The Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Motion Picture (formerly Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role) is an award presented annually by the Screen Actors Guild. It has been presented since the 1st Screen Actors Guild Awards in 1995 to a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year.
This award has been presented 30 times, and 28 actors have won the award. Tom Hanks was the award's first winner for Forrest Gump (1994). The most recent winner is Michael B. Jordan, who won for his dual role as the Smokestack Twins in Sinners (2025). Daniel Day-Lewis has won the award three times; no other actor has won it more than once. Leonardo DiCaprio and Denzel Washington have the most nominations with six each. Timothée Chalamet and Washington are the youngest and oldest winners of this category, respectively.
Winners and nominees
+ Table key Indicates the winner Indicates a posthumous winner Indicates a posthumous nominee Indicates the Academy Award winner
1990s Year Actor Film Role(s) 1994(1st) Tom Hanks Forrest Gump Forrest Gump Morgan Freeman The Shawshank Redemption Ellis "Red" Redding Paul Newman Nobody's Fool Donald "Sully" Sullivan Tim Robbins The Shawshank Redemption Andy Dufresne John Travolta Pulp Fiction Vincent Vega 1995(2nd) Nicolas Cage Leaving Las Vegas Ben Sanderson Anthony Hopkins Nixon Richard Nixon James Earl Jones Cry, the Beloved Country Rev. Stephen Kumalo Sean Penn Dead Man Walking Matthew Poncelet Massimo Troisi Il Postino: The Postman Mario Ruoppolo 1996(3rd) Geoffrey Rush Shine David Helfgott Tom Cruise Jerry Maguire Jerry Maguire Ralph Fiennes The English Patient László Almásy Woody Harrelson The People vs. Larry Flynt Larry Flynt Billy Bob Thornton Sling Blade Karl Childers 1997(4th) Jack Nicholson As Good as It Gets Melvin Udall Matt Damon Good Will Hunting Will Hunting Robert Duvall The Apostle Euliss "Sonny" Dewey Peter Fonda Ulee's Gold Ulysses "Ulee" Jackson Dustin Hoffman Wag the Dog Stanley Motss 1998(5th) Roberto Benigni Life Is Beautiful Guido Orefice Joseph Fiennes Shakespeare in Love William Shakespeare Tom Hanks Saving Private Ryan Capt. John H. Miller Ian McKellen Gods and Monsters James Whale Nick Nolte Affliction Wade Whitehouse 1999(6th) Kevin Spacey American Beauty Lester Burnham Jim Carrey Man on the Moon Andy Kaufman Russell Crowe The Insider Jeffrey Wigand Philip Seymour Hoffman Flawless Rusty Denzel Washington The Hurricane Rubin "Hurricane" Carter
2000s Year Actor Film Role(s) 2000(7th) Benicio del Toro won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Traffic Javier Rodriguez Jamie Bell Billy Elliot Billy Elliot Russell Crowe Gladiator Maximus Decimus Meridius Tom Hanks Cast Away Chuck Noland Geoffrey Rush Quills Marquis de Sade 2001(8th) Russell Crowe A Beautiful Mind John Forbes Nash Jr. Kevin Kline Life as a House George Monroe Sean Penn I Am Sam Sam Dawson Denzel Washington Training Day Alonzo Harris Tom Wilkinson In the Bedroom Matt Fowler 2002(9th) Daniel Day-Lewis Gangs of New York William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting Adrien Brody The Pianist Władysław "Wladek" Szpilman Nicolas Cage Adaptation. Charlie Kaufman / Donald Kaufman Richard Gere Chicago Billy Flynn Jack Nicholson About Schmidt Warren Schmidt 2003(10th) Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Captain Jack Sparrow Peter Dinklage The Station Agent Finbar McBride Ben Kingsley House of Sand and Fog Colonel Massoud Amir Behrani Bill Murray Lost in Translation Bob Harris Sean Penn Mystic River Jimmy Markum 2004(11th) Jamie Foxx Ray Ray Charles Don Cheadle Hotel Rwanda Paul Rusesabagina Johnny Depp Finding Neverland J. M. Barrie Leonardo DiCaprio The Aviator Howard Hughes Paul Giamatti Sideways Miles Raymond 2005(12th) Philip Seymour Hoffman Capote Truman Capote Russell Crowe Cinderella Man Jim Braddock Heath Ledger Brokeback Mountain Ennis Del Mar Joaquin Phoenix Walk the Line Johnny Cash David Strathairn Good Night, and Good Luck. Edward R. Murrow 2006(13th) Forest Whitaker The Last King of Scotland Idi Amin Leonardo DiCaprio Blood Diamond Danny Archer Ryan Gosling Half Nelson Dan Dunne Peter O'Toole Venus Maurice Russell Will Smith The Pursuit of Happyness Chris Gardner 2007(14th) Daniel Day-Lewis There Will Be Blood Daniel Plainview George Clooney Michael Clayton Michael Clayton Ryan Gosling Lars and the Real Girl Lars Lindstrom Emile Hirsch Into the Wild Christopher McCandless Viggo Mortensen Eastern Promises Nikolai Luzhin 2008(15th) Sean Penn Milk Harvey Milk Richard Jenkins The Visitor Walter Vale Frank Langella Frost/Nixon Richard Nixon Brad Pitt The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Benjamin Button Mickey Rourke The Wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson 2009(16th) Jeff Bridges Crazy Heart Otis "Bad" Blake George Clooney Up in the Air Ryan Bingham Colin Firth A Single Man George Falconer Morgan Freeman Invictus Nelson Mandela Jeremy Renner The Hurt Locker Staff Sgt. First Class William James
2010s Year Actor Film Role(s) 2010(17th) Colin Firth The King's Speech King George VI Jeff Bridges True Grit Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn Robert Duvall Get Low Felix Bush Jesse Eisenberg The Social Network Mark Zuckerberg James Franco 127 Hours Aron Ralston 2011(18th) Jean Dujardin The Artist George Valentin Demián Bichir A Better Life Carlos Galindo George Clooney The Descendants Matt King Leonardo DiCaprio J. Edgar J. Edgar Hoover Brad Pitt Moneyball Billy Beane 2012(19th) Daniel Day-Lewis Lincoln Abraham Lincoln Bradley Cooper Silver Linings Playbook Patrizio "Pat" Solitano, Jr. John Hawkes The Sessions Mark O'Brien Hugh Jackman Les Misérables Jean Valjean Denzel Washington Flight William "Whip" Whitaker, Sr. 2013(20th) Matthew McConaughey Dallas Buyers Club Ron Woodroof Bruce Dern Nebraska Woodrow "Woody" Grant Chiwetel Ejiofor 12 Years a Slave Solomon Northup Tom Hanks Captain Phillips Richard Phillips Forest Whitaker The Butler Cecil Gaines 2014(21st) Eddie Redmayne The Theory of Everything Stephen Hawking Steve Carell Foxcatcher John Eleuthère du Pont Benedict Cumberbatch The Imitation Game Alan Turing Jake Gyllenhaal Nightcrawler Louis "Lou" Bloom Michael Keaton Birdman Riggan Thomson 2015(22nd) Leonardo DiCaprio The Revenant Hugh Glass Bryan Cranston Trumbo Dalton Trumbo Johnny Depp Black Mass Whitey Bulger Michael Fassbender Steve Jobs Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne The Danish Girl Lili Elbe / Einar Wegener 2016(23rd) Denzel Washington Fences Troy Maxson Casey Affleck Manchester by the Sea Lee Chandler Ryan Gosling La La Land Sebastian Wilder Andrew Garfield Hacksaw Ridge Desmond T. Doss Viggo Mortensen Captain Fantastic Ben Cash 2017(24th) Gary Oldman Darkest Hour Winston Churchill Timothée Chalamet Call Me by Your Name Elio Perlman James Franco The Disaster Artist Tommy Wiseau Daniel Kaluuya Get Out Chris Washington Denzel Washington Roman J. Israel, Esq. Roman J. Israel 2018(25th) Rami Malek Bohemian Rhapsody Freddie Mercury Christian Bale Vice Dick Cheney Bradley Cooper A Star Is Born Jackson Maine Viggo Mortensen Green Book Tony Lip John David Washington BlacKkKlansman Ron Stallworth 2019(26th) Joaquin Phoenix Joker Arthur Fleck / Joker Christian Bale Ford v Ferrari Ken Miles Leonardo DiCaprio Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Rick Dalton Adam Driver Marriage Story Charlie Barber Taron Egerton Rocketman Elton John
2020s Year Actor Film Role(s) 2020(27th) Chadwick Boseman Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Levee Green Riz Ahmed Sound of Metal Ruben Stone Anthony Hopkins The Father Anthony Gary Oldman Mank Herman J. Mankiewicz Steven Yeun Minari Jacob Yi 2021(28th) Will Smith King Richard Richard Williams Javier Bardem Being the Ricardos Desi Arnaz Benedict Cumberbatch The Power of the Dog Phil Burbank Andrew Garfield Tick, Tick...Boom! Jonathan Larson Denzel Washington The Tragedy of Macbeth Lord Macbeth 2022(29th) Brendan Fraser The Whale Charlie Austin Butler Elvis Elvis Presley Colin Farrell The Banshees of Inisherin Pádraic Súilleabháin Bill Nighy Living Rodney Williams Adam Sandler Hustle Stanley Sugerman 2023(30th) Cillian Murphy Oppenheimer J. Robert Oppenheimer Bradley Cooper Maestro Leonard Bernstein Colman Domingo Rustin Bayard Rustin Paul Giamatti The Holdovers Paul Hunham Jeffrey Wright American Fiction Thelonious "Monk" Ellison 2024(31st) Timothée Chalamet A Complete Unknown Bob Dylan Adrien Brody The Brutalist László Tóth Daniel Craig Queer William Lee Colman Domingo Sing Sing John "Divine G" Whitfield Ralph Fiennes Conclave Thomas Cardinal Lawrence 2025(32nd) Michael B. Jordan Sinners Elijah "Smoke" Moore / Elias "Stack" Moore Timothée Chalamet Marty Supreme Marty Mauser Leonardo DiCaprio One Battle After Another Bob Ferguson Ethan Hawke Blue Moon Lorenz Hart Jesse Plemons Bugonia Teddy Gatz
Superlatives Superlative Leading Actor Supporting Actor Overall Actor with most awards Daniel Day-Lewis 3 Mahershala Ali 2 Daniel Day-Lewis 3 Actor with most nominations Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington 6 Chris Cooper, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto 3 Leonardo DiCaprio 7 Actor with most nominations without ever winning George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, Viggo Mortensen 3 Chris Cooper, Willem Dafoe 3 George Clooney, Ryan Gosling 4 Film with most nominations The Shawshank Redemption2 The Banshees of Inisherin, The Birdcage, The Contender, Crash, The Irishman, No Country for Old Men, One Battle After Another, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 2 The Banshees of Inisherin, One Battle After Another 3 Oldest Winner Denzel Washington (Fences, 2017) 62 Christopher Plummer (Beginners, 2012) 82 Christopher Plummer (Beginners, 2012) 82 Oldest Nominee Anthony Hopkins (The Father, 2021) 83 Robert Duvall (The Judge, 2015) 83 Robert Duvall (The Judge, 2015) 83 Youngest Winner Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown, 2025) 29 Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight, 2009) 28 Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight, 2009) 28 Youngest Nominee Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, 2001) 14 Jacob Tremblay (Room, 2016) 9 Jacob Tremblay (Room, 2016) 9
Multiple winners Three wins Daniel Day-Lewis (2002, 2007, 2012)
Multiple nominees Note: Winners are indicated in bold type.
Two nominations Christian Bale (Vice (2018), Ford v Ferrari (2019)) Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart (2009), True Grit (2010)) Adrien Brody (The Pianist (2002), The Brutalist (2024)) Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Adaptation. (2002)) Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game (2014), The Power of the Dog (2021)) Colman Domingo (Rustin (2023), Sing Sing (2024)) Robert Duvall (The Apostle (1997), Get Low (2010)) Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient (1996), Conclave (2024)) Colin Firth (A Single Man (2009), The King's Speech (2010)) James Franco (127 Hours (2010), The Disaster Artist (2017)) Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Invictus (2009)) Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge (2016), Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021)) Paul Giamatti (Sideways (2004), The Holdovers (2023)) Philip Seymour Hoffman (Flawless (1999), Capote (2005)) Anthony Hopkins (Nixon (1995), The Father (2020)) Jack Nicholson (As Good as It Gets (1997), About Schmidt (2002)) Gary Oldman (The Darkest Hour (2017), Mank (2020)) Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything (2014), The Danish Girl (2015)) Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line (2005), Joker (2019)) Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Moneyball (2011)) Geoffrey Rush (Shine (1996), Quills (2000)) Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), King Richard (2021)) Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland (2006), The Butler (2013))
Three nominations Timothée Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name (2017), A Complete Unknown (2024), Marty Supreme (2025)) George Clooney (Michael Clayton (2007), Up in the Air (2009), The Descendants (2011)) Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook (2012), A Star is Born (2018), Maestro (2023)) Daniel Day-Lewis (Gangs of New York (2002), There Will Be Blood (2007), Lincoln (2012))