Academy Award for Best Actor

[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 non-English winning performance in Life Is Beautiful (1997) in this category.[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.[6] Since the 7th ceremony held in 1935, the period of eligibility became the full previous calendar year from January 1 to December 31.The following were nominated for their portrayals of the same fictional or non-fictional character in separate films (including variations of the original).
Cillian MurphyUnited StatesAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencesOppenheimerDaniel Day-LewisLaurence OlivierSpencer Tracy1st Academy AwardsleadingBest ActressGerman actorEmil JanningsThe Last CommandThe Way of All Fleshfirst Irish-born actor to winItalian actorRoberto Benignifirst non-English winning performanceLife Is Beautifulmost winsmost nominationsJames Deanposthumously nominatedPeter FinchNetwork5th Academy AwardsFredric MarchWallace BeeryPeter O'Toolesingle transferable voteplurality voteeligible voting members3rd Academy Awards4th Academy Awards9th Academy AwardsWarner BaxterIn Old ArizonaGeorge ArlissDisraeliLionel BarrymoreA Free SoulDr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeThe Best Years of Our LivesThe ChampCharles LaughtonThe Private Life of Henry VIIIClark GableIt Happened One NightVictor McLaglenThe InformerPaul MuniThe Story of Louis PasteurCaptains CourageousBoys TownRobert DonatGoodbye, Mr. ChipsJames StewartThe Philadelphia StoryGary CooperSergeant YorkHigh NoonJames CagneyYankee Doodle DandyPaul LukasWatch on the RhineBing CrosbyGoing My WayRay MillandThe Lost WeekendRonald ColmanA Double LifeHamletBest PictureBroderick CrawfordAll the King's MenJosé FerrerCyrano de BergeracTony winnersame roleHumphrey BogartThe African QueenWilliam HoldenStalag 17Marlon BrandoOn the WaterfrontThe GodfatherErnest BorgnineYul BrynnerThe King and IAlec GuinnessThe Bridge on the River KwaiDavid NivenSeparate TablesCharlton HestonBen-HurBurt LancasterElmer GantryMaximilian SchellJudgment at NurembergGregory PeckTo Kill a MockingbirdSidney PoitierLilies of the Fieldblack actor to winRex HarrisonMy Fair LadyLee Marvinplaying dual rolesCat BallouPaul ScofieldA Man for All SeasonsRod SteigerIn the Heat of the NightCliff RobertsonCHAЯLYJohn WayneTrue GritGeorge C. ScottPattonGene HackmanThe French ConnectionJack LemmonSave the TigerArt CarneyHarry & TontoJack NicholsonOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestAs Good as It GetsRichard DreyfussThe Goodbye GirlJon VoightComing HomeDustin HoffmanKramer vs. KramerRain ManRobert De NiroRaging BullHenry FondaOn Golden PondBen KingsleyGandhiRobert DuvallTender MerciesF. Murray AbrahamAmadeusWilliam HurtKiss of the Spider WomanPaul NewmanThe Color of MoneyMichael DouglasWall StreetMy Left FootThere Will Be BloodLincolnJeremy IronsReversal of FortuneAnthony HopkinsThe Silence of the LambsThe FatherAl PacinoScent of a WomanTom HanksPhiladelphiaForrest GumpNicolas CageLeaving Las VegasGeoffrey RushItalian-spoken roleKevin SpaceyAmerican BeautyRussell CroweGladiatorDenzel WashingtonTraining DayAdrien BrodyThe PianistSean PennMystic RiverJamie FoxxPhilip Seymour HoffmanCapoteForest WhitakerThe Last King of ScotlandJeff BridgesCrazy HeartColin FirthThe King's SpeechJean DujardinThe ArtistMatthew McConaugheyDallas Buyers ClubEddie RedmayneThe Theory of EverythingLeonardo DiCaprioThe RevenantCasey AffleckManchester by the SeaGary OldmanDarkest HourRami MalekBohemian RhapsodyJoaquin PhoenixWill SmithKing RichardBrendan FraserThe WhaleLos Angeles Countya posthumous winnera posthumous nomineeRichard BarthelmessThe NooseThe Patent Leather KidCharlie ChaplinThe TrampThe CircusThe Cisco KidGeorge BancroftThunderboltChester MorrisThe ValiantLewis StoneCount PahlenThe PatriotBenjamin DisraeliThe Green GoddessThe Big HouseMaurice ChevalierThe Big PondThe Love ParadeCapt. Hugh "Bulldog" DrummondBulldog DrummondCondemnedLawrence TibbettThe Rogue SongJackie CooperSkippyRichard DixCimarronThe Royal Family of BroadwayAdolphe MenjouThe Front PageDr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward HydeAlfred LuntThe GuardsmanKing Henry VIIILeslie HowardBerkeley SquareI Am a Fugitive from a Chain GangFrank MorganAlessandro, Duke of FlorenceThe Affairs of CelliniWilliam PowellNick CharlesThe Thin ManLt. Fletcher ChristianMutiny on the BountyCaptain William BlighBlack FuryFranchot ToneMidshipmanRoger ByamLouis PasteurMr. Deeds Goes to TownWalter HustonDodsworthMy Man GodfreySan Francisco(10th)Charles BoyerEmperor Napoleon BonaparteConquestA Star Is BornRobert MontgomeryNight Must FallÉmile ZolaThe Life of Emile Zola(11th)Father Edward FlanaganAlgiersAngels with Dirty FacesThe CitadelPygmalion(12th)Rhett ButlerGone with the WindHeathcliffWuthering HeightsMickey RooneyBabes in ArmsMr. Smith Goes to Washington(13th)The Great DictatorThe Grapes of WrathRaymond MasseyAbraham LincolnAbe Lincoln in IllinoisRebecca(14th)Sgt. Alvin YorkCary GrantPenny SerenadeThe Devil and Daniel WebsterHere Comes Mr. JordanOrson WellesCharles Foster KaneCitizen Kane(15th)George M. CohanRandom HarvestLou GehrigThe Pride of the YankeesWalter PidgeonMrs. MiniverMonty WoolleyThe Pied Piper(16th)CasablancaFor Whom the Bell TollsPierre CurieMadame CurieThe Human Comedy(17th)GaslightBarry FitzgeraldNone but the Lonely HeartAlexander KnoxWoodrow WilsonWilson(18th)The Bells of St. Mary'sGene KellyAnchors AweighThe Keys of the KingdomCornel WildeFrédéric ChopinA Song to Remember(19th)King Henry V of EnglandHenry VLarry ParksAl JolsonThe Jolson StoryThe YearlingGeorge BaileyIt's a Wonderful Life(20th)John GarfieldBody and SoulGentleman's AgreementLife with FatherMichael RedgraveMourning Becomes Electra(21st)Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkLew AyresJohnny BelindaMontgomery CliftThe SearchDan DaileyWhen My Baby Smiles at MeClifton WebbLynn Aloysius BelvedereSitting Pretty(22nd)Kirk DouglasChampionTwelve O'Clock HighRichard ToddThe Hasty HeartSands of Iwo Jima(23rd)Louis CalhernOliver Wendell Holmes Jr.The Magnificent YankeeSunset BoulevardHarveyFather of the Bride(24th)Stanley KowalskiA Streetcar Named DesireA Place in the SunArthur KennedyBright VictoryWilly LomanDeath of a Salesman(25th)Marshal Will KaneEmiliano ZapataViva Zapata!The Bad and the BeautifulHenri de Toulouse-LautrecComte Alphonse de Toulouse-LautrecMoulin RougeThe Lavender Hill Mob(26th)Mark AntonyJulius CaesarRichard BurtonThe RobeFrom Here to Eternity(27th)The Caine MutinyThe Country GirlJames MasonDan O'HerlihyRobinson Crusoe(28th)Martin SnyderLove Me or Leave MeEast of EdenFrank SinatraThe Man with the Golden ArmBad Day at Black Rock(29th)King Mongkut of SiamVincent van GoghLust for LifeRock HudsonKing Richard IIIRichard III(30th)SayonaraAnthony FranciosaA Hatful of RainWitness for the ProsecutionAnthony QuinnWild Is the Wind(31st)Tony CurtisThe Defiant OnesCat on a Hot Tin RoofThe Old Man and the Sea(32nd)Judah Ben-HurLaurence HarveyRoom at the TopSome Like It HotThe Last Angry ManAnatomy of a Murder(33rd)Trevor HowardSons and LoversThe ApartmentThe EntertainerInherit the Wind(34th)The HustlerStuart WhitmanThe Mark(35th)Atticus FinchRobert StroudBirdman of AlcatrazDays of Wine and RosesMarcello MastroianniDivorce Italian StyleThomas Edward LawrenceLawrence of Arabia(36th)Albert FinneyTom JonesRichard HarrisThis Sporting LifeCleopatra(37th)Thomas BecketBecketKing Henry IIZorba the GreekPeter SellersDr. Strangelove(38th)The Spy Who Came in from the ColdOthelloThe PawnbrokerOskar WernerShip of Fools(39th)Sir Thomas MoreAlan ArkinThe Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are ComingWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Michael CaineSteve McQueenThe Sand Pebbles(40th)Warren BeattyBonnie and ClydeThe GraduateCool Hand LukeGuess Who's Coming to Dinner(41st)CharlyThe Heart Is a Lonely HunterAlan BatesThe FixerRon MoodyOliver!The Lion in Winter(42nd)Reuben "Rooster" CogburnAnne of the Thousand DaysMidnight Cowboy(43rd)General George S. Patton Jr.Melvyn DouglasI Never Sang for My FatherJames Earl JonesJack JeffersonThe Great White HopeFive Easy PiecesRyan O'NealLove Story(44th)Jimmy "Popeye" DoyleSunday Bloody SundayWalter MatthauThe HospitalFiddler on the Roof(45th)Vito CorleoneSleuthThe Ruling ClassPaul WinfieldSounder(46th)Last Tango in ParisThe Last DetailFrank SerpicoSerpicoRobert RedfordThe Sting(47th)Harry and TontoHercule PoirotMurder on the Orient ExpressLenny BruceChinatownMichael CorleoneThe Godfather Part II(48th)Randle Patrick McMurphyThe Sunshine BoysSonny WortzikDog Day AfternoonThe Man in the Glass BoothJames WhitmoreHarry S. TrumanGive 'em Hell, Harry!(49th)Howard BealeTravis BickleTaxi DriverGiancarlo GianniniSeven BeautiesSylvester StalloneRocky Balboa(50th)Woody AllenAnnie HallA Special DayJohn TravoltaSaturday Night Fever(51st)Heaven Can WaitGary BuseyBuddy HollyThe Buddy Holly StoryThe Deer HunterThe Boys from Brazil(52nd)The China Syndrome...And Justice for AllRoy ScheiderAll That JazzBeing There(53rd)Jake LaMottaThe Great SantiniJohn HurtJohn MerrickThe Elephant ManTributeThe Stunt Man(54th)John "Jack" ReedAtlantic CityDudley MooreArthurAbsence of Malice(55th)Mahatma GandhiTootsieEdmund HormanMissingThe VerdictMy Favorite Year(56th)Educating RitaTom ContiReuben, ReubenTom CourtenayThe Dresser(57th)Antonio SalieriStarmanUnder the VolcanoTom HulceWolfgang Amadeus MozartSam WaterstonSydney SchanbergThe Killing Fields(58th)Harrison FordWitnessJames GarnerMurphy's RomancePrizzi's HonorRunaway Train(59th)Dexter GordonRound MidnightBob HoskinsMona LisaChildren of a Lesser GodJames WoodsSalvador(60th)Gordon GekkoBroadcast NewsDark EyesFrancis PhelanIronweedRobin WilliamsAdrian CronauerGood Morning, Vietnam(61st)Mississippi BurningEdward James OlmosJaime EscalanteStand and DeliverMax von SydowPelle the Conqueror(62nd)Christy BrownKenneth BranaghKing Henry VTom CruiseRon KovicBorn on the Fourth of JulyMorgan FreemanDriving Miss DaisyDead Poets Society(63rd)Claus von BülowKevin CostnerDances with WolvesAwakeningsGérard DepardieuThe Field(64th)Dr. Hannibal LecterBenjamin "Bugsy" SiegelMax CadyCape FearNick NolteThe Prince of TidesThe Fisher King(65th)Robert Downey Jr.ChaplinClint EastwoodUnforgivenStephen ReaThe Crying GameMalcolm Little / Malcolm XMalcolm X(66th)Gerard "Gerry" ConlonIn the Name of the FatherLaurence FishburneIke TurnerWhat's Love Got to Do with ItThe Remains of the DayLiam NeesonOskar SchindlerSchindler's List(67th)The Shawshank RedemptionNigel HawthorneKing George IIIThe Madness of King GeorgeNobody's FoolPulp Fiction(68th)Mr. Holland's OpusRichard NixonMatthew PonceletDead Man WalkingMassimo Troisi(69th)David HelfgottJerry MaguireRalph FiennesCount László de AlmásyThe English PatientWoody HarrelsonLarry FlyntThe People vs. Larry FlyntBilly Bob ThorntonSling Blade(70th)Matt DamonGood Will HuntingThe ApostlePeter FondaUlee's GoldWag the Dog(71st)Saving Private RyanIan McKellenJames WhaleGods and MonstersAfflictionEdward NortonAmerican History X(72nd)Jeffrey WigandThe InsiderRichard FarnsworthAlvin StraightThe Straight StorySweet and LowdownRubin "The Hurricane" CarterThe Hurricane(73rd)Javier BardemReinaldo ArenasBefore Night FallsCast AwayEd HarrisJackson PollockPollockMarquis de SadeQuills(74th)Detective Alonzo HarrisJohn Forbes Nash Jr.A Beautiful MindI Am SamCassius Clay / Muhammad AliTom WilkinsonIn the Bedroom(75th)Władysław SzpilmanCharlie Kaufman & Donald KaufmanAdaptation.The Quiet AmericanGangs of New YorkAbout Schmidt(76th)Johnny DeppCaptain Jack SparrowHouse of Sand and FogJude LawCold MountainBill MurrayLost in Translation(77th)Ray CharlesDon CheadlePaul RusesabaginaHotel RwandaSir James Matthew BarrieFinding NeverlandHoward HughesThe AviatorMillion Dollar Baby(78th)Truman CapoteTerrence HowardHustle & FlowHeath LedgerEnnis Del MarBrokeback MountainJohnny CashWalk the LineDavid StrathairnEdward R. MurrowGood Night, and Good Luck(79th)Idi AminBlood DiamondRyan GoslingHalf NelsonChris GardnerThe Pursuit of Happyness(80th)George ClooneyMichael ClaytonSweeney Todd / Benjamin BarkerTommy Lee JonesIn the Valley of ElahViggo MortensenEastern Promises(81st)Harvey MilkRichard JenkinsThe VisitorFrank LangellaFrost/NixonBrad PittThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonMickey RourkeThe Wrestler(82nd)Up in the AirA Single ManNelson MandelaInvictusJeremy RennerThe Hurt Locker(83rd)King George VIBiutifulJesse EisenbergMark ZuckerbergThe Social NetworkJames FrancoAron Ralston127 Hours(84th)Demián BichirA Better LifeThe DescendantsGeorge SmileyTinker Tailor Soldier SpyBilly BeaneMoneyball(85th)Bradley CooperSilver Linings PlaybookHugh JackmanJean ValjeanLes MisérablesThe MasterFlight(86th)Ron WoodroofChristian BaleIrving RosenfeldAmerican HustleBruce DernNebraskaJordan BelfortThe Wolf of Wall StreetChiwetel EjioforSolomon Northup12 Years a Slave(87th)Stephen HawkingSteve CarellJohn du PontFoxcatcherChris KyleAmerican SniperBenedict CumberbatchAlan TuringThe Imitation GameMichael KeatonBirdman(88th)Hugh GlassBryan CranstonDalton TrumboTrumboThe MartianMichael FassbenderSteve JobsEinar Wegener / Lili ElbeThe Danish Girl(89th)Andrew GarfieldDesmond DossHacksaw RidgeLa La LandCaptain FantasticFences(90th)Winston ChurchillTimothée ChalametCall Me by Your NamePhantom ThreadDaniel KaluuyaGet OutRoman J. Israel, Esq.(91st)Freddie MercuryDick CheneyWillem DafoeAt Eternity's GateAnthony "Tony Lip" VallelongaGreen Book(92nd)Arthur Fleck / JokerAntonio BanderasPain and GloryOnce Upon a Time in HollywoodAdam DriverMarriage StoryJonathan PryceCardinal Jorge Mario BergoglioThe Two Popes2020/21(93rd)Riz AhmedSound of MetalChadwick BosemanMa Rainey's Black BottomHerman J. MankiewiczSteven YeunMinari(94th)Richard WilliamsDesi ArnazBeing the RicardosThe Power of the DogJonathan LarsonTick, Tick... Boom!Lord MacbethThe Tragedy of Macbeth(95th)Austin ButlerElvis PresleyColin FarrellThe Banshees of InisherinPaul MescalAftersunBill NighyLiving(96th)J. Robert OppenheimerLeonard BernsteinMaestroColman DomingoBayard RustinRustinPaul GiamattiThe HoldoversJeffrey WrightAmerican Fiction(97th)The BrutalistBob DylanA Complete UnknownSing SingConclaveSebastian StanDonald TrumpThe ApprenticePresident Abraham LincolnPresident Richard NixonRooster CogburnAcademy Award for Best ActressAll Academy Award acting nomineesList of actors with more than one Academy Award nomination in the acting categoriesList of actors with two or more Academy Awards in acting categoriesBAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleCritics' Choice Movie Award for Best ActorGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or ComedyIndependent Spirit Award for Best Male LeadScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading RoleList of Academy Award–nominated filmsSusan OrleanRin Tin TinCharles ChaplinAcademySpecial AwardBette Davis'sOf Human BondageFilmsiteRainbow MediaThe Daily TelegraphCOVID-19 pandemicThe New YorkerThe GuardianVarietyColliderToronto, OntarioCanadaUniversity of Toronto PressNew YorkContinuum International Publishing GroupSimon & SchusterAbbeville Publishing GroupLimelight EditionsBallantine BooksWayback MachineAcademy AwardsAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)Recordsmost wins per ceremonyAcademy Aperture 2025Oscar seasonOscar speechOscar baitGovernors AwardsNicholl Fellowships in ScreenwritingPre-showAwards of MeritPictureDirectorActressSupporting ActorSupporting ActressAdapted ScreenplayOriginal ScreenplayAnimated FeatureDocumentary Feature FilmInternational Feature FilmAnimated Short FilmDocumentary Short FilmLive Action Short FilmCinematographyCostume DesignFilm EditingMakeup and HairstylingOriginal ScoreOriginal SongProduction DesignVisual EffectsPopular FilmAcademy Honorary AwardIrving G. Thalberg Memorial AwardJean Hersholt Humanitarian AwardSpecial Achievement Academy AwardAcademy Scientificand Technical AwardsTechnical Achievement AwardJohn A. Bonner Medal of CommendationGordon E. Sawyer AwardStudent Academy AwardAssistant DirectorDance DirectionSound EditingAcademy Juvenile AwardCeremonies1927/281928/291929/301930/311931/321932/33Most awards per ceremonySuperlativesBig FiveAll four acting categoriesAll nomineesBest Supporting ActorBest Supporting ActressNon-English acting nomsActor multi-nom yearsMulti-win actorsMulti-nom actors"Oscar love curse"Best DirectorWinning filmsMulti-noms in same categoryTwo acting awards for same filmForeign-language winsForeign-language noms in other categoriesInternational Feature nomineesInternational Feature: count by countryBest Animated Feature submissionsBest Documentary Feature submissionsBest Animated Short submissionsBest Documentary Short submissionsAnimated feature noms in other categoriesAfricaArgentinaAustraliaAustriaBalticBelarusBelgiumBrazilBulgariaColombiaCzech RepublicEuropeFranceGermanyGreeceHungaryIrelandIsrael(South) KoreaLatin AmericaMexicoNetherlandsNew ZealandNordicPakistanPolandPuerto RicoRomaniaRussiaSwitzerlandUnited KingdomHispanicIndigenousJewishMuslimFamiliesFalse namesMulti-win yearsAwards for Walt DisneyPosthumous wins and nomsBest Picture presentersTrophies on public displayOldest and youngestWomen in non-gendered categoriesTriple Crown of Acting