Academy Award for Best Actor

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit. It is presented each year by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is to recognize an actor with an outstanding performance in a movie. Before 1976, this award was called the Academy Award of Merit for Performance by an Actor. Since the beginning the award has commonly been called the Oscar for Best Actor.

Awarded forBest Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Most awardsDaniel Day-Lewis (3)
Most nominationsLaurence Olivier and Spencer Tracy (9)

Actors are nominated for this award by Academy members who are actors and actresses themselves. The winner is selected by the Academy membership as a whole.

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first in bold, followed by the other nominees.

1920s

Year Actor Movie Role
1927/28
(1st)
Emil Jannings The Last Command Grand Duke Sergius Alexander
The Way of All Flesh August Schilling
Richard Barthelmess The Noose Nickie Elkins
The Patent Leather Kid Patent Leather Kid
1928/29
(2nd)
Warner Baxter In Old Arizona The Cisco Kid
George Bancroft Thunderbolt Thunderbolt Jim Lang
Chester Morris Alibi Chick Williams (No. 1065)
Paul Muni The Valiant James Dyke
Lewis Stone The Patriot Count Pahlen

1930s

Year Actor Movie Role
1929/30
(3rd)
George Arliss Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli
George Arliss The Green Goddess The Raja of Rukh
Wallace Beery The Big House 'Machine Gun' Butch Schmidt
Maurice Chevalier The Big Pond Pierre Mirande
Maurice Chevalier The Love Parade Count Alfred Renard
Ronald Colman Bulldog Drummond Capt. Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond
Ronald Colman Condemned Michel
Lawrence Tibbett The Rogue Song Yegor
1930/31
(4th)
Lionel Barrymore A Free Soul Stephen Ashe
Adolphe Menjou The Front Page Walter Burns
Jackie Cooper Skippy Skippy Skinner
Richard Dix Cimarron Yancey Cravat
Fredric March The Royal Family of Broadway Tony Cavendish
1931/32
(5th)
Wallace Beery (tie) The Champ Andy "Champ" Purcell
Fredric March (tie) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Dr. Henry L. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Alfred Lunt The Guardsman The Actor
1932/33
(6th)
Charles Laughton The Private Life of Henry VIII King Henry VIII of England
Leslie Howard Berkeley Square Peter Standish
Paul Muni I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang James Allen
1934
(7th)
Clark Gable It Happened One Night Peter Warne
Frank Morgan The Affairs of Cellini Alessandro - Duke of Florence
William Powell The Thin Man Nick Charles
1935
(8th)
Victor McLaglen The Informer Gypo Nolan
Clark Gable Mutiny on the Bounty Fletcher Christian
Charles Laughton Mutiny on the Bounty William Bligh
Franchot Tone Mutiny on the Bounty Roger Byam
1936
(9th)
Paul Muni The Story of Louis Pasteur Louis Pasteur
Gary Cooper Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Longfellow Deeds
Walter Huston Dodsworth Sam Dodsworth
William Powell My Man Godfrey Godfrey Park
Spencer Tracy San Francisco Father Tim Mullin
1937
(10th)
Spencer Tracy Captains Courageous Manuel
Charles Boyer Conquest Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
Fredric March A Star Is Born Norman Maine
Robert Montgomery Night Must Fall Danny
Paul Muni The Life of Emile Zola Émile Zola
1938
(11th)
Spencer Tracy Boys Town Father Flanagan
Charles Boyer Algiers Pepe le Moko
James Cagney Angels with Dirty Faces Rocky Sullivan
Robert Donat The Citadel Dr. Andrew Manson
Leslie Howard Pygmalion Professor Henry Higgins
1939
(12th)
Robert Donat Goodbye, Mr. Chips Charles Edward Chipping
Clark Gable Gone with the Wind Rhett Butler
Laurence Olivier Wuthering Heights Heathcliff
Mickey Rooney Babes in Arms Mickey Moran
James Stewart Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Jefferson Smith

1940s

Year Actor Movie Role(s)
1940
(13th)
James Stewart The Philadelphia Story Macaulay Connor
Charlie Chaplin The Great Dictator Adenoid Hynkel (Dictator of Tomania)
A Jewish Barber
Henry Fonda The Grapes of Wrath Tom Joad
Raymond Massey Abe Lincoln in Illinois Abraham Lincoln
Laurence Olivier Rebecca 'Maxim' de Winter
1941
(14th)
Gary Cooper Sergeant York Alvin C. York
Cary Grant Penny Serenade Roger Adams
Walter Huston The Devil and Daniel Webster Mr. Scratch
Robert Montgomery Here Comes Mr. Jordan Joe Pendleton
Orson Welles Citizen Kane Charles Foster Kane
1942
(15th)
James Cagney Yankee Doodle Dandy George M. Cohan
Ronald Colman Random Harvest Charles Rainier
Gary Cooper The Pride of the Yankees Lou Gehrig
Walter Pidgeon Mrs. Miniver Clem Miniver
Monty Woolley The Pied Piper Howard
1943
(16th)
Paul Lukas Watch on the Rhine Kurt Muller
Humphrey Bogart Casablanca Rick Blaine
Gary Cooper For Whom the Bell Tolls Robert Jordan
Walter Pidgeon Madame Curie Pierre Curie
Mickey Rooney The Human Comedy Homer Macauley
1944
(17th)
Bing Crosby Going My Way Father Chuck O'Malley
Charles Boyer Gaslight Gregory Anton
Barry Fitzgerald Going My Way Father Fitzgibbon
Cary Grant None but the Lonely Heart Ernie Mott
Alexander Knox Wilson Woodrow Wilson
1945
(18th)
Ray Milland The Lost Weekend Don Birnam
Bing Crosby The Bells of St. Mary's Father Chuck O'Malley
Gene Kelly Anchors Aweigh Joseph Brady
Gregory Peck The Keys of the Kingdom Father Francis
Cornel Wilde A Song to Remember Frédéric Chopin
1946
(19th)
Fredric March The Best Years of Our Lives Al Stephenson
Laurence Olivier Henry V King Henry V of England
Larry Parks The Jolson Story Al Jolson
Gregory Peck The Yearling Ezra 'Penny' Baxter
James Stewart It's a Wonderful Life George Bailey
1947
(20th)
Ronald Colman A Double Life Anthony John
John Garfield Body and Soul Charlie Davis
Gregory Peck Gentleman's Agreement Philip Schuyler Green
William Powell Life with Father Clarence Day, Sr.
Michael Redgrave Mourning Becomes Electra Orin Mannon
1948
(21st)
Laurence Olivier Hamlet Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Lew Ayres Johnny Belinda Dr. Robert Richardson
Montgomery Clift The Search Ralph 'Steve' Stevenson
Dan Dailey When My Baby Smiles at Me 'Skid' Johnson
Clifton Webb Sitting Pretty Lynn Belvedere
1949
(22nd)
Broderick Crawford All the King's Men Willie Stark
Kirk Douglas Champion Michael 'Midge' Kelly
Gregory Peck Twelve O'Clock High General Savage
Richard Todd The Hasty Heart Cpl. Lachlan 'Lachie' MacLachlan
John Wayne Sands of Iwo Jima Sgt. John M. Stryker

1950s

Year Actor Movie Role(s)
1950
(23rd)
José Ferrer Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac
Louis Calhern The Magnificent Yankee Oliver Wendell Holmes
William Holden Sunset Boulevard Joe Gillis
James Stewart Harvey Elwood P. Dowd
Spencer Tracy Father of the Bride Stanley T. Banks
1951
(24th)
Humphrey Bogart The African Queen Charlie Allnut
Marlon Brando A Streetcar Named Desire Stanley Kowalski
Montgomery Clift A Place in the Sun George Eastman
Arthur Kennedy Bright Victory Larry Nevins
Fredric March Death of a Salesman Willy Loman
1952
(25th)
Gary Cooper High Noon Marshal Will Kane
Marlon Brando Viva Zapata! Emiliano Zapata
Kirk Douglas The Bad and the Beautiful Jonathan Shields
José Ferrer Moulin Rouge Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
The Comte de Toulouse-Lautrec
Alec Guinness The Lavender Hill Mob Henry Holland
1953
(26th)
William Holden Stalag 17 Sgt. J.J. Sefton
Marlon Brando Julius Caesar Mark Antony
Richard Burton The Robe Marcellus Gallio
Montgomery Clift From Here to Eternity Pvt. Robert E. Lee 'Prew' Prewitt
Burt Lancaster From Here to Eternity 1st Sgt. Milton Warden
1954
(27th)
Marlon Brando On the Waterfront Terry Malloy
Humphrey Bogart The Caine Mutiny Lt. Cmdr. Philip Francis Queeg
Bing Crosby The Country Girl Frank Elgin
James Mason A Star Is Born Norman Maine
Dan O'Herlihy Adventures of Robinson Crusoe Robinson Crusoe
1955
(28th)
Ernest Borgnine Marty Marty Piletti
James Cagney Love Me or Leave Me Martin Snyder
James Dean(posthumous nomination) East of Eden Cal Trask
Frank Sinatra The Man with the Golden Arm Frankie Machine
Spencer Tracy Bad Day at Black Rock John J. Macreedy
1956
(29th)
Yul Brynner The King and I King Mongkut of Siam
James Dean(posthumous nomination) Giant Jett Rink
Kirk Douglas Lust for Life Vincent van Gogh
Rock Hudson Giant Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr.
Laurence Olivier Richard III King Richard III of England
1957
(30th)
Alec Guinness The Bridge on the River Kwai Colonel Nicholson
Marlon Brando Sayonara Maj. Lloyd 'Ace' Gruver — USAF
Anthony Franciosa A Hatful of Rain Polo Pope
Charles Laughton Witness for the Prosecution Sir Wilfrid Robarts
Anthony Quinn Wild Is the Wind Gino
1958
(31st)
David Niven Separate Tables Major Angus Pollock
Tony Curtis The Defiant Ones John 'Joker' Jackson
Paul Newman Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Brick Pollitt
Sidney Poitier The Defiant Ones Noah Cullen
Spencer Tracy The Old Man and the Sea The Old Man
1959
(32nd)
Charlton Heston Ben-Hur Judah Ben-Hur
Laurence Harvey Room at the Top Joe Lampton
Jack Lemmon Some Like It Hot Jerry
Paul Muni The Last Angry Man Dr. Sam Abelman
James Stewart Anatomy of a Murder Paul Biegler

1960s

Year Actor Movie Role(s)
1960
(33rd)
Burt Lancaster Elmer Gantry Elmer Gantry
Trevor Howard Sons and Lovers Walter Morel
Jack Lemmon The Apartment C. C. 'Bud' Baxter
Laurence Olivier The Entertainer Archie Rice
Spencer Tracy Inherit the Wind Henry Drummond
1961
(34th)
Maximilian Schell Judgment at Nuremberg Hans Rolfe
Charles Boyer Fanny Cesar
Paul Newman The Hustler Eddie Felson
Spencer Tracy Judgment at Nuremberg Chief Judge Dan Haywood
Stuart Whitman The Mark Jim Fuller
1962
(35th)
Gregory Peck To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch
Burt Lancaster Birdman of Alcatraz Robert Stroud
Jack Lemmon Days of Wine and Roses Joe Clay
Marcello Mastroianni Divorce, Italian Style Ferdinando Cefalù
Peter O'Toole Lawrence of Arabia T. E. Lawrence
1963
(36th)
Sidney Poitier Lilies of the Field Homer Smith
Albert Finney Tom Jones Tom Jones
Richard Harris This Sporting Life Frank Machin
Rex Harrison Cleopatra Julius Caesar
Paul Newman Hud Hud Bannon
1964
(37th)
Rex Harrison My Fair Lady Professor Henry Higgins
Richard Burton Becket Thomas Becket
Peter O'Toole Becket King Henry II of England
Anthony Quinn Zorba the Greek Alexis Zorba
Peter Sellers Dr. Strangelove Group Captain Lionel Mandrake
President Merkin Muffley
Dr. Strangelove
1965
(38th)
Lee Marvin Cat Ballou Kid Shelleen
Tim Strawn
Richard Burton The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Alec Leamas
Laurence Olivier Othello Othello
Rod Steiger The Pawnbroker Sol Nazerman
Oskar Werner Ship of Fools Willie Schumann
1966
(39th)
Paul Scofield A Man for All Seasons Sir Thomas More
Alan Arkin The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming Lt. Rozanov
Richard Burton Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? George
Michael Caine Alfie Alfie Elkins
Steve McQueen The Sand Pebbles Jake Holman
1967
(40th)
Rod Steiger In the Heat of the Night Police Chief Bill Gillespie
Warren Beatty Bonnie and Clyde Clyde Barrow
Dustin Hoffman The Graduate Benjamin Braddock
Paul Newman Cool Hand Luke Luke Jackson
Spencer Tracy(posthumous nomination) Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Matt Drayton
1968
(41st)
Cliff Robertson Charly Charly Gordon
Alan Arkin The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter John Singer
Alan Bates The Fixer Yakov Bok
Ron Moody Oliver! Fagin
Peter O'Toole The Lion in Winter King Henry II of England
1969
(42nd)
John Wayne True Grit Rooster Cogburn
Richard Burton Anne of the Thousand Days King Henry VIII of England
Dustin Hoffman Midnight Cowboy Enrico Salvatore 'Ratso' Rizzo
Peter O'Toole Goodbye, Mr. Chips Arthur Chipping
Jon Voight Midnight Cowboy Joe Buck

1970s

Year Actor Movie Role
1970
(43rd)
George C. Scott (declined) Patton Gen. George S. Patton Jr.
Melvyn Douglas I Never Sang for My Father Tom Garrison
James Earl Jones The Great White Hope Jack Jefferson
Jack Nicholson Five Easy Pieces Robert Eroica Dupea
Ryan O'Neal Love Story Oliver Barrett IV
1971
(44th)
Gene Hackman The French Connection Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle
Peter Finch Sunday Bloody Sunday Doctor Daniel Hirsh
Walter Matthau Kotch Joseph P. Kotcher
George C. Scott The Hospital Doctor Herbert Bock
Chaim Topol Fiddler on the Roof Tevye
1972
(45th)
Marlon Brando (declined) The Godfather Vito Corleone
Michael Caine Sleuth Milo Tindle
Laurence Olivier Sleuth Andrew Wyke
Peter O'Toole The Ruling Class Jack Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney
Paul Winfield Sounder Nathan Lee Morgan
1973
(46th)
Jack Lemmon Save the Tiger Harry Stoner
Marlon Brando Last Tango in Paris Paul
Jack Nicholson The Last Detail Billy Buddusky
Al Pacino Serpico Frank Serpico
Robert Redford The Sting Johnny Hooker
1974
(47th)
Art Carney Harry and Tonto Harry Coombes
Albert Finney Murder on the Orient Express Hercule Poirot
Dustin Hoffman Lenny Lenny Bruce
Jack Nicholson Chinatown Jake 'J.J.' Gittes
Al Pacino The Godfather Part II Michael Corleone
1975
(48th)
Jack Nicholson One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Randle Patrick McMurphy
Walter Matthau The Sunshine Boys Willy Clark
Al Pacino Dog Day Afternoon Sonny Wortzik
Maximilian Schell The Man in the Glass Booth Arthur Goldman
James Whitmore Give 'em Hell, Harry! Harry S. Truman
1976
(49th)
Peter Finch (posthumous win) Network Howard Beale
Robert De Niro Taxi Driver Travis Bickle
Giancarlo Giannini Seven Beauties Pasqualino Frafuso
William Holden Network Max Schumacher
Sylvester Stallone Rocky Rocky Balboa
1977
(50th)
Richard Dreyfuss The Goodbye Girl Elliot Garfield
Woody Allen Annie Hall Alvy Singer
Richard Burton Equus Martin Dysart
Marcello Mastroianni A Special Day Gabriele
John Travolta Saturday Night Fever Tony Manero
1978
(51st)
Jon Voight Coming Home Luke Martin
Warren Beatty Heaven Can Wait Joe Pendleton
Gary Busey The Buddy Holly Story Buddy Holly
Robert De Niro The Deer Hunter Michael Vronsky
Laurence Olivier The Boys from Brazil Ezra Lieberman
1979
(52nd)
Dustin Hoffman Kramer vs. Kramer Ted Kramer
Jack Lemmon The China Syndrome Jack Godell
Al Pacino ...And Justice for All Arthur Kirkland
Roy Scheider All That Jazz Joe Gideon
Peter Sellers Being There Chance

1980s

Year Actor Movie Role
1980
(53rd)
Robert De Niro Raging Bull Jake LaMotta
Robert Duvall The Great Santini Lieutenant Colonel Bull Meechum
John Hurt The Elephant Man John Merrick
Jack Lemmon Tribute Scottie Templeton
Peter O'Toole The Stunt Man Eli Cross
1981
(54th)
Henry Fonda On Golden Pond Norman Thayer
Warren Beatty Reds John Reed
Burt Lancaster Atlantic City Lou Pascal
Dudley Moore Arthur Arthur Bach
Paul Newman Absence of Malice Michael Colin Gallagher
1982
(55th)
Ben Kingsley Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Dustin Hoffman Tootsie Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels
Jack Lemmon Missing Ed Horman
Paul Newman The Verdict Frank Galvin
Peter O'Toole My Favorite Year Alan Swann
1983
(56th)
Robert Duvall Tender Mercies Mac Sledge
Michael Caine Educating Rita Dr. Frank Bryant
Tom Conti Reuben, Reuben Gowan McGland
Tom Courtenay The Dresser Norman
Albert Finney The Dresser Sir
1984
(57th)
F. Murray Abraham Amadeus Antonio Salieri
Jeff Bridges Starman Starman
Albert Finney Under the Volcano Geoffrey Firmin
Tom Hulce Amadeus Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sam Waterston The Killing Fields Sydney Schanberg
1985
(58th)
William Hurt Kiss of the Spider Woman Luis Molina
Harrison Ford Witness Detective Captain John Book
James Garner Murphy's Romance Murphy Jones
Jack Nicholson Prizzi's Honor Charley Partanna
Jon Voight Runaway Train Oscar 'Manny' Manheim
1986
(59th)
Paul Newman The Color of Money Fast Eddie Felson
Dexter Gordon Round Midnight Dale Turner
Bob Hoskins Mona Lisa George
William Hurt Children of a Lesser God James Leeds
James Woods Salvador Richard Boyle
1987
(60th)
Michael Douglas Wall Street Gordon Gekko
William Hurt Broadcast News Tom Grunick
Marcello Mastroianni Dark Eyes Romano
Jack Nicholson Ironweed Francis Phelan
Robin Williams Good Morning, Vietnam Adrian Cronauer
1988
(61st)
Dustin Hoffman Rain Man Raymond Babbitt
Gene Hackman Mississippi Burning Agent Rupert Anderson
Tom Hanks Big Josh Baskin
Edward James Olmos Stand and Deliver Jaime Escalante
Max von Sydow Pelle the Conqueror Lassefar
1989
(62nd)
Daniel Day-Lewis My Left Foot Christy Brown
Kenneth Branagh Henry V King Henry V of England
Tom Cruise Born on the Fourth of July Ron Kovic
Morgan Freeman Driving Miss Daisy Hoke Colburn
Robin Williams Dead Poets Society John Keating

1990s

Year Actor Movie Role
1990
(63rd)
Jeremy Irons Reversal of Fortune Claus von Bülow
Kevin Costner Dances with Wolves Lieutenant John J. Dunbar
Robert De Niro Awakenings Leonard Lowe
Gérard Depardieu Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac
Richard Harris The Field 'Bull' McCabe
1991
(64th)
Anthony Hopkins The Silence of the Lambs Hannibal Lecter
Warren Beatty Bugsy Bugsy Siegel
Robert De Niro Cape Fear Max Cady
Nick Nolte The Prince of Tides Tom Wingo
Robin Williams The Fisher King Parry
1992
(65th)
Al Pacino Scent of a Woman Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade
Robert Downey, Jr. Chaplin Charlie Chaplin
Clint Eastwood Unforgiven William Munny
Stephen Rea The Crying Game Fergus
Denzel Washington Malcolm X Malcolm X
1993
(66th)
Tom Hanks Philadelphia Andrew Beckett
Daniel Day-Lewis In the Name of the Father Gerry Conlon
Laurence Fishburne What's Love Got to Do with It Ike Turner
Anthony Hopkins The Remains of the Day James Stevens
Liam Neeson Schindler's List Oskar Schindler
1994
(67th)
Tom Hanks Forrest Gump Forrest Gump
Morgan Freeman The Shawshank Redemption Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding
Nigel Hawthorne The Madness of King George King George III of the United Kingdom
Paul Newman Nobody's Fool Donald "Sully" Sullivan
John Travolta Pulp Fiction Vincent Vega
1995
(68th)
Nicolas Cage Leaving Las Vegas Ben Sanderson
Richard Dreyfuss Mr. Holland's Opus Glenn Holland
Anthony Hopkins Nixon Richard Nixon
Sean Penn Dead Man Walking Matthew Poncelet
Massimo Troisi (posthumous nomination) Il Postino Mario Ruoppolo
1996
(69th)
Geoffrey Rush Shine David Helfgott
Tom Cruise Jerry Maguire Jerry Maguire
Ralph Fiennes The English Patient Count Laszlo de Almásy
Woody Harrelson The People vs. Larry Flynt Larry Flynt
Billy Bob Thornton Sling Blade Karl Childers
1997
(70th)
Jack Nicholson As Good as It Gets Melvin Udall
Matt Damon Good Will Hunting Will Hunting
Robert Duvall The Apostle Euliss 'Sonny' Dewey — The Apostle E.F.
Peter Fonda Ulee's Gold Ulee Jackson
Dustin Hoffman Wag the Dog Stanley Motss
1998
(71st)
Roberto Benigni Life Is Beautiful Guido Orefice
Tom Hanks Saving Private Ryan Captain John Miller
Ian McKellen Gods and Monsters James Whale
Nick Nolte Affliction Wade Whitehouse
Edward Norton American History X Derek Vinyard
1999
(72nd)
Kevin Spacey American Beauty Lester Burnham
Russell Crowe The Insider Jeffrey Wigand
Richard Farnsworth The Straight Story Alvin Straight
Sean Penn Sweet and Lowdown Emmet Ray
Denzel Washington The Hurricane Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter

2000s

Year Actor Movie Role(s)
2000
(73rd)
Russell Crowe Gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius
Javier Bardem Before Night Falls Reinaldo Arenas
Tom Hanks Cast Away Chuck Noland
Ed Harris Pollock Jackson Pollock
Geoffrey Rush Quills The Marquis de Sade
2001
(74th)
Denzel Washington Training Day Alonzo Harris
Russell Crowe A Beautiful Mind John Nash
Sean Penn I Am Sam Sam Dawson
Will Smith Ali Muhammad Ali
Tom Wilkinson In the Bedroom Dr. Matt Fowler
2002
(75th)
Adrien Brody The Pianist Władysław Szpilman
Nicolas Cage Adaptation. Charlie Kaufman
Donald Kaufman
Michael Caine The Quiet American Thomas Fowler
Daniel Day-Lewis Gangs of New York William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting
Jack Nicholson About Schmidt Warren R. Schmidt
2003
(76th)
Sean Penn Mystic River Jimmy Markum
Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Captain Jack Sparrow
Ben Kingsley House of Sand and Fog Massoud Amir Behrani
Jude Law Cold Mountain Inman
Bill Murray Lost in Translation Bob Harris
2004
(77th)
Jamie Foxx Ray Ray Charles
Don Cheadle Hotel Rwanda Paul Rusesabagina
Johnny Depp Finding Neverland Sir J.M. Barrie
Leonardo DiCaprio The Aviator Howard Hughes
Clint Eastwood Million Dollar Baby Frankie Dunn
2005
(78th)
Philip Seymour Hoffman Capote Truman Capote
Terrence Howard Hustle & Flow Djay
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
(79th)
Forest Whitaker The Last King of Scotland Idi Amin
Leonardo DiCaprio Blood Diamond Danny Archer
Ryan Gosling Half Nelson Dan Dunne
Peter O'Toole Venus Maurice
Will Smith The Pursuit of Happyness Chris Gardner
2007
(80th)
Daniel Day-Lewis There Will Be Blood Daniel Plainview
George Clooney Michael Clayton Michael Clayton
Johnny Depp Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones In the Valley of Elah Hank Deerfield
Viggo Mortensen Eastern Promises Nikolai Luzhin
2008
(81st)
Sean Penn Milk Harvey Milk
Richard Jenkins The Visitor Walter Vale
Frank Langella Frost/Nixon Richard Nixon
Brad Pitt The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke The Wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson
2009
(82nd)
Jeff Bridges Crazy Heart Ottis 'Bad' Blake
George Clooney Up in the Air Ryan Bingham
Colin Firth A Single Man George Falconer
Morgan Freeman Invictus Nelson Mandela
Jeremy Renner The Hurt Locker SFC William James

2010s

Year Actor Movie Role
2010
(83rd)
Colin Firth The King's Speech King George VI
Javier Bardem Biutiful Uxbal
Jeff Bridges True Grit Rooster Cogburn
Jesse Eisenberg The Social Network Mark Zuckerberg
James Franco 127 Hours Aron Ralston
2011
(84th)
Jean Dujardin The Artist George Valentin
Demián Bichir A Better Life Carlos Galindo
George Clooney The Descendants Matt King
Gary Oldman Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy George Smiley
Brad Pitt Moneyball Billy Beane
2012
(85th)
Daniel Day-Lewis Lincoln Abraham Lincoln
Bradley Cooper Silver Linings Playbook Pat
Hugh Jackman Les Misérables Jean Valjean
Joaquin Phoenix The Master Freddie Quell
Denzel Washington Flight William „Whip“ Whitaker
2013
(86th)
Matthew McConaughey Dallas Buyers Club Ron Woodroof
Christian Bale American Hustle Irving Rosenfeld
Bruce Dern Nebraska Woodrow "Woody" T. Grant
Leonardo DiCaprio The Wolf of Wall Street Jordan Belfort
Chiwetel Ejiofor 12 Years a Slave Solomon Northup
2014
(87th)
Eddie Redmayne The Theory of Everything Stephen Hawking
Steve Carell Foxcatcher John du Point
Bradley Cooper American Sniper Chris Kyle
Benedict Cumberbatch The Imitation Game Alan Turing
Michael Keaton Birdman Riggan Thomson
2015
(88th)
Leonardo DiCaprio The Revenant Hugh Glass
Bryan Cranston Trumbo Dalton Trumbo
Matt Damon The Martian Mark Watney
Michael Fassbender Steve Jobs Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne The Danish Girl Lili Elbe
2016
(89th)
Casey Affleck Manchester by the Sea Lee Chandler
Andrew Garfield Hacksaw Ridge Desmond Doss
Ryan Gosling La La Land Sebastian Wilber
Viggo Mortensen Captain Fantastic Ben Cash
Denzel Washington Fences Troy Maxson
2017
(90th)
Gary Oldman Darkest Hour Winston Churchill
Timothée Chalamet Call Me by Your Name Elio Perlman
Daniel Day-Lewis Phantom Thread Reynolds Woodcock
Daniel Kaluuya Get Out Chris Washington
Denzel Washington Roman J. Israel, Esq. Roman J. Israel
2018
(91st)
Rami Malek Bohemian Rhapsody Freddie Mercury
Christian Bale Vice Dick Cheney
Bradley Cooper A Star Is Born Jackson Maine
Willem Dafoe At Eternity's Gate Vincent Van Gogh
Viggo Mortensen Green Book Tony "Lip" Vallelonga
2019
(92nd)
Joaquin Phoenix Joker Arthur Fleck / Joker
Antonio Banderas Pain and Glory Salvador Mallo
Leonardo DiCaprio Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Rick Dalton
Adam Driver Marriage Story Charlie Barber
Jonathan Pryce The Two Popes Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio

2020s

Year Actor Movie Role
2020
(93rd)
Anthony Hopkins The Father Anthony
Riz Ahmed Sound of Metal Ruben Stone
Chadwick Boseman (posthumous nomination) Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Levee Green
Gary Oldman Mank Herman J. Mankiewicz
Steven Yeun Minari Jacob Yi
2021
(94th)
Will Smith King Richard Richard Williams
Javier Bardem Being the Ricardos Desi Arnaz
Benedict Cumberbatch The Power of the Dog Phil Burbank
Andrew Garfield Tick, Tick... Boom! Jonathan Larson
Denzel Washington The Tragedy of Macbeth Lord Macbeth
2022
(95th)
Brendan Fraser Charlie The Whale
Austin Butler Elvis Presley Elvis
Colin Farrell Pádraic Súilleabháin The Banshees of Inisherin
Paul Mescal Calum Paterson Aftersun
Bill Nighy Rodney Williams Living
2023
(96th)
Bradley Cooper Leonard Bernstein Maestro
Colman Domingo Bayard Rustin Rustin
Paul Giamatti Paul Hunham The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy J. Robert Oppenheimer Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright Thelonious "Monk" Ellison American Fiction

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