This article lists the winners and nominees for the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Lead Performance. The award recognizes an actor or actress who delivers an outstanding performance in a leading role within the given eligible period.
The award was first presented at the 24th Annual Black Reel Awards as a result of a merger between the Outstanding Actor and Outstanding Actress awards into a single gender-neutral award, with a total of ten nominees being selected. Jeffrey Wright is the inaugural winner for his performance in American Fiction, for which he was also nominated at the Academy Awards.
Winners and nominees 2020s Year Actor Role(s) Film 2024 Jeffrey Wright Thelonious "Monk" Ellison American Fiction Fantasia Barrino Celie Harris-Johnson The Color Purple John Boyega Fontaine / Tyrone They Cloned Tyrone Colman Domingo Bayard Rustin Rustin Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Isabel Wilkerson Origin Jamie Foxx Willie E. Gary The Burial Kelvin Harrison Jr. Chevalier de Saint-Georges Chevalier Michael B. Jordan Adonis Creed Creed III Teyana Taylor Inez de la Paz A Thousand and One Sophie Wilde Mia Talk to Me 2025 Marianne Jean-Baptiste Pansy Deacon Hard Truths Naomi Ackie Frida Blink Twice Ryan Destiny Claressa Shields The Fire Inside Colman Domingo John "Divine G" Whitfield Sing Sing Cynthia Erivo Elphaba Thropp Wicked André Holland Tarrell Exhibiting Forgiveness Regina King Shirley Chisholm Shirley John David Washington Boy Willie The Piano Lesson Kerry Washington Charity Adams The Six Triple Eight Zendaya Tashi Duncan Challengers 2026 Michael B. Jordan Elijah "Smoke" Moore / Elias "Stack" Moore Sinners Danielle Deadwyler Hailey Freeman 40 Acres Cynthia Erivo Elphaba Thropp Wicked: For Good André Holland Roger Love, Brooklyn Chase Infiniti Willa Ferguson One Battle After Another Dwayne Johnson Mark Kerr The Smashing Machine Jonathan Majors Killian Maddox Magazine Dreams Keke Palmer Dreux One of Them Days Tessa Thompson Hedda Gabler Hedda Denzel Washington David King Highest 2 Lowest
Multiple nominations 2 nominations Colman Domingo Cynthia Erivo Michael B. Jordan
Age superlatives
Record Actor Film Age (in years) Oldest winner American Fiction 58 Oldest nominee Highest 2 Lowest 70 Youngest winner Sinners 39 Youngest nominee One Battle After Another 25
References