The Best Actor Award () is an award presented at the Cannes Film Festival since 1946. It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance and chosen by the jury from the films in official competition slate at the festival.
Its most recent winners were Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne for Coward at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in 2026.
History The award was first presented in 1946, at the 1st Cannes Film Festival, where Ray Milland was the first winner for his performance in The Lost Weekend.
The prize was not awarded on five occasions (1947, 1953–54, 1956, and 1960). The festival was not held at all in 1948, 1950, and 2020. In 1968, no awards were given as the festival was called off mid-way due to the May 1968 events in France. The award can be for lead or supporting roles, with the exception of the period from 1979 to 1981, and in 1991, when the festival used to award a separate "Best Supporting Actor" prize. The jury also, on occasion, cites actors with a special citation that is separate from the main award.
On four occasions, the jury has awarded multiple men (more than 2) the prize for one film. The four films were: A Big Family (1955), Compulsion (1959), Long Day's Journey into Night (1962), Days of Glory (2006) and Coward (2026).
Belgian actor Emmanuel Macchia won in his acting debut for Coward (2026), being the first actor to do so.
Dean Stockwell, Jack Lemmon, and Marcello Mastroianni have won the most awards in this category, each winning twice.
Winners
+ Table key Indicates the Best Supporting Actor winner
1940s Year Actor Role(s) Title 1946 1949 1950s Year Actor Role(s) English Title Original Title 1951 1952 1955 Больша́я семья́ Club Manager Skobolev Shipyard Director Basmanov 1957 1958 1959
1960s Year Actor Role(s) English Title Original Title 1961 1962 1963 1964 Pacsirta Sedotta e abbandonata 1965 1966 Pontus Svält 1967 Eli שלושה ימים וילד 1969
1970s Year Actor Role(s) English Title Original Title 1970 Dramma della gelosia (tutti i particolari in cronaca) 1971 Sacco e Vanzetti 1972 Jean Nous ne vieillirons pas ensemble 1973 Film d'amore e d'anarchia, ovvero: stamattina alle 10, in via dei Fiori, nella nota casa di tolleranza... 1974 1975 Profumo di donna 1976 1977 Luis Elisa, My Life 1978 1979 Caro papà
1980s Year Actor Role(s) English Title Original Title 1980 Salto nel vuoto 1981 La tragedia di un uomo ridicolo 1982 1983 La mort de Mario Ricci 1984 Los santos inocentes Azarías 1985 O Beijo da Mulher Aranha 1986 Antoine Evening Dress Tenue de soirée George 1987 Romano Oci ciornie 1988 1989
1990s Year Actor Role(s) English Title Original Title 1990 1991 1992 1993 Johnny 1994 活著 1995 1996 Harry Le huitième jour Georges 1997 1998 1999 Emmanuel Schotté L'humanité
2000s Year Actor Role(s) English Title Original Title 2000 花樣年華 2001 La Pianiste 2002 Olivier Le Fils 2003 Mahmut Yusuf 2004 誰も知らない 2005 2006 Indigènes Yassir Abdelkader 2007 Alex Изгнание 2008 2009 2010s Year Actor Role(s) English Title Original Title 2010 Uxbal Claudio 2011 2012 Lucas Jagten 2013 2014 2015 La Loi du marché 2016 Emad فروشنده 2017 Joe 2018 Marcello 2019 Dolor y gloria
2020s Year Actor Role(s) English Title Original Title 2021 2022 Sang-hyeon 브로커 2023 Hirayama 2024 Robert / Daniel / Andrew 2025 Wagner MouraMarceloThe Secret AgentO Agente Secreto 2026Emmanuel MacchiaPierreCowardValentin CampagneFrancis
Multiple winners
The following individuals have received multiple Best Actor awards:
Number of wins Actors Nationality Films 2 Dean Stockwell United States Compulsion (1959), Long Day's Journey into Night (1962) Jack Lemmon The China Syndrome (1979), Missing (1982) Marcello Mastroianni Italy The Pizza Triangle (1970), Dark Eyes (1987)
See also The following individuals have also received Best Actor award(s) at Venice or Berlin Film Festival.
Winning year Actors Festival Year English title Nationality 1958 Berlin 1995 Nobody's Fool United States 1969 Berlin 1968 The Man Who Lies France 19701987 Venice 1989 What Time Is It? Italy 1993 1, 2, 3, Sun 19791982 Berlin 1981 Tribute United States Venice 1992 Glengarry Glen Ross 1980 Berlin 1982 Strange Affair France 1983 Berlin 1987 The Moro Affair Italy 1990 Venice 1985 Police France 1991 Berlin 1998 Jackie Brown United States 1997 Berlin 1996 Dead Man Walking Venice 1998 Hurlyburly 2003 21 Grams 2008 Berlin 2001 Traffic Puerto Rico 2010 Venice 2000 Before Night Falls Spain 2004 The Sea Inside Berlin 2020 Hidden Away Italy 2013 Berlin 1983 That Championship Season United States 2015 Venice 2024 The Quiet Son France 2016 Berlin 2011 A Separation Iran 2017 Venice 2012 The Master United States
Notes
A: This year the award was changed to Prix d'Interpretation (Acting Award), without gender differentiation. B: The entire male and female cast of A Big Family (Больша́я семья́) was recipient of this award in a tie with Spencer Tracy for Bad Day at Black Rock. C: This year award was given as Prix Le Premier Regard Un Certain Regard (Premiere Award - Un Certain Regard) to the lead male and female cast of Long Day's Journey into Night and A Taste of Honey (ex aequo).
References
External links Cannes Film Festival official website Cannes Film Festival at IMDb .