Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor

The Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor is an award presented since 1955 by The Standard in recognition of achievement in London theatre. Richard Burton was the inaugural winner of the award. The most recent recipient is Andrew Scott.

Simon Russell Beale has won the award the most frequently, with four separate wins. Albert Finney, Ian Holm, Alec McCowen, Laurence Olivier, and Paul Scofield have each won the award thrice, while thirteen other actors have won twice. Chiwetel Ejiofor was the first black actor to win, and Adrian Lester was the second. Two instances have occurred where two actors have been awarded as winners from the same play: In 2011, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller from Frankenstein; and again in 2013, Rory Kinnear and Lester from Othello. 2001 was the first year in which additional runner-ups/nominees were recognized, rather than just the winners as in all the years' prior.

Winners and nominees

1950s YearActorWorkCharacter1955Richard BurtonHenry VHenry V1956Paul ScofieldThe Power and the GloryThe Priest1957Laurence OlivierThe EntertainerArchie Rice1958Michael RedgraveA Touch of the SunPhilip Lester1959Eric PorterRosmersholmJohn Rosmer

1960s YearActorWorkCharacter1960Alec GuinnessRossT. E. LawrenceRex HarrisonPlatonovMikhail Platonov1961Christopher PlummerBecketHenry II1962Paul ScofieldKing LearKing Lear1963Michael RedgraveUncle VanyaUncle Vanya1964Nicol WilliamsonInadmissible EvidenceBill Maitland1965Ian HolmHenry VHenry V1966Albert FinneyA Flea in Her EarVictor Emmanuel Chandebise1967Laurence OlivierDance of DeathEdgar1968Alec McCowenHadrian VIIFrederick Rolfe1969Nicol WilliamsonHamletHamlet

1970s YearActorWorkCharacter1970John GielgudHomeHarryRalph RichardsonJack1971Alan BatesButleyBen Butley1972Laurence OlivierLong Day's Journey into NightJames Tyrone1973Alec McCowenThe MisanthropeAlceste1974John WoodTravestiesHenry Carr1975John GielgudNo Man's LandSpooner1976Albert FinneyTamburlaine the GreatTamburlaine1977Donald SindenKing LearKing Lear1978Alan HowardCoriolanusCoriolanus1979Warren MitchellDeath of a SalesmanWilly Loman

1980s YearActorWorkCharacter1980Tom CourtenayThe DresserNorman1981Alan HowardGoodJohn Halder1982Alec McCowenThe Portage to San Cristobal of A.H.Adolf Hitler1983Derek JacobiMuch Ado About NothingBenedick1984Ian McKellenCoriolanusCoriolanus1985Antony SherRichard IIIRichard III1986Albert FinneyOrphansHarold1987Michael GambonA View from the BridgeEddie Carbone1988Eric PorterCat on a Hot Tin RoofBig Daddy1989Ian McKellenOthelloIago

1990s YearActorWorkCharacter1990Richard HarrisHenry IVHenry IV1991John WoodKing LearKing Lear1992Nigel HawthorneThe Madness of George IIIGeorge III1993Ian HolmMoonlightAndy1994Tom CourtenayMoscow StationsVenichka Yerofeev1995Michael GambonVolponeVolpone1996Paul ScofieldJohn Gabriel BorkmanJohn Gabriel Borkman1997Ian HolmKing LearKing Lear1998Kevin SpaceyThe Iceman ComethTheodore "Hickey" Hickman1999Stephen DillaneThe Real ThingHenry

2000s YearActorWorkCharacter2000Simon Russell BealeHamletPrince Hamlet2001Alex JenningsThe Relapse and The Winter's TaleLord Foppington and LeontesWilliam HoustonHenry IV, Part 1 and Part 2 and Henry VPrince Hal and Henry VAlan RickmanPrivate LivesElyot Chase2002Simon Russell BealeTwelfth Night and Uncle VanyaMalvolio and Uncle VanyaDaniel CraigA NumberBernard 1, Bernard 2, and Michael BlackTom GeorgesonFrozenRalph Wantage2003Michael SheenCaligulaCaligulaKenneth BranaghEdmondEdmond BurkeWarren MitchellThe PriceGregory Solomon2004Richard GriffithsThe History BoysDouglas HectorDouglas HodgeDumb ShowBarryStanley TownsendShining CityJohn2005Simon Russell BealeThe PhilanthropistPhilipBrian DennehyDeath of a SalesmanWilly LomanDerek JacobiDon CarlosPhilip II of Spain2006Rufus SewellRock 'n' RollJanBill IrwinWho’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?GeorgeMichael SheenFrost/NixonDavid FrostKevin SpaceyA Moon for the MisbegottenJim Tyrone2007Patrick StewartMacbethMacbethCharles DanceShadowlandsC.S. LewisRobert LindsayThe EntertainerArchie RiceMark RylanceBoeing BoeingRobert2008Chiwetel EjioforOthelloOthelloKenneth BranaghIvanovIvanovDavid CalderKing LearKing Lear2009Mark RylanceJerusalemJohnny "Rooster" ByronSimon Russell BealeThe Winter's TaleLeontesKen StottA View from the BridgeEddie CarboneSamuel WestENRONJeffrey Skilling

2010s YearActorWorkCharacter2010Rory KinnearHamlet and Measure For MeasureHamlet and AngeloRoger AllamHenry IV, Parts 1 and 2FalstaffDavid SuchetAll My SonsJoe Keller2011Benedict CumberbatchFrankensteinThe Creature / Victor FrankensteinJonny Lee MillerBertie CarvelMatilda the MusicalMiss TrunchbullCharles EdwardsMuch Ado About NothingBenedick2012Simon Russell BealeCollaboratorsJoseph StalinCharles EdwardsThe King's Speech and This HouseGeorge VI and Jack WeatherillAdrian LesterRed VelvetIra AldridgeLuke TreadawayThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimeChristopher Boone2013Rory KinnearOthelloIagoAdrian LesterOthelloChiwetel EjioforA Season in the CongoPatrice Lumumba2014Tom HiddlestonCoriolanusCoriolanusBen MilesWolf Hall and Bring Up the BodiesThomas CromwellMark StrongA View from the BridgeEddie Carbone2015James McAvoyThe Ruling ClassJack GurneyKenneth CranhamThe FatherAndreRalph FiennesMan and SupermanJack TannerSimon Russell BealeTempleThe Dean2016Ralph FiennesThe Master Builder and Richard IIIHalvard Solness and Richard IIIKenneth BranaghThe EntertainerArchie RiceO. T. FagbenleMa Rainey’s Black BottomLeveeJames McArdlePlatonovMikhail PlatonovIan McKellenNo Man's LandSpooner2017Andrew GarfieldAngels in AmericaPrior WalterBertie CarvelInkRupert MurdochAndrew ScottHamletHamlet2018Ralph FiennesAntony and Cleopatra Mark AntonyBryan CranstonNetworkHoward BealeIan McKellenKing LearKing LearColin MorganTranslationsOwenKyle SollerThe InheritanceEric Glass2019Andrew ScottPresent LaughterGarry EssendineK. Todd FreemanDownstateDeeFrancis GuinanFredTom HiddlestonBetrayalRobertWendell PierceDeath of a SalesmanWilly Loman

2020s YearActorWorkCharacter2022James McAvoyCyrano de BergeracCyranoPaapa EssieduA NumberVariousShubham SarafThe Father and the AssassinNathuram GodseLennie JamesA NumberSalterGiles TereraBlues for an Alabama SkyGuy Jacobs2023Andrew ScottVanyaVariousPaapa EssieduThe Effect TristanMark GatissThe Motive and the CueSir John GielgudPaul MescalA Streetcar Named DesireStanley Kowalski2025Brendan GleesonThe WeirJackJonathan BaileyRichard IIRichard IITom HiddlestonMuch Ado About NothingBenedickMichael ShannonA Moon for the MisbegottenJames Tyrone Jr.David ShieldsPunchJacob Dunne

Multiple awards and nominations

Awards 4 wins Simon Russell Beale 3 wins Albert Finney Ian Holm Alec McCowen Laurence Olivier Paul Scofield

2 wins Tom Courtenay Ralph Fiennes Michael Gambon John Gielgud Alan Howard Rory Kinnear James McAvoy Ian McKellen Eric Porter Michael Redgrave Andrew Scott Nicol Williamson John Wood

Nominations 6 nominations Simon Russell Beale

3 nominations Kenneth Branagh Tom Hiddleston Andrew Scott 2 nominations Bertie Carvel Paapa Essiedu Charles Edwards James McAvoy Ian McKellen

See also Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actor Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play

References

External links Evening Standard Theatre Award Winners 1980-2003 Evening Standard Theatre Awards 1955-2000