The BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role is an award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognise an actor who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film.
In the following lists, the titles and names in bold with a gold background are the winners and recipients respectively; those not in bold are the nominees. The years given are those in which the films under consideration were released, not the year of the ceremony, which always takes place the following year.
History It has been awarded since the 6th British Academy Film Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film. From 1952 to 1967, there were two Best Actor awards: one for a British actor and another for a foreign actor. In 1968, the two prizes of British and Foreign actor were combined to create a single Best Actor award. Its current title, for Best Actor in a Leading Role, has been used since 1995. Peter Finch has the most wins in the category with five. The most recent winner of the award is Robert Aramayo for I Swear (2025).
Winners and nominees
1950s Year Actor Films Role (s) Best British Actor Ralph Richardson The Sound Barrier John Ridgefield Jack Hawkins Mandy Dick Searle James Hayter The Pickwick Papers Samuel Pickwick Laurence Olivier Carrie George Hurstwood Nigel Patrick The Sound Barrier Tony Garthwaite Alastair Sim Folly to Be Wise Captain William Paris Best Foreign Actor Marlon Brando Viva Zapata! Emiliano Zapata Humphrey Bogart † The African Queen Charlie Allnut Pierre Fresnay God Needs Men Thomas Gourvennec Francesco Golisano Miracle in Milan Totò Fredric MarchDeath of a Salesman Willy Loman Best British Actor John Gielgud Julius Caesar Cassius Jack Hawkins The Cruel Sea George Ericson Trevor Howard The Heart of the Matter Harry Scobie Duncan Macrae The Kidnappers Jim MacKenzie Kenneth More Genevieve Ambrose Claverhouse Best Foreign Actor Marlon Brando Julius Caesar Mark Antony Eddie Albert Roman Holiday Irving Radovich Van Heflin Shane Joe Starrett Claude Laydu Diary of a Country Priest Priest of Ambricourt Marcel Mouloudji We Are All Murderers René Le Guen Gregory Peck Roman Holiday Joe Bradley Spencer Tracy The Actress Clinton Jones Best British Actor Kenneth More Doctor in the House Richard Grimsdyke Maurice Denham The Purple Plain Blore Robert Donat Lease of Life Rev. William Thorne John Mills Hobson's Choice Will Mossop David Niven Carrington V.C. Charles "Copper" Carrington Donald Wolfit Svengali Svengali Best Foreign Actor Marlon Brando † On the Waterfront Terry Malloy Neville Brand Riot in Cell Block 11 James V. Dunn José Ferrer The Caine Mutiny Barney Greenwald Fredric March Executive Suite Loren Phineas Shaw James Stewart The Glenn Miller Story Glenn Miller Best British Actor Laurence Olivier Richard III Richard, Duke of Gloucester Alfie Bass The Bespoke Overcoat Fender Alec GuinnessThe Prisoner The Cardinal Jack Hawkins The Interrogator Kenneth More The Deep Blue Sea Freddie Page Michael Redgrave The Night My Number Came Up Air Mshl. Hardie Best Foreign Actor Ernest Borgnine † Marty Marty Piletti James Dean East of Eden Cal Trask Jack Lemmon Mister Roberts Frank Thurlowe Pulver Toshiro MifuneSeven Samurai Kikuchiyo Takashi Shimura Kambei Shimada Frank Sinatra Not as a Stranger Alfred Boone Best British Actor Peter Finch A Town Like Alice Joe Harman Jack Hawkins The Long Arm Tom Halliday Kenneth More Reach for the Sky Douglas Bader Best Foreign Actor François Périer Gervaise Henri Coupeau Gunnar Björnstrand Smiles of a Summer Night Fredik Egerman James Dean Rebel Without a Cause Jim Stark Pierre Fresnay The Unfrocked One Maurice Morand William Holden Picnic Hal Carter Karl Malden Baby Doll Archie Lee Meighan Frank Sinatra The Man with the Golden Arm Frankie Machine Spencer Tracy The Mountain Zachary Teller Best British Actor Alec Guinness † The Bridge on the River Kwai Cmdr. Nicholson Peter Finch Windom's Way Alec Windom Trevor Howard Manuela James Prothero Laurence Olivier The Prince and the Showgirl Charles, Prince Regent of Carpathia Michael Redgrave Time Without Pity David Graham Best Foreign Actor Henry Fonda 12 Angry Men Juror 8 Richard Basehart Time Limit Maj. Harry Cargill Pierre Brasseur The Gates of ParisAccording to Ronald Bergan and Robyn Karney in the Bloomsbury Foreign Film Guide (London: Bloomsbury, 1988, p.224) and Melissa E. Biggs (French Films, 1945–1993, Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1996, p.221) the film has these two alternate English titles. The English title used on the original British release is unclear. Juju Tony Curtis Sweet Smell of Success Sidney Falco Jean Gabin La Traversé de Paris Grandgil Robert Mitchum Heaven Knows, Mr Allison Cpl. Allison Sidney Poitier Edge of the City Tommy Tyler Ed Wynn The Great Man Paul Beaseley Best British Actor Trevor Howard The Key Chris Ford Michael Craig Sea of Sand Captain Tim Cotton Laurence Harvey Room at the Top Joe Lampton I. S. Johar Harry Black Bapu Anthony Quayle Ice Cold in Alex Captain van der Poel / Haupt. Otto Lutz Terry-Thomas Tom Thumb Ivan Donald Wolfit Room at the Top Mr. Brown Best Foreign Actor Sidney Poitier The Defiant Ones Noah Cullen Marlon Brando The Young Lions Christian Diestl Tony Curtis The Defiant Ones John "Joker" Jackson Glenn Ford The Sheepman Jason Sweet Curd Jürgens The Enemy Below Kapt. von Stolberg The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Captain Lin Nan Charles Laughton Witness for the Prosecution Sir Wilfrid Robarts Paul Newman Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Brick Pollitt Victor Sjöström Wild Strawberries Prof. Isak Borg Spencer Tracy The Last Hurrah Frank Skeffington Best British Actor Peter Sellers I'm All Right Jack Fred Kite Stanley Baker Yesterday's Enemy Captain Langford Richard Burton Look Back in Anger Jimmy Porter Peter Finch The Nun's Story Dr. Fortunati Laurence Harvey Expresso Bongo Johnny Jackson Gordon Jackson Yesterday's Enemy Sgt. MacKenzie Laurence Olivier The Devil's Disciple John Burgoyne Best Foreign Actor Jack Lemmon Some Like It Hot Jerry / "Daphne" Jean DesaillyMaigret Sets a Trap Marcel Maurin Jean Gabin Jules Maigret Takashi Shimura Living Kanji Watanabe James Stewart Anatomy of a Murder Paul Biegler Zbigniew Cybulski Ashes and Diamonds Maciek Chelmicki
1960s Year Actor Film Role (s) Best British Actor Peter Finch The Trials of Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde Alec GuinnessTunes of Glory Maj. Jock Sinclair John Mills Lt. Col. Basil Barrow Richard Attenborough The Angry Silence Tom Curtis John Fraser The Trials of Oscar Wilde Lord Alfred Douglas Laurence Olivier The Entertainer Archie Rice Albert Finney Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Arthur Seaton Best Foreign Actor Jack Lemmon The Apartment C. C. Baxter Burt Lancaster † Elmer Gantry Elmer Gantry Fredric March Inherit the Wind Matthew Harrison Brady Spencer Tracy Inherit the Wind Henry Drummond George Hamilton Crime and Punishment U.S.A. Robert Cole Yves Montand Let's Make Love Jean-Marc Clement / Alexander Dumas Best British Actor Peter Finch No Love for Johnnie Johnnie Byrne Dirk Bogarde Victim Melville Farr Best Foreign Actor Paul Newman The Hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson Montgomery Clift Judgment at Nuremberg Rudolph Petersen Vladimir Ivashov Ballad of a Soldier Pvt. Alyosha Skvortsov Philippe Leroy The Night Watch Manu Borelli Sidney Poitier A Raisin in the Sun Walter Lee Younger Maximilian Schell † Judgment at Nuremberg Hans Rolfe Alberto Sordi The Best of Enemies Captain Blasi Best British Actor Peter O'Toole Lawrence of Arabia T. E. Lawrence Richard Attenborough The Dock Brief Herbert Fowle Alan Bates A Kind of Loving Victor 'Vic' Brown James Mason Lolita Humbert Humbert Laurence Olivier Term of Trial Graham Weir Peter Sellers Only Two Can Play John Lewis Best Foreign Actor Burt Lancaster Birdman of Alcatraz Robert Stroud Jean-Paul Belmondo Léon Morin, Priest Léon Morin Kirk Douglas Lonely are the Brave John W. "Jack" Burns George Hamilton Light in the Piazza Fabrizio Naccarelli Anthony Quinn Lawrence of Arabia Auda ibu Tayi Robert Ryan Billy Budd John Claggart Georges Wilson The Long Absence The Tramp Charles Laughton Advise and Consent Sen. Seabright "Seeb" Cooley Best British Actor Dirk Bogarde The Servant Hugo Barrett Albert FinneyTom Jones Tom Jones Hugh Griffith Squire Western Richard Harris This Sporting Life Frank Machin Tom Courtenay Billy Liar William Terrence 'Billy' Fisher Best Foreign Actor Marcello Mastroianni Divorce Italian Style Ferdinando Cefalù Franco Citti Accattone Vittorio "Accattone" Cataldi Howard Da Silva David and Lisa Dr. Swinford Jack Lemmon Days of Wine and Roses Joe Clay Paul Newman Hud Hud Bannon Gregory Peck † To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch Best British Actor Richard Attenborough Guns at Batasi RSM Lauderdale Seance on a Wet Afternoon Billy Savage Peter Sellers Dr. Strangelove Gp Capt. Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley & Dr. Strangelove The Pink Panther Inspector Jacques Clouseau Tom Courtenay King & Country Pvt. Arthur Hamp Peter O'Toole Becket King Henry II Best Foreign Actor Marcello Mastroianni Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Carmine Sbaratti / Renzo / Augusto Rusconi Cary Grant Charade Peter Joshua Sterling Hayden Dr. Strangelove BG Jack D. Ripper Sidney Poitier † Lilies of the Field Homer Smith Best British Actor Dirk Bogarde Darling Robert Gold Harry Andrews The Hill RSM Wilson Michael Caine The Ipcress File Harry Palmer Rex Harrison † My Fair Lady Prof. Henry Higgins Best Foreign Actor Lee Marvin Cat Ballou Kid Shelleen & Tim Strawn The Killers Charlie Strom Jack Lemmon Good Neighbor Sam Sam Bissell How to Murder Your Wife Stanley Ford Anthony Quinn Zorba the Greek Alexis Zorba Innokenty Smoktunovsky Hamlet Prince Hamlet Oskar Werner Ship of Fools Dr. Wilhelm "Willi" Schumann Best British Actor Richard Burton The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Alec Leamas Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? George Ralph Richardson Doctor Zhivago Alexander Maximovich Gromeko Khartoum William Ewart Gladstone The Wrong Box Joseph Finsbury Michael Caine Alfie Alfred "Alfie" Elkins David Warner Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment Morgan Delt Best Foreign Actor Rod Steiger The Pawnbroker Sol Nazerman Sidney Poitier A Patch of Blue Gordon Ralfe Jean-Paul Belmondo Pierrot le Fou Ferdinand Griffon / "Pierrot" Oskar Werner The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Fiedler Best British Actor Paul Scofield † A Man for All Seasons Sir Thomas More Dirk Bogarde Accident Stephen Our Mother's House Charlie Hook Richard Burton The Taming of the Shrew Petruchio James Mason The Deadly Affair Charles Dobbs Best Foreign Actor Rod Steiger † In the Heat of the Night Police Chief Bill Gillespie Warren Beatty Bonnie and Clyde Clyde Barrow Sidney Poitier In the Heat of the Night Detective Virgil Tibbs Orson Welles Chimes at Midnight Sir John Falstaff Best Actor Spencer Tracy Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Matt Drayton Ron Moody Oliver! Fagin Nicol Williamson The Bofors Gun Gunner O'Rourke Trevor Howard The Charge of the Light Brigade Lord Cardigan Dustin Hoffman John and Mary John Midnight Cowboy Enrico Salvatore "Ratso" Rizzo Walter Matthau Hello, Dolly! Horace Vandergelder The Secret Life of an American Wife The Movie Star Alan Bates Women in Love Rupert Birkin Nicol Williamson Inadmissible Evidence Bill Maitland
1970s