The IFTA Award for Lead Actor – Drama is an award presented annually by the Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA). It has been presented since the 1st Irish Film & Television Awards ceremony in 2003 to an Irish actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role on television.
The record for most wins is three, held by Aidan Gillen. The record for most nominations is seven, held by David Nesbitt, who has won the award once. Anthony Boyle is the award's most recent winner, for House of Guinness (2025).
Eligibility The award is exclusively open to Irish actors. The rules define an Irish person as follows: Born in Ireland (32 counties) or Have Irish Citizenship or Be full-time resident in Ireland (minimum of 3 years)
Winners and nominees In the following table, the years are listed as the year of television. The first three ceremonies were held at the end of the year, but since the 4th Irish Film & Television Awards the ceremonies have generally been held the following year. As there was no ceremony in 2019, the 16th Irish Film & Television Awards covered a period of two years.
+ Table key ‡ Indicates the winner
2000s Year Actor Programme 2003(1st) Murphy's Law Ros na Rún Bachelors Walk Any Time Now 2004(2nd) Pulling Moves Black Books Wall of Silence 2005(3rd) Pure Mule Love is the Drug Proof Murphy's Law 2006(4th) Rome Showbands Hide & Seek Murphy's Law 2007(5th) Celebration 2008(6th) Whistleblower 2009(7th) Into the Storm In Treatment Five Minutes of Heaven
2010s Year Actor Programme 2010(8th) When Harvey Met Bob Single-Handed Love/Hate 2011(9th) Love/Hate Corp + Anam Trivia 2012(10th) Love/Hate Secret State Hell on Wheels Love/Hate 2013(11th) Quirke Moone Boy Love/Hate 2014(12th) Charlie Peaky Blinders Love/Hate 2015(13th) True Detective Dickensian Poldark Rebellion 2016(14th) Peaky Blinders Poldark Trial of the Century 2017(15th) Peaky Blinders Rellik Line of Duty Mr. Mercedes Get Shorty 2018/19(16th) Black Mirror: Smithereens Fortitude Line of Duty Mr. Mercedes Peaky Blinders Get Shorty
2020s Year Actor Programme 2020/21(17th) Normal People Line of Duty Bloodlands Dead Still 2021/22(18th) Kin Domina Kin Stay Close 2022/23(19th) Holding North Sea Connection Smother 2023(20th) Kin Blue Lights Obituary 2024(21st) Say Nothing Ripley Rivals 2025(22d) House of Guinness MobLand Blue Lights Hidden Assets
Multiple awards and nominations The following individuals have received two or more Lead Actor awards: Wins Actor Nominations 3 Aidan Gillen 4 2 Cillian Murphy Ciarán Hinds 3
The following individuals have received two or more Lead Actor nominations: Nominations Actor 7 David Nesbitt 4 Aidan Gillen Brendan Gleeson Cillian Murphy Chris O'Dowd Jonathan Rhys Meyers Aidan Turner Tom Vaughan-Lawlor 3 Gabriel Byrne Adrian Dunbar Ciarán Hinds 2 Anthony Boyle Liam Cunningham Simon Delaney Dara Devaney Richard Dormer Jamie Dornan Colin Farrell Domhnall Gleeson Sam Keeley Martin McCann Stephen Rea Andrew Scott Robert Sheehan Michael Smiley
References
External links IFTA.ie (official IFTA website)