and 1976
Alec Guinness won for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Henry Fonda won for 12 Angry Men (1957)
Black and white photo of Sidney Poitier in 1963
Sidney Poitier became the first black actor to win for The Defiant Ones (1958)[1][2]
Peter Sellers won for I'm All Right Jack (1958)
Jack Lemmon - 1968.jpg
Jack Lemmon won thrice for Some Like It Hot (1959), The Apartment (1960) and The China Syndrome (1979)
Paul Newman won for The Hustler (1961)
Peter O'Toole won for Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Burt Lancaster won twice for Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) and Atlantic City (1981)
Marcello Mastroianni won twice in Divorce Italian Style (1963), and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1964)
Photo of Richard Burton in The Robe, 1953
Richard Burton won for The Spy Who Came in from the Cold / Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Richard Attenborough won for Guns at Batasi / Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1968)
Lee Marvin won for The Killers / Cat Ballou (1965)
Paul Scofield won for A Man for All Seasons (1966)
Rod Steiger won twice for The Pawnbroker (1966) and In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Spencer Tracy won for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? (1968)
Photo of Dustin Hoffman attending the French premiere of his film, Quartet in 2013
Dustin Hoffman won twice for Midnight Cowboy / John and Mary (1969), and Tootsie (1983)
Robert Redford won for three films in 1970
GeneHackmanJun08.jpg
Gene Hackman won for The French Connection and The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
Walter Matthau won for Charley Varrick / Pete 'n' Tillie (1973)
Photo of Jack Nicholson attending the Cannes Film Festival in 2002
Jack Nicholson won twice for The Last Detail / Chinatown (1974), and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Photo of Al Pacino attending the Venice Film Festival in 2004
Al Pacino won for The Godfather Part II / Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
John Hurt won for The Elephant Man (1980)
Ben Kingsley won for Gandhi (1982)
Michael Caine won for Educating Rita (1983)
Sean Connery won for The Name of the Rose (1987)
John Cleese won for A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
Photo of Daniel Day-Lewis at the 2013 Jaguar Mille Miglia event.
Daniel Day-Lewis won four times for My Left Foot (1989), Gangs of New York (2002), There Will Be Blood (2007) and Lincoln (2012)
Photo of Sir Anthony Hopkins at the 2009 Tuscan Sun Festival in Cortona, Italy
Anthony Hopkins won thrice for The Silence of the Lambs (1991), The Remains of the Day (1993) and The Father (2020) [3]
Robert Downey Jr. won for Chaplin (1992)
Hugh Grant won for Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Geoffrey Rush won for Shine (1996)
Robert Carlyle won for The Full Monty (1997)
Roberto Benigni won for Life Is Beautiful (1998)
Kevin Spacey won for American Beauty (1999)
Jamie Bell won for Billy Elliot (2000)
Photo of Crowe at the London film premiere for State of Play, 21 April 2009
Russell Crowe won for A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Bill Murray won for Lost in Translation (2003)
Jamie Foxx won for Ray (2004)
Philip Seymour Hoffman won for Capote (2005)
Forest Whitaker won for The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Photo of Colin Firth at the San Diego Comic-Con International in 2017
Colin Firth won twice for A Single Man (2009) and The King's Speech (2010)
Jean Dujardin won for The Artist (2011)
Chiwetel Ejiofor TIFF 2015.jpg
Chiwetel Ejiofor won for 12 Years a Slave (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)
Austin Butler won for Elvis (2022)
Cillian Murphy won for Oppenheimer (2023)
Adrien Brody won for The Brutalist (2024)

1950s

More information Year, Actor ...
Year Actor Films Role (s) Ref.
1952
(6th)
 Best British Actor
Ralph Richardson The Sound Barrier John Ridgefield
Jack Hawkins Mandy Dick Searle
James Hayter The Pickwick Papers Samuel Pickwick
Laurence Olivier Carrie George Hurstwood
Nigel Patrick The Sound Barrier Tony Garthwaite
Alastair Sim Folly to Be Wise Captain William Paris
Best Foreign Actor
Marlon Brando Viva Zapata! Emiliano Zapata
Humphrey Bogart † The African Queen Charlie Allnut
Pierre Fresnay God Needs Men Thomas Gourvennec
Francesco Golisano Miracle in Milan Totò
Fredric March Death of a Salesman Willy Loman
1953
(7th)
 Best British Actor
John Gielgud Julius Caesar Cassius
Jack Hawkins The Cruel Sea George Ericson
Trevor Howard The Heart of the Matter Harry Scobie
Duncan Macrae The Kidnappers Jim MacKenzie
Kenneth More Genevieve Ambrose Claverhouse
Best Foreign Actor
Marlon Brando Julius Caesar Mark Antony
Eddie Albert Roman Holiday Irving Radovich
Van Heflin Shane Joe Starrett
Claude Laydu Diary of a Country Priest Priest of Ambricourt
Marcel Mouloudji We Are All Murderers René Le Guen
Gregory Peck Roman Holiday Joe Bradley
Spencer Tracy The Actress Clinton Jones
1954
(8th)
 Best British Actor
Kenneth More Doctor in the House Richard Grimsdyke
Maurice Denham The Purple Plain Blore
Robert Donat Lease of Life Rev. William Thorne
John Mills Hobson's Choice Will Mossop
David Niven Carrington V.C. Charles "Copper" Carrington
Donald Wolfit Svengali Svengali
Best Foreign Actor
Marlon Brando † On the Waterfront Terry Malloy
Neville Brand Riot in Cell Block 11 James V. Dunn
José Ferrer The Caine Mutiny Barney Greenwald
Fredric March Executive Suite Loren Phineas Shaw
James Stewart The Glenn Miller Story Glenn Miller
1955
(9th)
 Best British Actor
Laurence Olivier Richard III Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Alfie Bass The Bespoke Overcoat Fender
Alec Guinness The Prisoner The Cardinal
Jack Hawkins The Interrogator
Kenneth More The Deep Blue Sea Freddie Page
Michael Redgrave The Night My Number Came Up Air Mshl. Hardie
Best Foreign Actor
Ernest Borgnine † Marty Marty Piletti
James Dean (posthumous) East of Eden Cal Trask
Jack Lemmon Mister Roberts Frank Thurlowe Pulver
Toshiro Mifune Seven Samurai Kikuchiyo
Takashi Shimura Kambei Shimada
Frank Sinatra Not as a Stranger Alfred Boone
1956
(10th)
 Best British Actor
Peter Finch A Town Like Alice Joe Harman
Jack Hawkins The Long Arm Tom Halliday
Kenneth More Reach for the Sky Douglas Bader
Best Foreign Actor
François Périer Gervaise Henri Coupeau
Gunnar Björnstrand Smiles of a Summer Night Fredik Egerman
James Dean (posthumous) Rebel Without a Cause Jim Stark
Pierre Fresnay The Unfrocked One Maurice Morand
William Holden Picnic Hal Carter
Karl Malden Baby Doll Archie Lee Meighan
Frank Sinatra The Man with the Golden Arm Frankie Machine
Spencer Tracy The Mountain Zachary Teller
1957
(11th)
 Best British Actor
Alec Guinness † The Bridge on the River Kwai Cmdr. Nicholson
Peter Finch Windom's Way Alec Windom
Trevor Howard Manuela James Prothero
Laurence Olivier The Prince and the Showgirl Charles, Prince Regent of Carpathia
Michael Redgrave Time Without Pity David Graham
Best Foreign Actor
Henry Fonda 12 Angry Men Juror 8
Richard Basehart Time Limit Maj. Harry Cargill
Pierre Brasseur The Gates of Paris[4] Juju
Tony Curtis Sweet Smell of Success Sidney Falco
Jean Gabin La Traversé de Paris Grandgil
Robert Mitchum Heaven Knows, Mr Allison Cpl. Allison
Sidney Poitier Edge of the City Tommy Tyler
Ed Wynn The Great Man Paul Beaseley
1958
(12th)
 Best British Actor
Trevor Howard The Key Chris Ford
Michael Craig Sea of Sand Captain Tim Cotton
Laurence Harvey Room at the Top Joe Lampton
I. S. Johar Harry Black Bapu
Anthony Quayle Ice Cold in Alex Captain van der Poel / Haupt. Otto Lutz
Terry-Thomas Tom Thumb Ivan
Donald Wolfit Room at the Top Mr. Brown
Best Foreign Actor
Sidney Poitier The Defiant Ones Noah Cullen
Marlon Brando The Young Lions Christian Diestl
Tony Curtis The Defiant Ones John "Joker" Jackson
Glenn Ford The Sheepman Jason Sweet
Curd Jürgens The Enemy Below Kapt. von Stolberg
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Captain Lin Nan
Charles Laughton Witness for the Prosecution Sir Wilfrid Robarts
Paul Newman Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Brick Pollitt
Victor Sjöström Wild Strawberries Prof. Isak Borg
Spencer Tracy The Last Hurrah Frank Skeffington
1959
(13th)
 Best British Actor
Peter Sellers I'm All Right Jack Fred Kite
Stanley Baker Yesterday's Enemy Captain Langford
Richard Burton Look Back in Anger Jimmy Porter
Peter Finch The Nun's Story Dr. Fortunati
Laurence Harvey Expresso Bongo Johnny Jackson
Gordon Jackson Yesterday's Enemy Sgt. MacKenzie
Laurence Olivier The Devil's Disciple John Burgoyne
Best Foreign Actor
Jack Lemmon Some Like It Hot Jerry / "Daphne"
Jean Desailly Maigret Sets a Trap Marcel Maurin
Jean Gabin Jules Maigret
Takashi Shimura Living Kanji Watanabe
James Stewart Anatomy of a Murder Paul Biegler
Zbigniew Cybulski Ashes and Diamonds Maciek Chelmicki
Close

1960s

More information Year, Actor ...
Year Actor Film Role (s) Ref.
1960
(14th)
 Best British Actor
Peter Finch The Trials of Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde
Alec Guinness Tunes of Glory Maj. Jock Sinclair
John Mills Lt. Col. Basil Barrow
Richard Attenborough The Angry Silence Tom Curtis
John Fraser The Trials of Oscar Wilde Lord Alfred Douglas
Laurence Olivier The Entertainer Archie Rice
Albert Finney Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Arthur Seaton
Best Foreign Actor
Jack Lemmon The Apartment C. C. Baxter
Burt Lancaster † Elmer Gantry Elmer Gantry
Fredric March Inherit the Wind Matthew Harrison Brady
Spencer Tracy Inherit the Wind Henry Drummond
George Hamilton Crime and Punishment U.S.A. Robert Cole
Yves Montand Let's Make Love Jean-Marc Clement / Alexander Dumas
1961
(15th)
 Best British Actor
Peter Finch No Love for Johnnie Johnnie Byrne
Dirk Bogarde Victim Melville Farr
Best Foreign Actor
Paul Newman The Hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson
Montgomery Clift Judgment at Nuremberg Rudolph Petersen
Vladimir Ivashov Ballad of a Soldier Pvt. Alyosha Skvortsov
Philippe Leroy The Night Watch Manu Borelli
Sidney Poitier A Raisin in the Sun Walter Lee Younger
Maximilian Schell † Judgment at Nuremberg Hans Rolfe
Alberto Sordi The Best of Enemies Captain Blasi
1962
(16th)
 Best British Actor
Peter O'Toole Lawrence of Arabia T. E. Lawrence
Richard Attenborough The Dock Brief Herbert Fowle
Alan Bates A Kind of Loving Victor 'Vic' Brown
James Mason Lolita Humbert Humbert
Laurence Olivier Term of Trial Graham Weir
Peter Sellers Only Two Can Play John Lewis
Best Foreign Actor
Burt Lancaster Birdman of Alcatraz Robert Stroud
Jean-Paul Belmondo Léon Morin, Priest Léon Morin
Kirk Douglas Lonely are the Brave John W. "Jack" Burns
George Hamilton Light in the Piazza Fabrizio Naccarelli
Anthony Quinn Lawrence of Arabia Auda ibu Tayi
Robert Ryan Billy Budd John Claggart
Georges Wilson The Long Absence The Tramp
Charles Laughton Advise and Consent Sen. Seabright "Seeb" Cooley
1963
(17th)
 Best British Actor
Dirk Bogarde The Servant Hugo Barrett
Albert Finney Tom Jones Tom Jones
Hugh Griffith Squire Western
Richard Harris This Sporting Life Frank Machin
Tom Courtenay Billy Liar William Terrence 'Billy' Fisher
Best Foreign Actor
Marcello Mastroianni Divorce Italian Style Ferdinando Cefalù
Franco Citti Accattone Vittorio "Accattone" Cataldi
Howard Da Silva David and Lisa Dr. Swinford
Jack Lemmon Days of Wine and Roses Joe Clay
Paul Newman Hud Hud Bannon
Gregory Peck † To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch
1964
(18th)
 Best British Actor
Richard Attenborough [A] Guns at Batasi RSM Lauderdale
Seance on a Wet Afternoon Billy Savage
Peter Sellers [A] Dr. Strangelove Gp Capt. Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley & Dr. Strangelove
The Pink Panther Inspector Jacques Clouseau
Tom Courtenay King & Country Pvt. Arthur Hamp
Peter O'Toole Becket King Henry II
Best Foreign Actor
Marcello Mastroianni Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Carmine Sbaratti / Renzo / Augusto Rusconi
Cary Grant Charade Peter Joshua
Sterling Hayden Dr. Strangelove BG Jack D. Ripper
Sidney Poitier † Lilies of the Field Homer Smith
1965
(19th)
 Best British Actor
Dirk Bogarde Darling Robert Gold
Harry Andrews The Hill RSM Wilson
Michael Caine The Ipcress File Harry Palmer
Rex Harrison † My Fair Lady Prof. Henry Higgins
Best Foreign Actor
Lee Marvin [A] Cat Ballou Kid Shelleen & Tim Strawn
The Killers Charlie Strom
Jack Lemmon [A] Good Neighbor Sam Sam Bissell
How to Murder Your Wife Stanley Ford
Anthony Quinn Zorba the Greek Alexis Zorba
Innokenty Smoktunovsky Hamlet Prince Hamlet
Oskar Werner Ship of Fools Dr. Wilhelm "Willi" Schumann
1966
(20th)
 Best British Actor
Richard Burton [A] The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Alec Leamas
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? George
Ralph Richardson [A] Doctor Zhivago Alexander "Sasha" Gromeko
Khartoum William Ewart Gladstone
The Wrong Box Joseph Finsbury
Michael Caine Alfie Alfred "Alfie" Elkins
David Warner Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment Morgan Delt
Best Foreign Actor
Rod Steiger The Pawnbroker Sol Nazerman
Sidney Poitier A Patch of Blue Gordon Ralfe
Jean-Paul Belmondo Pierrot le Fou Ferdinand Griffon / "Pierrot"
Oskar Werner The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Fiedler
1967
(21st)
 Best British Actor
Paul Scofield † A Man for All Seasons Sir Thomas More
Dirk Bogarde [A] Accident Stephen
Our Mother's House Charlie Hook
Richard Burton The Taming of the Shrew Petruchio
James Mason The Deadly Affair Charles Dobbs
Best Foreign Actor
Rod Steiger † In the Heat of the Night Police Chief Bill Gillespie
Warren Beatty Bonnie and Clyde Clyde Barrow
Sidney Poitier In the Heat of the Night Detective Virgil Tibbs
Orson Welles Chimes at Midnight Sir John Falstaff
1968
(22nd)
 Best Actor
Spencer Tracy Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Matt Drayton
Ron Moody Oliver! Fagin
Nicol Williamson The Bofors Gun O'Rourke
Trevor Howard The Charge of the Light Brigade Lord Cardigan
1969
(23rd)
 Dustin Hoffman [A] John and Mary John
Midnight Cowboy Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo
Walter Matthau [A] Hello, Dolly! Horace Vandergelder
The Secret Life of an American Wife The Movie Star
Alan Bates Women in Love Rupert Birkin
Nicol Williamson Inadmissible Evidence Bill Maitland
Close

1970s

More information Year, Actor ...
Year Actor Films Role (s) Ref.
1970
(24th)
 Robert Redford [A] Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Sundance Kid
Downhill Racer David Chappellet
Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here Deputy Sheriff Christopher Cooper
Elliott Gould [A] Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice Ted Henderson
MASH Trapper John McIntyre
George C. Scott † Patton George S. Patton
Paul Newman Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Butch Cassidy
1971
(25th)
 Peter Finch Sunday Bloody Sunday Dr. Daniel Hirsh
Dirk Bogarde Death in Venice Gustav von Aschenbach
Albert Finney Gumshoe Eddie Ginley
Dustin Hoffman Little Big Man Jack Crabb
1972
(26th)
 Gene Hackman [A] † The French Connection † Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle
The Poseidon Adventure Reverend Frank Scott
Marlon Brando [A] † The Godfather † Vito Corleone
The Nightcomers Peter Quint
George C. Scott [A] The Hospital Dr. Herbert "Herb" Bock
They Might Be Giants Justin Playfair
Robert Shaw Young Winston Lord Randolph Churchill
1973
(27th)
 Walter Matthau [A] Charley Varrick Charley Varrick
Pete 'n' Tillie Pete
Donald Sutherland [A] Don't Look Now John Baxter
Steelyard Blues Jesse Veldini
Marlon Brando Last Tango in Paris Paul
Laurence Olivier Sleuth Andrew Wyke
1974
(28th)
 Jack Nicholson [A] Chinatown J.J. "Jake" Gittes
The Last Detail Signalman 1st Class Billy "Badass" Buddusky
Albert Finney Murder on the Orient Express Hercule Poirot
Gene Hackman The Conversation Harry Caul
Al Pacino Serpico Frank Serpico
1975
(29th)
 Al Pacino [A] Dog Day Afternoon Sonny Wortzik
The Godfather Part II Michael Corleone
Gene Hackman [A] French Connection II Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle
Night Moves Harry Moseby
Richard Dreyfuss Jaws Matt Hooper
Dustin Hoffman Lenny Lenny Bruce
1976
(30th)
 Jack Nicholson † One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Randle McMurphy
Dustin Hoffman [A] All the President's Men Carl Bernstein
Marathon Man Thomas "Babe" Levy
Walter Matthau [A] The Bad News Bears Morris Buttermaker
The Sunshine Boys Willy Clark
Robert De Niro Taxi Driver Travis Bickle
1977
(31st)
 Peter Finch (posthumous) † Network Howard Beale
Woody Allen Annie Hall Alvy "Max" Singer
William Holden Network Max Schumacher
Sylvester Stallone Rocky Rocky Balboa
1978
(32nd)
 Richard Dreyfuss † The Goodbye Girl Elliot Garfield
Anthony Hopkins Magic Corky Withers / Fats (voice)
Brad Davis Midnight Express Billy Hayes
Peter Ustinov Death on the Nile Hercule Poirot
1979
(33rd)
 Jack Lemmon The China Syndrome Jack Godell
Woody Allen Manhattan Isaac Davis
Martin Sheen Apocalypse Now Captain Benjamin L. Willard
Robert De Niro The Deer Hunter S/Sgt. Michael "Mike" Vronsky
Close

1980s

More information Year, Actor ...
Year Actor Films Role (s) Ref.
1980
(34th)
 John Hurt The Elephant Man John Merrick
Dustin Hoffman † Kramer vs. Kramer Ted Kramer
Roy Scheider All That Jazz Joe Gideon
Peter Sellers Being There Chance the Gardener
1981
(35th)
 Burt Lancaster Atlantic City Lou Pascal
Robert De Niro † Raging Bull Jake LaMotta
Bob Hoskins The Long Good Friday Harold Shand
Jeremy Irons The French Lieutenant's Woman Charles Henry Smithson / Mike
1982
(36th)
 Ben Kingsley † Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi
Warren Beatty Reds John Reed
Albert Finney Shoot the Moon George Dunlap
Henry Fonda † On Golden Pond Norman Thayer Jr.
Jack Lemmon Missing Ed Horman
1983
(37th)
 Michael Caine (TIE) [B] Educating Rita Dr. Frank Bryant
Dustin Hoffman (TIE) [B] Tootsie Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels
Michael Caine The Honorary Consul Charley Fortnum, Consul
Robert De Niro The King of Comedy Rupert Pupkin
1984
(38th)
 Haing S. Ngor The Killing Fields Dith Pran
Tom Courtenay The Dresser Norman
Albert Finney Sir
Sam Waterston The Killing Fields Sydney Schanberg
1985
(39th)
 William Hurt † Kiss of the Spider Woman Luis Molina
F. Murray Abraham † Amadeus Antonio Salieri
Victor Banerjee A Passage to India Dr. Aziz Ahmed
Harrison Ford Witness John Book
1986
(40th)
 Bob Hoskins Mona Lisa George
Woody Allen Hannah and Her Sisters Mickey Sachs
Michael Caine Elliot
Paul Hogan Crocodile Dundee Michael "Crocodile" Dundee
1987
(41st)
 Sean Connery The Name of the Rose William of Baskerville
Gérard Depardieu Jean de Florette Jean Cadoret / "Jean de Florette"
Yves Montand César Soubeyran / Le Papet
Gary Oldman Prick Up Your Ears Joe Orton
1988
(42nd)
 John Cleese A Fish Called Wanda Archie Leach
Michael Douglas Fatal Attraction Dan Gallagher
Kevin Kline A Fish Called Wanda Otto West
Robin Williams Good Morning, Vietnam Adrian Cronauer
1989
(43rd)
 Daniel Day-Lewis † My Left Foot Christy Brown
Kenneth Branagh Henry V King Henry V
Dustin Hoffman † Rain Man Raymond Babbit
Robin Williams Dead Poets Society John Keating
Close

1990s

More information Year, Actor ...
Year Actor Films Role (s) Ref.
1990
(44th)
 Philippe Noiret Cinema Paradiso Alfredo
Sean Connery The Hunt for Red October Captain Marko Ramius
Tom Cruise Born on the Fourth of July Ron Kovic
Robert De Niro Goodfellas Jimmy Conway
1991
(45th)
 Anthony Hopkins † The Silence of the Lambs Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Gérard Depardieu Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac
Alan Rickman Truly, Madly, Deeply Jamie
Kevin Costner Dances With Wolves Lt. John J. Dunbar / Dances with Wolves
1992
(46th)
 Robert Downey Jr. Chaplin Charlie Chaplin
Daniel Day-Lewis The Last of the Mohicans Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Poe
Stephen Rea The Crying Game Fergus
Tim Robbins The Player Griffin Mill
1993
(47th)
 Anthony Hopkins The Remains of the Day James Stevens
Daniel Day-Lewis In the Name of the Father Gerry Conlon
Anthony Hopkins Shadowlands C. S. Lewis
Liam Neeson Schindler's List Oskar Schindler
1994
(48th)
 Hugh Grant Four Weddings and a Funeral Charles
Tom Hanks † Forrest Gump Forrest Gump
John Travolta Pulp Fiction Vincent Vega
Terence Stamp The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Bernadette Bassenger
1995
(49th)
 Nigel Hawthorne The Madness of King George King George III
Nicolas Cage † Leaving Las Vegas Ben Sanderson
Jonathan Pryce Carrington Lytton Strachey
Massimo Troisi (posthumous) Il Postino: The Postman Mario Ruoppolo
1996
(50th)
 Geoffrey Rush † Shine David Helfgott
Ralph Fiennes The English Patient Count Laszlo de Almásy
Ian McKellen Richard III King Richard III
Timothy Spall Secrets & Lies Maurice Purley
1997
(51st)
 Robert Carlyle The Full Monty Gaz Schofield
Billy Connolly Mrs Brown John Brown
Kevin Spacey L.A. Confidential Jack Vincennes
Ray Winstone Nil by Mouth Ray
1998
(52nd)
 Roberto Benigni † Life Is Beautiful Guido
Michael Caine Little Voice Ray Say
Joseph Fiennes Shakespeare in Love William Shakespeare
Tom Hanks Saving Private Ryan Captain John H. Miller
1999
(53rd)		 Kevin Spacey † American Beauty Lester Burnham [5]
Jim Broadbent Topsy-Turvy W. S. Gilbert
Russell Crowe The Insider Jeffrey Wigand
Ralph Fiennes The End of the Affair Maurice Bendrax
Om Puri East is East Zahir "George" Khan
Close

2000s

More information Year, Actor ...
Year Actor Films Role (s) Ref.
2000
(54th)		 Jamie Bell Billy Elliot Billy Elliot [6][7]
Russell Crowe † Gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius
Michael Douglas Wonder Boys Grady Tripp
Tom Hanks Cast Away Chuck Noland
Geoffrey Rush Quills Marquis de Sade
2001
(55th)		 Russell Crowe A Beautiful Mind John Forbes Nash Jr. [8]
Jim Broadbent Iris John Bayley
Kevin Spacey The Shipping News Quoyle
Tom Wilkinson In the Bedroom Matt Fowler
Ian McKellen The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Gandalf
2002
(56th)		 Daniel Day-Lewis Gangs of New York William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting [9]
Adrien Brody † The Pianist Władysław Szpilman
Nicolas Cage Adaptation Charlie and Donald Kaufman
Michael Caine The Quiet American Thomas Fowler
Jack Nicholson About Schmidt Warren R. Schmidt
2003
(57th)		 Bill Murray Lost in Translation Bob Harris [10]
Sean Penn † 21 Grams Paul Rivers
Mystic River † Jimmy Markum
Benicio del Toro 21 Grams Jack Jordan
Jude Law Cold Mountain William "W.P." Inman
Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Captain Jack Sparrow
2004
(58th)		 Jamie Foxx † Ray Ray Charles [11]
Jim Carrey Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Joel Barish
Johnny Depp Finding Neverland J. M. Barrie
Leonardo DiCaprio The Aviator Howard Hughes
Gael García Bernal The Motorcycle Diaries Ernesto "Che" Guevara
2005
(59th)		 Philip Seymour Hoffman † Capote Truman Capote [12]
Ralph Fiennes The Constant Gardener Justin Quayle
Heath Ledger Brokeback Mountain Ennis Del Mar
Joaquin Phoenix Walk the Line Johnny Cash
David Strathairn Good Night, and Good Luck Edward R. Murrow
2006
(60th)		 Forest Whitaker † The Last King of Scotland Idi Amin [13]
Daniel Craig Casino Royale James Bond
Leonardo DiCaprio The Departed William "Billy" Costigan Jr.
Richard Griffiths The History Boys Hector
Peter O'Toole Venus Maurice Russell
2007
(61st)		 Daniel Day-Lewis † There Will Be Blood Daniel Plainview [14]
George Clooney Michael Clayton Michael Clayton
James McAvoy Atonement Robbie Turner
Viggo Mortensen Eastern Promises Nikolai Luzhin
Ulrich Mühe (posthumous) The Lives of Others Gerd Wiesler
2008
(62nd)		 Mickey Rourke The Wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson [15]
Frank Langella Frost/Nixon Richard Nixon
Dev Patel Slumdog Millionaire Jamal Malik
Sean Penn † Milk Harvey Milk
Brad Pitt The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Benjamin Button
2009
(63rd)		 Colin Firth A Single Man George Falconer [16]
Jeff Bridges † Crazy Heart Otis "Bad" Blake
George Clooney Up in the Air Ryan Bingham
Jeremy Renner The Hurt Locker SFC. William James
Andy Serkis Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll Ian Dury
Close

2010s

More information Year, Actor ...
Year Actor Films Role (s) Ref.
2010
(64th)		 Colin Firth † The King's Speech King George VI [17]
Javier Bardem Biutiful Uxbal
Jeff Bridges True Grit Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn
Jesse Eisenberg The Social Network Mark Zuckerberg
James Franco 127 Hours Aron Ralston
2011
(65th)		 Jean Dujardin † The Artist George Valentin [18]
George Clooney The Descendants Matthew "Matt" King
Michael Fassbender Shame Brandon Sullivan
Gary Oldman Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy George Smiley
Brad Pitt Moneyball Billy Beane
2012
(66th)		 Daniel Day-Lewis † Lincoln Abraham Lincoln [19]
Ben Affleck Argo Tony Mendez
Bradley Cooper Silver Linings Playbook Patrick "Pat" Solitano Jr.
Hugh Jackman Les Misérables Jean Valjean
Joaquin Phoenix The Master Freddie Quell
2013
(67th)		 Chiwetel Ejiofor 12 Years a Slave Solomon Northup [20]
Christian Bale American Hustle Irving Rosenfeld
Bruce Dern Nebraska Woodrow T. "Woody" Grant
Leonardo DiCaprio The Wolf of Wall Street Jordan Belfort
Tom Hanks Captain Phillips Captain Richard Phillips
2014
(68th)		 Eddie Redmayne † The Theory of Everything Stephen Hawking [21]
Benedict Cumberbatch The Imitation Game Alan Turing
Ralph Fiennes The Grand Budapest Hotel Monsieur Gustave H.
Jake Gyllenhaal Nightcrawler Louis "Lou" Bloom
Michael Keaton Birdman Riggan Thomson
2015
(69th)		 Leonardo DiCaprio † The Revenant Hugh Glass [22]
Bryan Cranston Trumbo Dalton Trumbo
Matt Damon The Martian Mark Watney
Michael Fassbender Steve Jobs Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne The Danish Girl Lili Elbe / Einar Wegener
2016
(70th)		 Casey Affleck † Manchester by the Sea Lee Chandler [23]
Andrew Garfield Hacksaw Ridge Desmond T. Doss
Ryan Gosling La La Land Sebastian Wilder
Jake Gyllenhaal Nocturnal Animals Edward Sheffield / Tony Hastings
Viggo Mortensen Captain Fantastic Ben Cash
2017
(71st)		 Gary Oldman † Darkest Hour Winston Churchill [24]
Jamie Bell Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool Peter Turner
Timothée Chalamet Call Me by Your Name Elio Perlman
Daniel Day-Lewis Phantom Thread Reynolds Woodcock
Daniel Kaluuya Get Out Chris Washington
2018
(72nd)		 Rami Malek † Bohemian Rhapsody Freddie Mercury [25]
Christian Bale Vice Dick Cheney
Steve Coogan Stan & Ollie Stan Laurel
Bradley Cooper A Star Is Born Jackson "Jack" Maine
Viggo Mortensen Green Book Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga
2019
(73rd)		 Joaquin Phoenix † Joker Arthur Fleck / Joker [26]
Leonardo DiCaprio Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Rick Dalton
Adam Driver Marriage Story Charlie Barber
Taron Egerton Rocketman Elton John
Jonathan Pryce The Two Popes Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio
Close

2020s

More information Year, Actor ...
Year Actor Films Role (s) Ref.
2020
(74th)		 Anthony Hopkins † The Father Anthony [27]
Riz Ahmed Sound of Metal Ruben Stone
Chadwick Boseman (posthumous) Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Levee Green
Adarsh Gourav The White Tiger Balram Halwai
Mads Mikkelsen Another Round Martin
Tahar Rahim The Mauritanian Mohamedou Ould Salahi
2021
(75th)		 Will Smith † King Richard Richard Williams [28]
Adeel Akhtar Ali & Ava Ali
Mahershala Ali Swan Song Cameron Turner
Benedict Cumberbatch The Power of the Dog Phil Burbank
Leonardo DiCaprio Don't Look Up Dr. Randall Mindy
Stephen Graham Boiling Point Andy Jones
2022
(76th)		 Austin Butler Elvis Elvis Presley [29]
Colin Farrell The Banshees of Inisherin Pádraic Súilleabháin
Brendan Fraser † The Whale Charlie
Daryl McCormack Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Leo Grande / Connor
Paul Mescal Aftersun Calum Patterson
Bill Nighy Living Mr. Williams
2023
(77th)		 Cillian Murphy † Oppenheimer J. Robert Oppenheimer [30]
Bradley Cooper Maestro Leonard Bernstein
Colman Domingo Rustin Bayard Rustin
Paul Giamatti The Holdovers Paul Hunham
Barry Keoghan Saltburn Oliver Quick
Teo Yoo Past Lives Hae Sung
2024
(78th)		 Adrien Brody † The Brutalist László Tóth [31]
Timothée Chalamet A Complete Unknown Bob Dylan
Colman Domingo Sing Sing John "Divine G" Whitfield
Ralph Fiennes Conclave Thomas Cardinal Lawrence
Hugh Grant Heretic Mr. Reed
Sebastian Stan The Apprentice Donald Trump
2025
(79th)		 Robert Aramayo I Swear John Davidson [32]
Timothée Chalamet Marty Supreme Marty Mauser
Leonardo DiCaprio One Battle After Another Bob Ferguson
Ethan Hawke Blue Moon Lorenz Hart
Jesse Plemons Bugonia Teddy Gatz
Michael B. Jordan † Sinners Elijah "Smoke" Moore / Elias "Stack" Moore
Close

Multiple nominations

Multiple wins

Superlatives

More information Superlative, Best Actor ...
Superlative Best Actor Best Supporting Actor Overall
(including Most Promising Newcomer)
Actor with most awards Peter Finch 5 Denholm Elliott 3 Peter Finch 5
Actor with most British Actor Awards (until 1967) Peter Finch 3 — — Peter Finch 3
Actor with most Foreign Actor Awards (until 1967) Marlon Brando 3 — — Marlon Brando 3
Actor with most nominations Daniel Day-Lewis
Dustin Hoffman		 7 Denholm Elliott 7 Albert Finney 9
Actor with most British Actor Award nominations (until 1967) Laurence Olivier 6 — — Laurence Olivier 6
Actor with most Foreign Actor Award nominations (until 1967) Sidney Poitier 6 — — Sidney Poitier 6
Close

See also

Notes

A1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 : Rules from the 1960s to the 1970s allowed for a performer to receive a single citation which could honor their work in more than one film. Richard Attenborough, Peter Sellers, Lee Marvin, Jack Lemmon, Richard Burton, Dirk Bogarde, Dustin Hoffman, Walter Matthau, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, George C. Scott, Donald Sutherland, Jack Nicholson, and Al Pacino were all nominated for their roles in two different films in the same category, while Ralph Richardson and Robert Redford were both nominated for three films. Matthau received dual nominations three times, with Hackman and Hoffman both accomplishing this feat twice.
B1 2 : Michael Caine and Dustin Hoffman received the same number of votes, resulting in both actors receiving the award, according to Academy rules.

References

External links

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI