The AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role is an award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television." The award is presented at the annual AACTA Awards, which hand out accolades for achievements in feature film, television, documentaries and short films. From 1971 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards). When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current award being a continuation of the AFI Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
From 1971 up until 1975, the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress were awarded in a single category for Best Performance.1971–1975 awards: 1971: 1972: 1973: 1974–75: In 1971 the prize was given to Monica Maughan over fellow nominee Peter Cummins, who received a special mention for his performances in the films Some Regrets, The Hot Centre of the World (1971 short film), Bonjour Balwyn and Carson's Watermelons. From 1972 to 1975, the single award was handed out to the best actor and actress of the respective award giving years, with honourable mentions made to supporting casts. From 1976 to the present, the accolade has been handed out as a separate award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Candidates for this award must be human and male, and cannot be nominated for the same role in the supporting actor category.
Winners and nominees Year Actor Film Role 1970s1972Bruce SpenceStorkGraham 'Stork' Wallace1973Robert McDarra27ABill1974N/AN/AN/A1975Jack ThompsonSunday Too Far AwayFoleyMartin VaughanBilly and PercyBilly Hughes1976Simon BurkeThe Devil's PlaygroundTom AllenNick TateBrother VictorArthur DignamThe Devil's PlaygroundBrother FrancineGeorge MallabyEnd PlayRobert Gifford1977John MeillonThe Fourth WishCaseyNoel FerrierEliza FraserCaptain James FraserDavid GulpililStorm BoyFingerbone BillJohn MeillonThe Picture Show ManMr. Pym1978Bill HunterNewsfrontLen MaguireRichard ChamberlainThe Last WaveDavid BurtonRobert HelpmannThe Mango TreeThe ProfessorJohn WatersWeekend of ShadowsRabbit1979Mel GibsonTimTim MelvilleAlan CassellCathy's ChildDick WordleyRichard MoirIn Search of AnnaTonyMichael PrestonThe Last of the KnucklemenPansy 1980s1980Jack ThompsonBreaker MorantCapt. Alfred TaylorBryan BrownStirChina JacksonMax PhippsNortonEdward WoodwardBreaker MorantLt. Harry "Breaker" Morant1981Mel GibsonGallipoliFrank DunneJohn HargreavesHoodwinkMartin StangGraham KennedyThe ClubTed ParkerMark LeeGallipoliArchy Hamilton1982Ray BarrettGoodbye ParadiseMichael StacyVince ColosimoMoving OutGinoNorman KayeLonely HeartsPeter ThompsonWilliam Henry KerrDustyTom Lincoln1983Norman KayeMan of FlowersCharles BremerMel GibsonThe Year of Living DangerouslyGuy HamiltonNicholas GledhillCareful, He Might Hear YouPSMartin VaughanPhar LapHarry Telford1984John HargreavesMy First WifeJohnDrew ForsytheAnnie's Coming OutDavidChris HaywoodStrikeboundWattie DoigIvar KantsSilver CityJulian1985Chris HaywoodA Street to DieColin TurnerJohn ClaytonUnfinished BusinessGeoffRichard MoirAn Indecent ObsessionLuce DaggettBarry OttoBlissHarry Joy1986Colin FrielsMalcolmMalcolm HughesReb BrownDeath of a SoldierPvt. Edward J. LeonskiRobert MenziesCactusRobertBarry OttoThe More Things Change...Lex1987Leo McKernTravelling NorthFrankBryan BrownThe Umbrella WomanSonny HillsColin FrielsGround ZeroHarvey DentonNoah TaylorThe Year My Voice BrokeDanny1988John WatersBoulevard of Broken DreamsTom GarfieldMark LeeThe Everlasting Secret FamilyYouthHamish McFarlaneThe Navigator: A Medieval OdysseyGriffinSean ScullyPhobiaDavid Simmons1989Sam NeillEvil AngelsMichael ChamberlainMike BishopGhosts... of the Civil DeadDavid YaleJohn HargreavesEmerald CityColinChris HaywoodIslandJanis 1990s1990Max von SydowFatherJoe MullerRussell CroweThe CrossingJohnnyFrankie J. HoldenReturn HomeSteveBen MendelsohnThe Big StealDanny Clark1991Hugo WeavingProofMartinColin FrielsDingoJohn AndersonBen MendelsohnSpotswoodCareySam NeillDeath in BrunswickCarl Fitzgerald1992Russell CroweRomper StomperHandoLothaire BluteauBlack RobeLaForgueBruno GanzThe Last Days of Chez NousJPPaul MercurioStrictly BallroomScott Hastings1993Harvey KeitelThe PianoGeorge BainesMatthew FergusonOn My OwnSimon HendersonAnthony LaPagliaThe CustodianDet. Sgt. James QuinlanJohn MooreBlackfellasDoug Dooligan1994Nicholas HopeBad Boy BubbyBubbyJohn HargreavesCountry LifeJack DickensTerence StampThe Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the DesertRalph Waite/Bernadette BassingerHugo WeavingAnthony "Tick" Belrose/Mitzi Del Bra1995John LynchAngel BabyHarryJohn JarrattAll Men Are LiarsBarryJohn MooreThe Life of Harry DareHarry DareAden YoungMetal SkinJoe1996Geoffrey RushShineAdult David HelfgottJohn BrumptonLifeDesNoah TaylorShineAdolescent David HelfgottAden YoungRiver StreetBen Egan1997Richard RoxburghDoing Time for Patsy ClineBoydMichael CatonThe CastleDarryl KerriganMatt DayKiss or KillAl FletcherJeremy SimsIdiot BoxMick1998Hugo WeavingThe InterviewEddie Rodney FlemingRay BarrettIn the Winter DarkMaurice StubbsAlex DimitriadesHead OnAriDavid WenhamThe BoysBrett Sprague1999Russell DykstraSoft FruitBoHugh JackmanErskineville KingsWaceHeath LedgerTwo HandsJimmyRichard RoxburghPassionPercy Grainger 2000s2000Eric BanaChopperMark "Chopper" ReadSteve Bastoni15 AmoreAlfredoDavid WenhamBetter Than SexJoshSam WorthingtonBootmenMitchell Okden2001Anthony LaPagliaLantanaLeon ZatEwan McGregorMoulin Rouge!ChristianBen MendelsohnMulletEddie 'Mullet' MaloneyDavid WenhamThe BankJim Doyle2002David GulpililThe TrackerThe TrackerVince ColosimoWalking on WaterCharlieGeoffrey RushSwimming UpstreamHarold FingletonDavid WenhamMolokaiFather Damien2003David WenhamGettin' SquareJohnny Francis 'Spit' SpitieriHeath LedgerNed KellyNed KellyTimothy SpallGettin' SquareDarren 'Dabba' BarringtonGotaro TsunashimaJapanese StoryHiromitsu Tachibana2004Sam WorthingtonSomersaultJoeColin FrielsTom WhiteTom WhiteKevin HarringtonThe Honourable Wally NormanWally NormanDan SpielmanOne Perfect DayTommy Matisse2005Hugo WeavingLittle FishLionel DawsonWilliam McInnesLook Both WaysNickGuy PearceThe PropositionCharlie BurnsRay WinstoneCaptain Morris Stanley2006Shane JacobsonKennyKenny SmythGabriel ByrneJindabyneStewartHeath LedgerCandyDanSteve Le MarquandLast Train to FreoThe tall thug2007Eric BanaRomulus, My FatherRomulusBrendan CowellNoiseGraham McGahanJoel LokThe Home Song StoriesTomKodi Smit-McPheeRomulus, My FatherRaimond2008William McInnesUnfinished SkyJohn WoldringGuy PearceDeath Defying ActsHarry HoudiniDavid RobertsThe SquareRaymond YaleRhys WakefieldThe Black BalloonThomas Mollison2009Anthony LaPagliaBaliboRoger EastRowan McNamaraSamson and DelilahSamsonBen MendelsohnBeautiful KateNed KendallHugo WeavingLast RideKev 2010s2010Ben MendelsohnAnimal KingdomAndrew 'Pope' CodyBrendan CowellBeneath Hill 60Oliver WoodwardJames FrechevilleAnimal KingdomJoshua 'J' CodyClive OwenThe Boys Are BackJoe Warr AACTA Awards2011(1st)Daniel HenshallSnowtownJohn BuntingWillem DafoeThe HunterMartin DavidGeoffrey RushThe Eye of the StormBasil HunterDavid WenhamOranges and SunshineLen2012(2nd)Chris O'DowdThe SapphiresDave LovelaceJoel EdgertonWish You Were HereDave FlanneryMatthew GoodeBurning ManTomGuy Pearce33 PostcardsDean Randall2013(3rd)Leonardo DiCaprioThe Great GatsbyJay GatsbySitthiphon DisamoeThe RocketAhloEwen LeslieDead EuropeIsaacHugo WeavingThe TurningBob Lang2014(4th)David GulpililCharlie's CountryCharlieRussell CroweThe Water DivinerJoshua ConnorDamon HerrimanThe Little DeathDanGuy PearceThe RoverEric2015(5th)Michael CatonLast Cab to DarwinRex Patrick Brammall Ruben Guthrie Ruben GuthrieRyan CorrHolding the ManTimothy ConigraveSullivan StapletonCut Snake Pommie2016(6th)Andrew GarfieldHacksaw RidgeDesmond Doss John BrumptonPawno Les Underwood Damian Hill Danny Williamson Ewen Leslie The Daughter Oliver2017(7th)Sunny PawarLionYoung Saroo Brierley Stephen Curry Hounds of Love John White Ewen Leslie The Butterfly Tree Al Osamah Sami Ali's Wedding AliHamilton MorrisSweet CountrySam KellyRyan Corr1%President PaddoLucas HedgesBoy ErasedJared EamonsDamian HillWest of SunshineJimDaniel MonksPulseOlly2019(9th)Damon HerrimanJudy and PunchPunchTimothée ChalametThe KingKing Henry VBaykali GanambarrThe Nightingale"Billy" MangalaDev PatelHotel MumbaiArjunHugo WeavingHearts and BonesDan Fisher 2020s2020(10th)Toby WallaceBabyteethMosesGeorge MacKayTrue History of the Kelly GangNed KellySam NeillRamsColinRichard RoxburghH is for HappinessJim PheeHugo WeavingMeasure for MeasureDuke2021(11th)Caleb Landry JonesNitramNitramSimon BakerHigh GroundTravisEric BanaThe DryAaron FalkAhmed MalekThe FurnaceHanifJacob Junior NayinggulHigh GroundGutjuk2022(12th)Austin ButlerElvisElvis PresleyRob CollinsThe Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson YadakaJoel Edgerton The Stranger Mark FrameIdris ElbaThree Thousand Years of LongingThe DjinnDamon HerrimanNude Tuesday Bruno2023(13th)Aswan ReidThe New BoyNew BoyElias Anton Of an Age Nikola 'Kol' DenicSimon Baker LimboTravis HurleyThom Green Of an AgeAdam DonegalPhoenix Raei The RoosterDanOsamah Sami ShaydaHossein2024(14th)Jonno DaviesBetter ManRobbie WilliamsEric Bana Force of Nature: The Dry 2Aaron FalkDavid Dastmalchian Late Night with the DevilJack DelroyDaniel Henshall How to Make GravyJoeGuy Pearce The ConvertThomas MunroKodi Smit-McPhee Memoir of a SnailGilbert Pudel2025(15th)Richard RoxburghThe CorrespondentPeter GresteBryan Brown The TravellersFredRyan Corr KangarooChris MastermanJai Courtney Dangerous AnimalsTuckerGuy Pearce InsideWarrenDavid Wenham SpitJohnny "Spit" Spitieri
References
External links Afi.org.au — AFI Award Winners AACTA Winners & Nominees