The European Film Award for Best Actress is an award given out at the annual European Film Awards to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film industry. The awards are presented by the European Film Academy (EFA) and was first presented in 1988 to Spanish actress Carmen Maura for her role as Pepa in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Huppert, Carmen Maura, Charlotte Rampling, and Sandra Hüller are the only actresses who have received this award more than once, with two wins each. Penélope Cruz is the most nominated actress in the category with five nominations.
Winners and nominees
1980s YearWinner and nomineesEnglish titleOriginal title CharacterRef1988(1st)Carmen MauraWomen on the Verge of a Nervous BreakdownMujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios Pepa Marcos Tinna GunnlaugsdóttirIn the Shadow of the RavenÍ skugga hrafnsins IsoldOrnella MutiPrivate AccessCodice privato AnnaCarol ScanlanReefer and the Model Teresa 'the Model'1989(2nd)Ruth Sheen High Hopes Shirley Sabine AzémaLife and Nothing ButLa vie et rien d'autre Irène de CourtilSnežana BogdanovićKuduz Badema KuduzCorinna HarfouchTreffen in Travers Therese ForsterNatalya NegodaLittle VeraМа́ленькая Ве́ра Vera
1990s YearWinner and nomineesEnglish titleOriginal title CharacterRef1990(3rd)Carmen Maura ¡Ay Carmela! Carmela Anne BrochetCyrano de Bergerac RoxaneKrystyna JandaInterrogationPrzesłuchanie Antonina 'Tonia' Dziwisz1991(4th)Clotilde Courau The Little GangsterLe petit criminel Nathalie Julie DelpyVoyagerHomo Faber SabethSigríður HagalínChildren of NatureBörn náttúrunnar Stella1992(5th)Juliette Binoche The Lovers on the BridgeLes amants du Pont-Neuf Michèle Johanna ter SteegeDear Emma, Sweet BöbeÉdes Emma, drága Böbe EmmaBarbara SukowaEuropa Katharina Hartmann1993(6th)Maia Morgenstern The OakBalanta Nela Carla GravinaThe Long SilenceIl lungo silenzio Carla AldrovandiTilda SwintonOrlando Orlando1994(7th)No award given1995(8th)No award given1996(9th)Emily Watson Breaking the Waves Bess McNeill 1997(10th)Juliette BinocheThe English Patient Hana Katrin CartlidgeCareer Girls Hannah MillsBrigitte RoüanPost CoitumPost coïtum animal triste Diane ClovierEmma ThompsonThe Winter Guest Frances 1998(11th)Elodie BouchezNatacha RégnierThe Dreamlife of AngelsLa vie rêvée des anges Isabelle 'Isa' TostinMarie Thomas Dinara DrukarovaOf Freaks and MenПро уродов и людей LizaAnnet MalherbeLittle TonyKleine Teun Keet1999(12th)Cecilia RothAll About My MotherTodo sobre mi madre Manuela Echevarria Nathalie BayeA Pornographic AffairUne liaison pornographique HerPenélope CruzThe Girl of Your DreamsLa niña de tus ojos Macarena GranadaEmilie DequenneRosetta RosettaIben HjejleMifune's Last SongMifune Liva
2000s YearWinner and nomineesEnglish titleOriginal title CharacterRef2000(13th)BjörkDancer in the Dark Selma Ježková Bibiana BeglauThe Legend of RitaDie Stille nach dem Schuß Rita VogtLena EndreFaithlessTrolösa MarianneSylvie TestudLa Captive ArianeJulie WaltersBilly Elliot Sandra Wilkinson2001(14th)Isabelle HuppertThe Piano TeacherLa pianiste Erika Kohut Ariane AscarideThe Town Is QuietLa ville est tranquille MichèleLaura MoranteThe Son's RoomLa stanza del figlio PaolaCharlotte RamplingUnder the SandSous le sable Marie DrillonStefania SandrelliThe Last KissL'ultimo bacio AnnaAudrey TautouAmélieLe fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain Amélie Poulain2002(15th)Catherine DeneuveIsabelle HuppertEmmanuelle BéartFanny ArdantVirginie LedoyenDanielle DarrieuxLudivine SagnierFirmine Richard8 Women8 femmes GabyAugustineLouise PierretteSuzonMamyCatherineMadame Chanel Oksana AkinshinaLilja 4-Ever Lilya MichailovaEmmanuelle DevosRead My LipsSur mes lèvres Carla BehmMartina GedeckMostly MarthaBella Martha Martha KleinLaura MoranteA Journey Called LoveUn viaggio chiamato amore Sibilla AleramoSamantha MortonMorvern Callar Morvern CallarKati OutinenThe Man Without a PastMies vailla menneisyyttä Irma2003(16th)Charlotte RamplingSwimming Pool Sarah Morton Diana DumbravaMaria MariaHelen MirrenCalendar Girls Chris HarperAnne ReidThe Mother MayKatja RiemannRosenstrasse Lena FischerKatrin SassGood Bye, Lenin! Christiane Kerner2004(17th)Imelda StauntonVera Drake Vera Drake Sarah AdlerNotre musique Judith Lerner Valeria Bruni Tedeschi5x2 MarionPenélope CruzDon't MoveNon ti muovere ItaliaSibel KekilliHead-OnGegen die Wand Sibel GünerAsi LeviStonesאבנים Michale2005(18th)Julia JentschSophie Scholl - The Final DaysSophie Scholl – Die letzten Tage Sophia Magdalena 'Sophie' Scholl Juliette BinocheCaché Anne LaurentSandra CeccarelliThe Life I WantLa vita che vorrei Laura / EleonoraNatalie PressMy Summer of Love MonaConnie NielsenBrothersBrødre SarahJudi DenchMaggie SmithLadies in Lavender Ursula WiddingtonJanet WiddingtonAudrey TautouA Very Long EngagementUn long dimanche de fiançailles Mathilde Donnay2006(19th)Penélope CruzVolver Raimunda Nathalie BayeThe Young LieutenantLe petit lieutenant Caroline VaudieuMartina GedeckThe Lives Of OthersDas Leben der Anderen Christa-Maria SielandSandra HüllerRequiem Michaela KlinglerMirjana KaranovićGrbavica Esma HalilovićSarah PolleyThe Secret Life of Words Hanna2007(20th)Helen MirrenThe Queen Queen Elizabeth II Marion CotillardLa Vie en RoseLa môme Édith PiafMarianne FaithfullIrina Palm MaggieCarice van HoutenBlack BookZwartboek Rachel SteinAnamaria Marinca4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days4 luni, 3 saptamani si 2 zile Otilia MihartescuKseniya RappoportThe Unknown WomanLa sconosciuta Irena2008(21st) Kristin Scott ThomasI've Loved You So LongIl y a longtemps que je t'aime Juliette Fontaine Hiam AbbassLemon TreeEtz Limon Salma Zidane Arta DobroshiLorna's SilenceLe silence de Lorna Lorna Sally HawkinsHappy-Go-Lucky Pauline "Poppy" CrossBelén RuedaThe OrphanageEl orfanato LauraUrsula WernerCloud NineWolke Neun Inge2009(22nd)Kate WinsletThe Reader Hanna Schmitz Penélope CruzBroken EmbracesLos abrazos rotos Magdalena "Lena" Rivas Charlotte GainsbourgAntichrist SheKatie JarvisFish Tank Mia WilliamsYolande MoreauSéraphine Séraphine LouisNoomi RapaceThe Girl with the Dragon TattooMän som hatar kvinnor Lisbeth Salander
2010s YearWinner and nomineesEnglish titleOriginal title CharacterRef2010(23rd)Sylvie TestudLourdes Christine Zrinka CvitešićOn the PathNa putu LunaSibel KekilliWhen We LeaveDie Fremde UmayLesley ManvilleAnother Year Mary SmithLotte VerbeekNothing Personal Annie2011(24th)Tilda SwintonWe Need to Talk About Kevin Eva Khatchadourian Cécile de FranceThe Kid with a BikeLe gamin au vélo Samantha Kirsten DunstMelancholia Justine Charlotte Gainsbourg ClaireNadezhda MarkinaElenaЕлена Elena2012(25th)Emmanuelle RivaAmour Anne Laurent Émilie DequenneOur ChildrenÀ perdre la raison MurielleNina HossBarbara Barbara WolffMargarethe TieselParadise: LoveParadies: Liebe TeresaKate WinsletCarnage Nancy Cowan2013(26th)Veerle BaetensThe Broken Circle Breakdown Elise Vandevelde / Alabama Luminița GheorghiuChild's PosePoziția copilului Cornelia KeneresKeira KnightleyAnna Karenina Anna Arkadievna KareninaBarbara SukowaHannah Arendt Hannah Arendt Naomi WattsThe ImpossibleLo Imposible María2014(27th)Marion CotillardTwo Days, One NightDeux jours, une nuit Sandra Bya Marian ÁlvarezWoundedLa herida Ana Charlotte GainsbourgNymphomaniac Joe Valeria Bruni TedeschiHuman CapitalIl capitale umano Carla BernaschiAgata KuleszaIdaWanda GruzAgata Trzebuchowska Anna / Ida Lebenstein2015(28th)Charlotte Rampling45 Years Kate Mercer Margherita BuyMia Madre MargheritaLaia CostaVictoria VictoriaAlicia VikanderEx Machina Ava Rachel WeiszYouth Lena Ballinger2016(29th)Sandra HüllerToni Erdmann Ines Conradi Valeria Bruni TedeschiLike CrazyLa pazza gioia Beatrice Morandini ValdiranaTrine DyrholmThe CommuneKollektivet AnnaIsabelle HuppertElle Michèle LeblancEmma SuárezAdriana UgarteJulieta Julieta ArcosYounger Julieta Arcos2017(30th)Alexandra BorbélyOn Body and SoulTestről és lélekről Mária Juliette BinocheLet the Sunshine InUn beau soleil intérieur IsabellePaula BeerFrantz AnnaIsabelle HuppertHappy End Anne LaurentFlorence PughLady Macbeth Katherine Lester2018(31st)Joanna KuligCold WarZimna wojna Zuzanna "Zula" Lichoń Marie Bäumer3 Days in Quiberon3 Tage in Quiberon Romy SchneiderHalldóra GeirharðsdóttirWoman at WarKona fer í stríð HallaBárbara LenniePetra PetraEva MelanderBorderGräns TinaAlba RohrwacherHappy as LazzaroLazzaro felice Antonia2019(32nd)Olivia ColmanThe Favourite Queen Anne Trine DyrholmQueen of HeartsDronningen AnneAdèle HaenelNoémie MerlantPortrait of a Lady on FirePortrait de la jeune fille en feu HéloïseMarianneViktoria MiroshnichenkoBeanpoleДылда BeanpoleHelena ZengelSystem CrasherSystemsprenger Bernadette
2020s YearWinner and nomineesEnglish titleOriginal titleCharacterRef2020(33rd)Paula BeerUndine Undine Wibeau Natasha BerezhnayaDAU. NatashaДАУ. Наташа NatashaAndrea Bræin HovigHopeHåp AnjaNina HossMy Little SisterSchwesterlein LisaMarta NietoMotherMadre ElenaAne Dahl TorpCharter Alice2021(34th)Jasna ĐuričićQuo Vadis, Aida? Aida Selmanagić Seidi Haarla Compartment No. 6 Hytti nro 6 LauraCarey Mulligan Promising Young Woman Cassandra "Cassie" ThomasRenate Reinsve The Worst Person in the World Verdens verste menneske JulieAgathe Rousselle Titane Alexia / Adrien2022(35th) Vicky KriepsCorsage Empress Elisabeth of Austria Penélope Cruz Parallel Mothers Madres Paralelas Janis Martínez Zar Amir EbrahimiHoly Spider عنکبوت مقدس Arezoo Rahimi Meltem Kaptan Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush Rabiye Kurnaz gegen George W. Bush Rabiye KurnazLéa Seydoux One Fine Morning Un Beau Matin Sandra2023(36th)Sandra HüllerAnatomy of a FallAnatomie d'une chuteSandra Voyter Eka Chavleishvili Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry EteroAlma Pöysti Fallen Leaves Kuolleet lehdet AnsaMia McKenna-Bruce How to Have Sex TaraLeonie Benesch The Teachers' Lounge Das Lehrerzimmer Carla NowakSandra Hüller The Zone of Interest Hedwig Höss2024(37th)Karla Sofía Gascón Emilia Pérez Emilia Pérez / Juan "Manitas" Del MonteRenate Reinsve Armand ElisabethTrine Dyrholm The Girl with the Needle Pigen med nålen Dagmar OverbyeVic Carmen Sonne The Girl with the Needle Pigen med nålen KarolineTilda Swinton The Room Next Door La habitación de al lado Martha / Michelle2025(38th)Renate Reinsve Sentimental Value Affeksjonsverdi Nora Borg Leonie Benesch Late Shift HeldinFloria Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Duse Eleonora Duse Léa Drucker Case 137 Dossier 137 Stéphanie Bertrand Vicky Krieps Love Me TenderClémence
Multiple wins and nominations
Multiple wins Wins Actress 2Juliette BinocheSandra HüllerIsabelle HuppertCarmen MauraCharlotte Rampling
Multiple nominations Nominations Actress 5Penélope Cruz 4Juliette BinocheValeria Bruni TedeschiSandra HüllerIsabelle Huppert 3Trine DyrholmCharlotte GainsbourgCharlotte RamplingRenate ReinsveTilda Swinton 2Nathalie BayePaula BeerLeonie BeneschMarion CotillardÉmilie DequenneMartina GedeckNina HossSibel KekilliVicky KriepsCarmen MauraHelen MirrenLaura MoranteBarbara SukowaAudrey TautouSylvie TestudKate Winslet
Superlatives
Age superlatives RecordActressFilmAge (in years) Oldest winner Emmanuelle Riva Amour85 Oldest nomineeYoungest winnerClotilde CourauThe Little Gangster22Youngest nomineeHelena ZengelSystem Crasher11
Multiple nominations from the same film YearActressFilm1998Elodie Bouchez and Natacha RegnierThe Dreamlife of Angels2002Fanny Ardant, Emmanuelle Béart, Danielle Darrieux, Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Ledoyen, Firmine Richard and Ludivine Sagnier 8 Women2005Judi Dench and Maggie SmithLadies in Lavender2011Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte GainsbourgMelancholia2013Agata Kulesza and Agata TrzebuchowskaIda2016Emma Suárez and Adriana UgarteJulieta2019Adèle Haenel and Noémie MerlantPortrait of a Lady on Fire2024Trine Dyrholm and Vic Carmen SonneThe Girl with the Needle
See also BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role BIFA for Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film César Award for Best Actress David di Donatello for Best Actress