The British Independent Film Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film was an annual award given by the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) to recognize the best lead performance by an actor in a British independent film. The award was first presented in the 1998 ceremony with Ray Winstone being the first recipient of the award for his performance as Raymond in Nil by Mouth.
Actors Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy and Josh O'Connor are the only nominees who have won the award twice while Riz Ahmed holds the record of most nominations in this category with five nominations.
In July 2022, it was announced that the performance categories would be replaced with gender-neutral categories, with both Best Actor and Best Actress merging into the Best Lead Performance category. Additionally, a category named Best Joint Lead Performance was created for "two (or exceptionally three) performances that are the joint focus of the film, especially where performances share a large number of scenes and screen time".
Winners and nominees
1990s YearActorFilmCharacter 1998 Ray Winstone Nil by Mouth Raymond John Hurt Love and Death on Long Island Giles De'Ath Peter Mullan My Name Is Joe Joe Kavanagh Jonathan Pryce Regeneration William Rivers David Thewlis Divorcing Jack Dan Starkey 1999 Ian McKellen Gods and Monsters James Whale Daniel Auteuil The Lost Son Xavier Lombard Michael Caine Little Voice Ray Say Daniel Craig The Trench Sgt. Telford Winter Ray Winstone The War Zone Dad
2000s YearActorFilmCharacter 2000 Daniel Craig Some Voices Ray Paul Bettany Gangster No. 1 Young Gangster Jim Broadbent Topsy-Turvy W. S. Gilbert Adrian Lester Love's Labour's Lost Dumaine Peter Mullan Miss Julie Jean 2001 Ben Kingsley Sexy Beast Don Logan Ian Hart Liam Dad Timothy Spall Lucky Break Cliff Gumbell Ray Winstone Sexy Beast Gary "Gal" Dove 2002 James Nesbitt Bloody Sunday Ivan Cooper Richard Harris My Kingdom Sandeman Bill Nighy Lawless Heart Dan Timothy Spall All or Nothing Phil 2003 Chiwetel Ejiofor Dirty Pretty Things Okwe Paddy Considine In America Johnny Sullivan Ewan McGregor Young Adam Joe Taylor Kevin McKidd 16 Years of Alcohol Frankie Joaquin Phoenix Buffalo Soldiers Spc. Ray Elwood 2004 Phil Davis Vera Drake Stanley Drake Paddy Considine Dead Man's Shoes Richard Daniel Craig Enduring Love Joe Rose Ian Hart Blind Flight Brian Keenan Geoffrey Rush The Life and Death of Peter Sellers Peter Sellers 2005 Ralph Fiennes The Constant Gardener Justin Quayle Johnny Depp The Libertine John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester Chiwetel Ejiofor Kinky Boots Lola Bob Hoskins Mrs Henderson Presents Vivian Van Damm Matthew Macfadyen In My Father's Den Paul Prior 2006 Tony Curran Red Road Clyde Henderson James McAvoy The Last King of Scotland Nicholas Garrigan Cillian Murphy The Wind That Shakes the Barley Damien O'Donovan Peter O'Toole Venus Maurice Russell Forest Whitaker The Last King of Scotland Idi Amin 2007 Viggo Mortensen Eastern Promises Nikolai Luzhin Jamie Bell Hallam Foe Hallam Foe Jim Broadbent And When Did You Last See Your Father? Arthur Morrison Cillian Murphy SunshineRobert Capa Sam Riley Control Ian Curtis 2008 Michael Fassbender Hunger Bobby Sands Riz Ahmed Shifty Shifty Colin Farrell In Bruges Ray Brendan Gleeson Ken Thomas Turgoose Somers Town Tomo 2009 Tom Hardy Bronson Charles Bronson Peter Capaldi In the Loop Malcolm Tucker Aaron Johnson Nowhere Boy John Lennon Sam Rockwell Moon Sam Bell Andy Serkis Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll Ian Dury
2010s YearActorFilmCharacter 2010 Colin Firth The King's Speech King George VI Riz Ahmed Four Lions Omar Jim Broadbent Another Year Tom Hepple Aidan Gillen Treacle Jr. Aidan Scoot McNairy Monsters Andrew Kaulder 2011 Michael Fassbender Shame Brandon Sullivan Brendan Gleeson The Guard Sergeant Gerry Boyle Neil Maskell Kill List Jay Peter Mullan Tyrannosaur Joseph Gary Oldman Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy George Smiley 2012 Toby Jones Berberian Sound Studio Gilderoy Riz Ahmed Ill Manors Aaron Steve Oram Sightseers Chris Tim Roth Broken Archie Cunningham Terence Stamp Song for Marion Arthur 2013 James McAvoy Filth Bruce Robertson Jim Broadbent Le Week-End Nick Burrows Steve Coogan Philomena Martin Sixsmith Tom Hardy Locke Ivan Locke Jack O'Connell Starred Up Eric Love 2014 Brendan Gleeson Calvary Father James Lavelle Asa Butterfield X+Y Nathan Ellis Benedict Cumberbatch The Imitation Game Alan Turing Jack O'Connell '71 Gary Hook Timothy Spall Mr. Turner J. M. W. Turner 2015 Tom Hardy Legend Ronnie Kray and Reggie Kray Tom Courtenay 45 Years Geoff Mercer Colin Farrell The Lobster David Michael Fassbender Macbeth Macbeth Tom Hiddleston High-Rise Dr. Robert Laing 2016 Dave Johns I, Daniel Blake Daniel Blake Steven Brandon My Feral Heart Luke Michael Fassbender Trespass Against Us Chad Cutler Shia LaBeouf American Honey Jake Max Records I Am Not a Serial Killer John Wayne Cleaver 2017 Josh O'Connor God's Own Country Johnny Saxby Jamie Bell Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool Peter Turner Paddy Considine Journeyman Matty Burton Johnny Harris Jawbone Jimmy McCabe Alec Secăreanu God's Own Country Gheorghe Ionescu 2018 Joe Cole A Prayer Before Dawn Billy Moore Steve Coogan Stan & Ollie Stan Laurel Rupert Everett The Happy Prince Oscar Wilde Joaquin Phoenix You Were Never Really Here Joe Charlie Plummer Lean on Pete Charley Thompson 2019 Josh O'Connor Only You Jake Sam Adewunmi The Last Tree Femi Tom Burke The Souvenir Anthony Kris Hitchen Sorry We Missed You Ricky Turner Dev Patel The Personal History of David Copperfield David Copperfield
2020s YearActorFilmCharacter 2020 Anthony Hopkins The Father Anthony Riz Ahmed Mogul Mowgli Zed Sope Dirisu His House Bol Amir El-Masry Limbo Omarr Cosmo Jarvis Calm with Horses Douglas 2021 Adeel Akhtar Ali & Ava Ali Riz Ahmed Encounter Malik Kahn Stephen Graham Boiling Point Andy Jones Jude Law The Nest Rory O'Hara James Norton Nowhere Special John
Multiple nominations
5 nominations Riz Ahmed
4 nominations Jim Broadbent Michael Fassbender
3 nominations Paddy Considine Daniel Craig Brendan Gleeson Tom Hardy Peter Mullan Ray Winstone
2 nominations Jamie Bell Steve Coogan Chiwetel Ejiofor Colin Farrell James McAvoy Josh O'Connor Joaquin Phoenix
Multiple wins
2 wins Michael Fassbender Tom Hardy Josh O'Connor
See also Academy Award for Best Actor BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actor Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
References
External links Official website