The Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role is an annual Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best leading performance by an actor in a Canadian television series. Previously presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards.
Prior to the creation of the Gemini Awards in 1986, the predecessor ACTRA Awards presented only a single award for Best Performance in a Continuing Role, differentiating neither by gender nor for the distinction between comedy and drama."Awards show will be telecast on April 16 on CBC: Finalists for ACTRA awards announced". The Globe and Mail, March 31, 1983.
In August 2022, the academy announced that beginning with the 11th Canadian Screen Awards in 2023, a gender-neutral award for Best Leading Performance in a Drama Series will be presented.Joseph Pugh, "Canadian Screen Awards switching to gender-neutral performance categories". CBC News, August 25, 2022.
1980s Year Actor Series Ref 1986 1st Gemini Awards Robert Clothier The Beachcombers "Green Gables big Gemini awards winner". Windsor Star, December 5, 1986. Scott Hylands Night Heat Sid Adilman, "Anne leads field in Geminis race". Toronto Star, October 16, 1986. Malcolm Stoddard The Campbells Jeff Wincott Night Heat 1987 2nd Gemini Awards Eric Peterson Street Legal Bill Anderson, "Seeing Things shines in Gemini spotlight". Ottawa Citizen, December 10, 1987. Winston Rekert Adderly Scott Hylands Night Heat John Haslett Cuff, "Seeing Things, Night Heat top Gemini nomination list". The Globe and Mail, October 22, 1987. Pat Mastroianni Degrassi Junior High Allan Royal Night Heat 1988 3rd Gemini Awards Pat Mastroianni Degrassi Junior High "Gemini awards ceremony reveals surprising winners". Windsor Star, December 1, 1988. Patrick Bauchau Mount Royal Henry Mietkiewicz, "Nominated for Canadian TV's best: The Gemini Awards". Toronto Star, October 13, 1988. Scott Hylands Night Heat Winston Rekert Adderly Donnelly Rhodes Danger Bay 1989 4th Gemini Awards Eric Peterson Street Legal "Glory enough for all at CBC as docudrama wins 9 Geminis". Montreal Gazette, December 6, 1989. Stefan Brogren Degrassi Junior High "Banting series tops Gemini nominees". Edmonton Journal, October 26, 1989. Robert Clothier The Beachcombers Derek McGrath My Secret Identity Robert Wisden 9B
1990s Year Nominee Series Ref 1990 5th Gemini Awards Art Hindle E.N.G. Antonia Zerbisias, "CBC celebrates at k.d.'s cafe as it sweeps Gemini awards". Toronto Star, December 4, 1990. Bruno Gerussi The Beachcombers "Canadian TV shows vie for Geminis". Edmonton Journal, October 4, 1990. C. David Johnson Street Legal Pat Mastroianni Degrassi High Duncan Waugh Degrassi High 1991 6th Gemini Awards Eric Peterson Street Legal Christopher Harris, "CBC drama tops Gemini ceremonies: Journey into Darkness wins all six categories in which it was nominated". The Globe and Mail, March 9, 1992. C. David Johnson Street Legal "And the nominees are ...". Hamilton Spectator, March 7, 1992. Simon MacCorkindale Counterstrike Christopher Plummer Counterstrike Mickey Rooney The Adventures of the Black Stallion 1992 7th Gemini Awards Cedric Smith Road to Avonlea Wendy McCann, "CBC has big night at Gemini Awards". Waterloo Region Record, March 8, 1993. Zachary Bennett Road to Avonlea "Avonlea pulls ahead of E.N.G; CBC drama captures 13 Gemini nominations". Edmonton Journal, January 20, 1993. Geraint Wyn Davies Forever Knight Art Hindle E.N.G. C. David Johnson Street Legal Eric Peterson Street Legal 1993 8th Gemini Awards James Purcell Counterstrike Christopher Harris, "Geminis annoint controversial mini-series: From ban to blessing, seven awards put The Boys of St. Vincent in a state of grace". The Globe and Mail, March 7, 1994. C. David Johnson Street Legal Greg Quill, "The Gemini nominees are...". Toronto Star, January 26, 1994. John Oliver North of 60 Eric Peterson Street Legal Winston Rekert Neon Rider 1994 9th Gemini Awards Paul Gross Due South Tony Atherton, "Geminis come of age: Due South, Browning show score big". Ottawa Citizen, March 6, 1995. Tom Jackson North of 60 "Major Gemini Nominations". Toronto Star, January 18, 1995. David Marciano Due South Eric Peterson Street Legal Cedric Smith Road to Avonlea 1995 10th Gemini Awards Paul Gross Due South Eric Kohanik, "Geminis flock Due South". Windsor Star, March 4, 1996. Geraint Wyn Davies Forever Knight "Major Gemini nominees; Awards gala to be broadcast March 3". Montreal Gazette, January 25, 1996. Tom Jackson North of 60 David Marciano Due South Albert Schultz Side Effects Eric Peterson Street Legal 1996 11th Gemini Awards David Cubitt Traders "And the Gemini winners are ...". Ottawa Citizen, March 3, 1997. Robert Bockstael North of 60 Christopher Harris, "CBC-TV tops Geminis: News, current affairs lead nominations". The Globe and Mail, January 15, 1997. Chris William Martin Madison Cedric Smith Road to Avonlea Peter Stebbings Madison 1997 12th Gemini Awards Bruce Gray Traders John McKay, "CBC piles up more honors on second Gemini night". Canadian Press, February 28, 1998. Robert Bockstael North of 60 John McKay, "CBC's 5th Estate leads the pack for 1997". Canadian Press, January 13, 1998. Tom Jackson North of 60 David Meyer Ekhaya: A Family Chronicle Peter Stebbings Madison 1998 13th Gemini Awards Patrick McKenna Traders John McKay, "Bach series continues Gemini streak". Canadian Press, October 3, 1998. Ryan Rajendra Black The Rez John McKay, "CBC tops Gemini nominations but Bach doc gets single-show nod". Canadian Press, October 3, 1998. Geraint Wyn Davies Black Harbour Paul Gross Due South Stephen McHattie Emily of New Moon 1999 14th Gemini Awards Michael Riley Power Play "Complete list of Gemini winners". Toronto Star, November 8, 1999. Michael Easton Total Recall 2070 "Major Gemini Awards nominations". Toronto Star, September 22, 1999. Paul Gross Due South John Neville Emily of New Moon Callum Keith Rennie Due South Donnelly Rhodes Da Vinci's Inquest
2000s Year Actor Series Ref 2000 15th Gemini Awards Michael Riley Power Play John McKay, "Geminis honour best Canadian TV". Waterloo Region Record, October 31, 2000. Ted Atherton Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy "Here are the nominees for the 15th annual Gemini Awards". Canadian Press, September 19, 2000. Nicholas Campbell Da Vinci's Inquest Donnelly Rhodes Da Vinci's Inquest Ian Tracey Da Vinci's Inquest 2001 16th Gemini Awards Nicholas Campbell Da Vinci's Inquest Alex Strachan, "Da Vinci victorious: Series wins Gemini for best drama, best actor; B.C. movie Scorn honoured". Vancouver Sun, October 30, 2001. Demore Barnes The Associates John McKay, "The show must go on: It'll be business as usual for Canada's Gemini Awards galas". Montreal Gazette, October 27, 2001. Gabriel Hogan The Associates Jeremy Ratchford Blue Murder Mark Taylor Drop the Beat 2002 17th Gemini Awards Donnelly Rhodes Da Vinci's Inquest Alex Strachan, "B.C. productions shine at Geminis: Da Vinci's Inquest among big winners at TV awards". Vancouver Sun, November 5, 2002. Demore Barnes The Associates Gayle MacDonald, "Made in Canada leads Gemini pack". The Globe and Mail, September 25, 2002. Martin Cummins Dice John Shea Mutant X Maurice Dean Wint Blue Murder 2003 18th Gemini Awards Jeff Seymour The Eleventh Hour "CTV's Eleventh Hour and 100 Days in the Jungle tops at 2003 Gemini Awards". Peterborough Examiner, October 21, 2003. Matthew Bennett Cold Squad Alex Strachan, "CTV's Eleventh Hour leads the Gemini pack". Edmonton Journal, September 10, 2003. Nicholas Campbell Da Vinci's Inquest Michael Ironside The Last Chapter II: The War Continues Jeremy Ratchford Blue Murder 2004 19th Gemini Awards Paul Gross Slings & Arrows J. Kelly Nestruck, "Hard drama, hosers at Geminis". Montreal Gazette, December 14, 2004. Nicholas Campbell Da Vinci's Inquest "Gemini nominations". Peterborough Examiner, December 11, 2004. Shawn Doyle The Eleventh Hour Michael Riley This is Wonderland Jeff Seymour The Eleventh Hour 2005 20th Gemini Awards Michael Riley This is Wonderland "CBC, CTV win Geminis; Best drama series already cancelled". Peterborough Examiner, November 21, 2005. Ben Bass The Eleventh Hour "Cancelled Eleventh Hour leads Gemini nods with 15". Waterloo Region Record, October 12, 2005. Nicholas Campbell Da Vinci's Inquest Peter Outerbridge ReGenesis Jeff Seymour The Eleventh Hour 2006 21st Gemini Awards Mark McKinney Slings and Arrows Alex Strachan, "Slings & Arrows sweeps Gemini Awards". Vancouver Sun, November 6, 2006. Gil Bellows Terminal City Alex Strachan, "Cancelled show could be Gemini winner: This Is Wonderland nets 12 nominations". Vancouver Sun, August 30, 2006. Nigel Bennett At the Hotel Nicholas Campbell Da Vinci's City Hall Peter Outerbridge ReGenesis 2007 22nd Gemini Awards Paul Gross Slings and Arrows "And the Gemini goes to..." Regina Leader-Post, October 29, 2007. John Cassini Intelligence John Kennedy, "Two series top Gemini Awards nominations; The CBC, with a host of nominations, looks like this year's big winner". Vancouver Sun, August 29, 2007. William Hutt Slings and Arrows Peter Outerbridge ReGenesis Ian Tracey Intelligence 2008 23rd Gemini Awards Louis Ferreira Durham County Mark Medley, "Global drama cleans up at 23rd Geminis; Durham County; Former 90210 star hosts Toronto ceremony". National Post, November 29, 2008. Hugh Dillon Durham County Alex Strachan, "All grown up; The Englishman's Boy receives 12 nominations for Gemini awards". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, August 27, 2008. James McGowan The Border Peter Outerbridge ReGenesis Ian Tracey Intelligence 2009 24th Gemini Awards Enrico Colantoni Flashpoint Eric Volmers and Stephen Hunt, "Flashpoint picks up Gemini for top drama; Erin Karpluk named best actress, Enrico Colantoni best actor". Montreal Gazette, November 15, 2009. Hugh Dillon Flashpoint Lisa Wilton, "Gemini Awards predictions". Toronto Sun, November 13, 2009. Robin Dunne Sanctuary Daniel Kash The Line Ron White The Line
2010s