The Empire Award for Best Actor was an Empire Award presented annually by the British film magazine Empire to honor an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role while working within the film industry. The Empire Award for Best Actor was one of five ongoing awards which were first introduced at the 1st Empire Awards ceremony in 1996 (the others being Best Actress, Best Director, Best Film and Best British Film) with Nigel Hawthorne receiving the award for his role in The Madness of King George. Winners were chosen by the readers of Empire magazine.
Since its inception, the award was given to 18 actors. Johnny Depp and James McAvoy have received the most awards in this category with two awards each. Johnny Depp was nominated on five occasions, more than any other actor. Hugh Jackman was the most recent winner in this category for his role in Logan.
Winners and nominees In the list below, winners are listed first in the colored row in boldface, followed by the other nominees. The number of the ceremony (1st, 2nd, etc.) appears in parentheses after the awards year, linked to the article (if any) on that ceremony.
+ Table key Key Description Indicates the winner
1990s Year Actor Character Film Nigel Hawthorne King George III The Madness of King George Morgan Freeman Det. Lt. William Somerset Seven Kevin Spacey Det. Sgt. Jack Vincennes L.A. Confidential Tom Hanks Captain John H. Miller Saving Private Ryan Jeff Bridges Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski The Big Lebowski Jim Carrey Truman Burbank The Truman Show Matt Damon Will Hunting Good Will Hunting Samuel L. Jackson Ordell Robbie Jackie Brown
2000s Year Actor Character Film Pierce Brosnan James Bond The World Is Not Enough Brad Pitt Tyler Durden Fight Club Bruce Willis Malcolm Crowe The Sixth Sense Keanu Reeves Thomas Anderson / Neo The Matrix Tom Cruise Dr. William "Bill" Harford Eyes Wide Shut Russell Crowe Maximus Decimus Meridius Gladiator George Clooney Ulysses Everett McGill O Brother, Where Art Thou? Jim Carrey The Grinch Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas John Cusack Rob Gordon High Fidelity Kevin Spacey Lester Burnham American Beauty Elijah Wood Frodo Baggins The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Benicio del Toro Javier Rodriguez Traffic Billy Bob Thornton Ed Crane The Man Who Wasn't There Haley Joel Osment David A.I. Artificial Intelligence Viggo Mortensen Aragorn The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Tom Cruise Chief John Anderton Minority Report Colin Farrell Danny Witwer Minority Report Mike Myers Austin PowersDr. Evil Austin Powers in Goldmember Tom Hanks Michael Sullivan, Sr. Road to Perdition Viggo Mortensen Aragorn The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Johnny Depp Captain Jack Sparrow Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Daniel Day-Lewis William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting Gangs of New York Hugh Jackman Logan / Wolverine X2 Sean Astin Samwise "Sam" Gamgee The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Viggo Mortensen Aragorn The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Matt Damon David Webb / Jason Bourne The Bourne Supremacy Jim Carrey Joel Barish Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Johnny Depp J. M. Barrie Finding Neverland Tobey Maguire Peter Parker / Spider-Man Spider-Man 2 Tom Cruise Vincent Collateral Johnny Depp Willy Wonka Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Andy Serkis Kong King Kong Christian Bale Bruce Wayne / Batman Batman Begins Matt Dillon Sgt. John Ryan Crash Viggo Mortensen Tom Stall / Joey Cusack A History of Violence Daniel Craig James Bond Casino Royale Christian Bale Alfred Borden (The Professor) / Fallon The Prestige Johnny Depp Captain Jack Sparrow Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Leonardo DiCaprio William "Billy" Costigan, Jr. The Departed Sacha Baron Cohen Borat Sagdiyev Borat James McAvoy Robbie Turner Atonement Daniel Radcliffe Harry Potter Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Gerard Butler Leonidas 300 Matt Damon David Webb / Jason Bourne The Bourne Ultimatum Simon Pegg Sgt. Nicholas "Nick" Angel Hot Fuzz Christian Bale Bruce Wayne / Batman The Dark Knight Daniel Craig James Bond Quantum of Solace Daniel Day-Lewis Daniel Plainview There Will Be Blood Johnny Depp Benjamin Barker / Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Robert Downey Jr. Tony Stark / Iron Man Iron Man
2010s Year Actor Character Film Christoph Waltz SS Colonel Hans Landa Inglourious Basterds Michael Caine Harold "Harry" Brown Harry Brown Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes Robert Pattinson Edward Cullen The Twilight Saga: New Moon Sam Worthington Jake Sully Avatar Colin Firth King George VI The King's Speech Aaron Taylor-Johnson Dave Lizewski / Kick-Ass Kick-Ass James Franco Aron Ralston 127 Hours Jesse Eisenberg Mark Zuckerberg The Social Network Leonardo DiCaprio Dom Cobb Inception Gary Oldman George Smiley Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Andy Serkis Caesar Rise of the Planet of the Apes Daniel Craig Mikael Blomkvist The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Daniel Radcliffe Harry Potter Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Ryan Gosling Driver Drive Martin Freeman Bilbo Baggins The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Christoph Waltz Dr. King Schultz Django Unchained Daniel Craig James Bond Skyfall Daniel Day-Lewis President Abraham Lincoln Lincoln Robert Downey Jr. Tony Stark / Iron Man The Avengers James McAvoy DS / PC Bruce Robertson Filth Chiwetel Ejiofor Solomon Northup 12 Years a Slave Leonardo DiCaprio Jordan Belfort The Wolf of Wall Street Martin Freeman Bilbo Baggins The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Tom Hanks Richard "Rich" Phillips Captain Phillips Andy Serkis Caesar Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Benedict Cumberbatch Alan Turing The Imitation Game Bradley Cooper Chris Kyle American Sniper Eddie Redmayne Stephen Hawking The Theory of Everything Richard Armitage Thorin Oakenshield The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Matt Damon Mark Watney The Martian Leonardo DiCaprio Hugh Glass The Revenant Michael B. Jordan Adonis Creed Creed Michael Fassbender MacbethSteve Jobs MacbethSteve Jobs Tom Hardy Ronald "Ronnie" Kray and Reginald "Reggie" KrayMax Rockatansky Legend & Mad Max: Fury Road Eddie Redmayne Newton “Newt” Scamander Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Benedict Cumberbatch Stephen Strange Doctor Strange Casey Affleck Lee Chandler Manchester by the Sea Ryan Gosling Sebastian Wilder La La Land Ryan Reynolds Wade Wilson / Deadpool Deadpool Hugh Jackman James Howlett / Logan / Wolverine Logan Andy Serkis Caesar War for the Planet of the Apes Armie Hammer Oliver Call Me by Your Name Gary Oldman Winston Churchill Darkest Hour John Boyega Finn Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Multiple awards and nominations
Multiple awards , the following individuals received two or more Best Actor awards:
Awards Film 2 James McAvoy Johnny Depp Matt Damon
Multiple nominations , the following individuals received two or more Best Actor nominations:
Nominations Film 5 Johnny Depp 4 Andy Serkis Daniel Craig Leonardo DiCaprio Matt Damon Viggo Mortensen 3 Christian Bale Daniel Day-Lewis Jim Carrey Robert Downey Jr. Tom Cruise Tom Hanks 2 Benedict Cumberbatch Christoph Waltz Daniel Radcliffe Eddie Redmayne Hugh Jackman James McAvoy Kevin Spacey Martin Freeman Ryan Gosling
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