# Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama

The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama is an award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). This Golden Globe Award honors the best performance by an actor in a drama television series. It was first awarded at the 19th Golden Globe Awards on March 5, 1962 to John Charles Daly and Bob Newhart under the title "Best TV Star – Male". In 1969, the award was presented under the new title "Best TV Actor – Drama"; its current title has been used since 1980. The nominees for the award have been announced annually since 1963.
Hiroyuki Sanada is the current recipient of the award for his portrayal of Lord Yoshii Toranaga in Shōgun. Ed Asner, John Forsythe, Jon Hamm, Hugh Laurie and Telly Savalas have won the most awards in this category, each winning twice. Peter Falk and Tom Selleck have both been nominated seven times each, for their respective roles on Columbo and Magnum, P.I..

## Winners and nominees

Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees.
| Key | Meaning |
| ‡ | Indicates the winning actor. |

### 1960s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| Best TV Star – Male ||||||
| 1961 (19th) |
| 1961 (19th) | John Charles Daly ‡ | John Charles Daly ‡ | John Charles Daly ‡ | John Charles Daly ‡ |
| 1962 (20th) |
| 1962 (20th) | Richard Chamberlain ‡ | James Kildare | Dr. Kildare | NBC |
| 1963 (21st) |
| 1963 (21st) | Mickey Rooney ‡ | Mickey Grady | Mickey | ABC |
| 1963 (21st) | Richard Boone | Various Characters | The Richard Boone Show | NBC |
| 1963 (21st) | Jackie Gleason | Various Characters | American Scene Magazine | CBS |
| 1963 (21st) | Lorne Greene | Ben Cartwright | Bonanza | NBC |
| 1963 (21st) | E.G. Marshall | Lawrence Preston | The Defenders | CBS |
| 1964 (22nd) |
| 1964 (22nd) | Gene Barry ‡ | Amos Burke | Burke's Law | ABC |
| 1964 (22nd) | Richard Crenna | James Slattery | Slattery's People | CBS |
| 1964 (22nd) | James Franciscus | John Novak | Mr. Novak | NBC |
| 1964 (22nd) | David Janssen | Richard Kimble | The Fugitive | ABC |
| 1964 (22nd) | Robert Vaughn | Napoleon Solo | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | NBC |
| 1965 (23rd) |
| 1965 (23rd) | David Janssen ‡ | Richard Kimble | The Fugitive | ABC |
| 1965 (23rd) | Ben Gazzara | Paul Bryan | Run for Your Life | NBC |
| 1965 (23rd) | David McCallum | Illya Kuryakin | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | NBC |
| 1965 (23rd) | Robert Vaughn | Napoleon Solo | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | NBC |
| 1966 (24th) |
| 1966 (24th) | Dean Martin ‡ | Various characters | The Dean Martin Show | NBC |
| 1966 (24th) | Bill Cosby | Alexander Scott | I Spy | NBC |
| 1966 (24th) | Robert Culp | Kelly Robinson | I Spy | NBC |
| 1966 (24th) | Ben Gazzara | Paul Bryan | Run for Your Life | NBC |
| 1966 (24th) | Christopher George | Sam Troy | The Rat Patrol | ABC |
| 1967 (25th) |
| 1967 (25th) | Martin Landau ‡ | Rollin Hand | Mission: Impossible | CBS |
| 1967 (25th) | Brendon Boone | Chief | Garrison's Gorillas | ABC |
| 1967 (25th) | Ben Gazzara | Paul Bryan | Run for Your Life | NBC |
| 1967 (25th) | Dean Martin | Various characters | The Dean Martin Show | NBC |
| 1967 (25th) | Andy Williams | Various characters | The Andy Williams Show | NBC |
| 1968 (26th) |
| 1968 (26th) | Carl Betz ‡ | Clinton Judd | Judd, for the Defense | ABC |
| 1968 (26th) | Raymond Burr | Robert T. Ironside | Ironside | NBC |
| 1968 (26th) | Peter Graves | Jim Phelps | Mission: Impossible | CBS |
| 1968 (26th) | Dean Martin | Various characters | The Dean Martin Show | NBC |
| 1968 (26th) | Efrem Zimbalist Jr. | Lewis Erskine | The F.B.I. | ABC |
| Best TV Actor – Drama ||||||
| 1969 (27th) |
| 1969 (27th) | Mike Connors ‡ | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS |
| 1969 (27th) | Peter Graves | Jim Phelps | Mission: Impossible | CBS |
| 1969 (27th) | Lloyd Haynes | Pete Dixion | Room 222 | ABC |
| 1969 (27th) | Robert Wagner | Alexander Mundy | It Takes a Thief | ABC |
| 1969 (27th) | Robert Young | Dr. Marcus Welby | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC |

### 1970s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| 1970 (28th) |
| 1970 (28th) | Peter Graves ‡ | Jim Phelps | Mission: Impossible | CBS |
| 1970 (28th) | Mike Connors | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS |
| 1970 (28th) | Chad Everett | Dr. Joe Gannon | Medical Center | CBS |
| 1970 (28th) | Burt Reynolds | Lt. Dan August | Dan August | ABC |
| 1970 (28th) | Robert Young | Dr. Marcus Welby | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC |
| 1971 (29th) |
| 1971 (29th) | Robert Young ‡ | Dr. Marcus Welby | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC |
| 1971 (29th) | Raymond Burr | Robert T. Ironside | Ironside | NBC |
| 1971 (29th) | Mike Connors | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS |
| 1971 (29th) | William Conrad | Frank Cannon | Cannon | CBS |
| 1971 (29th) | Peter Falk | Lt. Columbo | Columbo | NBC |
| 1972 (30th) |
| 1972 (30th) | Peter Falk ‡ | Lt. Columbo | Columbo | NBC |
| 1972 (30th) | Mike Connors | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS |
| 1972 (30th) | William Conrad | Frank Cannon | Cannon | CBS |
| 1972 (30th) | Chad Everett | Dr. Joe Gannon | Medical Center | CBS |
| 1972 (30th) | David Hartman | Dr. Paul Hunter | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | NBC |
| 1972 (30th) | Robert Young | Dr. Marcus Welby | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC |
| 1973 (31st) |
| 1973 (31st) | James Stewart ‡ | Billy Jim Hawkins | Hawkins | NBC |
| 1973 (31st) | David Carradine | Kwai Chang Caine | Kung Fu | ABC |
| 1973 (31st) | Mike Connors | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS |
| 1973 (31st) | Peter Falk | Lt. Columbo | Columbo | NBC |
| 1973 (31st) | Richard Thomas | John-Boy Walton | The Waltons | CBS |
| 1973 (31st) | Robert Young | Dr. Marcus Welby | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC |
| 1974 (32nd) |
| 1974 (32nd) | Telly Savalas ‡ | Lt. Theo Kojak | Kojak | CBS |
| 1974 (32nd) | Mike Connors | Joe Mannix | Mannix | CBS |
| 1974 (32nd) | Michael Douglas | Steve Keller | The Streets of San Francisco | ABC |
| 1974 (32nd) | Peter Falk | Lt. Columbo | Columbo | NBC |
| 1974 (32nd) | Richard Thomas | John-Boy Walton | The Waltons | CBS |
| 1975 (33rd) |
| 1975 (33rd) | Robert Blake ‡ | Tony Baretta | Baretta | ABC |
| 1975 (33rd) | Telly Savalas ‡ | Lt. Theo Kojak | Kojak | CBS |
| 1975 (33rd) | Peter Falk | Lt. Columbo | Columbo | NBC |
| 1975 (33rd) | Karl Malden | Mike Stone | The Streets of San Francisco | ABC |
| 1975 (33rd) | Barry Newman | Anthony J. Petrocelli | Petrocelli | NBC |
| 1976 (34th) |
| 1976 (34th) | Richard Jordan ‡ | Joseph Armagh | Captains and the Kings | NBC |
| 1976 (34th) | Lee Majors | Steve Austin | The Six Million Dollar Man | ABC |
| 1976 (34th) | Nick Nolte | Tom Jordache | Rich Man, Poor Man | ABC |
| 1976 (34th) | Telly Savalas | Lt. Theo Kojak | Kojak | CBS |
| 1976 (34th) | Peter Strauss | Rudy Jordache | Rich Man, Poor Man | ABC |
| 1977 (35th) |
| 1977 (35th) | Ed Asner ‡ | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS |
| 1977 (35th) | Robert Conrad | Gregory "Pappy" Boyington | Baa Baa Black Sheep | NBC |
| 1977 (35th) | Peter Falk | Lt. Columbo | Columbo | NBC |
| 1977 (35th) | James Garner | Jim Rockford | The Rockford Files | NBC |
| 1977 (35th) | Telly Savalas | Lt. Theo Kojak | Kojak | CBS |
| 1978 (36th) |
| 1978 (36th) | Michael Moriarty ‡ | Eric Dorf | Holocaust | NBC |
| 1978 (36th) | Ed Asner | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS |
| 1978 (36th) | James Garner | Jim Rockford | The Rockford Files | NBC |
| 1978 (36th) | Richard Hatch | Captain Apollo | Battlestar Galactica | ABC |
| 1978 (36th) | John Houseman | Professor Charles W. Kingsfield, Jr. | The Paper Chase | CBS |
| 1978 (36th) | Michael Landon | Charles Ingalls | Little House on the Prairie | NBC |
| 1979 (37th) |
| 1979 (37th) | Ed Asner ‡ | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS |
| 1979 (37th) | Richard Chamberlain | Alexander McKeag | Centennial | NBC |
| 1979 (37th) | Erik Estrada | Officer Francis Llewellyn 'Ponch' Poncherello | CHiPs | NBC |
| 1979 (37th) | James Garner | Jim Rockford | The Rockford Files | NBC |
| 1979 (37th) | John Houseman | Professor Charles W. Kingsfield, Jr. | The Paper Chase | CBS |
| 1979 (37th) | Martin Sheen | John Dean | Blind Ambition | CBS |
| 1979 (37th) | Robert Urich | Dan Tanna | Vega$ | ABC |
| 1979 (37th) | Robert Wagner | Jonathan Hart | Hart to Hart | ABC |

### 1980s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| 1980 (38th) |
| 1980 (38th) | Richard Chamberlain ‡ | John Blackthorne | Shōgun | NBC |
| 1980 (38th) | Ed Asner | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS |
| 1980 (38th) | Larry Hagman | J. R. Ewing | Dallas | CBS |
| 1980 (38th) | Robert Urich | Dan Tanna | Vega$ | ABC |
| 1980 (38th) | Robert Wagner | Jonathan Hart | Hart to Hart | ABC |
| 1981 (39th) |
| 1981 (39th) | Daniel J. Travanti ‡ | Capt. Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1981 (39th) | Ed Asner | Lou Grant | Lou Grant | CBS |
| 1981 (39th) | John Forsythe | Blake Carrington | Dynasty | ABC |
| 1981 (39th) | Larry Hagman | J. R. Ewing | Dallas | CBS |
| 1981 (39th) | Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS |
| 1982 (40th) |
| 1982 (40th) | John Forsythe ‡ | Blake Carrington | Dynasty | ABC |
| 1982 (40th) | Larry Hagman | J. R. Ewing | Dallas | CBS |
| 1982 (40th) | Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS |
| 1982 (40th) | Daniel J. Travanti | Capt. Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1982 (40th) | Robert Wagner | Jonathan Hart | Hart to Hart | ABC |
| 1983 (41st) |
| 1983 (41st) | John Forsythe ‡ | Blake Carrington | Dynasty | ABC |
| 1983 (41st) | James Brolin | Peter McDermott | Hotel | ABC |
| 1983 (41st) | Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS |
| 1983 (41st) | Daniel J. Travanti | Capt. Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1983 (41st) | Robert Wagner | Jonathan Hart | Hart to Hart | ABC |
| 1984 (42nd) |
| 1984 (42nd) | Tom Selleck ‡ | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS |
| 1984 (42nd) | James Brolin | Peter McDermott | Hotel | ABC |
| 1984 (42nd) | John Forsythe | Blake Carrington | Dynasty | ABC |
| 1984 (42nd) | Larry Hagman | J. R. Ewing | Dallas | CBS |
| 1984 (42nd) | Stacy Keach | Mike Hammer | Mike Hammer | CBS |
| 1984 (42nd) | Daniel J. Travanti | Capt. Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1985 (43rd) |
| 1985 (43rd) | Don Johnson ‡ | Sonny Crockett | Miami Vice | NBC |
| 1985 (43rd) | John Forsythe | Blake Carrington | Dynasty | ABC |
| 1985 (43rd) | Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS |
| 1985 (43rd) | Philip Michael Thomas | Ricardo Tubbs | Miami Vice | NBC |
| 1985 (43rd) | Daniel J. Travanti | Capt. Frank Furillo | Hill Street Blues | NBC |
| 1986 (44th) |
| 1986 (44th) | Edward Woodward ‡ | Robert McCall | The Equalizer | CBS |
| 1986 (44th) | William Devane | Greg Sumner | Knots Landing | CBS |
| 1986 (44th) | John Forsythe | Blake Carrington | Dynasty | ABC |
| 1986 (44th) | Don Johnson | Sonny Crockett | Miami Vice | NBC |
| 1986 (44th) | Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS |
| 1987 (45th) |
| 1987 (45th) | Richard Kiley ‡ | Joe Gardner | A Year in the Life | NBC |
| 1987 (45th) | Harry Hamlin | Michael Kuzak | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1987 (45th) | Tom Selleck | Thomas Magnum | Magnum, P.I. | CBS |
| 1987 (45th) | Michael Tucker | Stuart Markowitz | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1987 (45th) | Edward Woodward | Robert McCall | The Equalizer | CBS |
| 1988 (46th) |
| 1988 (46th) | Ron Perlman ‡ | Vincent | Beauty and the Beast | CBS |
| 1988 (46th) | Corbin Bernsen | Arnie Becker | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1988 (46th) | Harry Hamlin | Michael Kuzak | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1988 (46th) | Carroll O'Connor | Chief Bill Gillespie | In the Heat of the Night | NBC |
| 1988 (46th) | Ken Wahl | Vinnie Terranova | Wiseguy | CBS |
| 1989 (47th) |
| 1989 (47th) | Ken Wahl ‡ | Vinnie Terranova | Wiseguy | CBS |
| 1989 (47th) | Corbin Bernsen | Arnie Becker | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1989 (47th) | Harry Hamlin | Michael Kuzak | L.A. Law | NBC |
| 1989 (47th) | Carroll O'Connor | Chief Bill Gillespie | In the Heat of the Night | NBC |
| 1989 (47th) | Ken Olin | Michael Steadman | thirtysomething | ABC |

### 1990s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| 1990 (48th) |
| 1990 (48th) | Kyle MacLachlan ‡ | Dale Cooper | Twin Peaks | ABC |
| 1990 (48th) | Scott Bakula | Sam Beckett | Quantum Leap | NBC |
| 1990 (48th) | Peter Falk | Lt. Columbo | Columbo | ABC |
| 1990 (48th) | James Earl Jones | Gabriel Bird | Gabriel's Fire | ABC |
| 1990 (48th) | Carroll O'Connor | Chief Bill Gillespie | In the Heat of the Night | NBC |
| 1991 (49th) |
| 1991 (49th) | Scott Bakula ‡ | Sam Beckett | Quantum Leap | NBC |
| 1991 (49th) | Mark Harmon | Dickie Cobb | Reasonable Doubts | NBC |
| 1991 (49th) | James Earl Jones | Gabriel Bird | Gabriel's Fire | ABC |
| 1991 (49th) | Rob Morrow | Joel Fleischman | Northern Exposure | CBS |
| 1991 (49th) | Carroll O'Connor | Chief Bill Gillespie | In the Heat of the Night | NBC |
| 1991 (49th) | Sam Waterston | Forrest Bedford | I'll Fly Away | NBC |
| 1992 (50th) |
| 1992 (50th) | Sam Waterston ‡ | Forrest Bedford | I'll Fly Away | NBC |
| 1992 (50th) | Scott Bakula | Sam Beckett | Quantum Leap | NBC |
| 1992 (50th) | Mark Harmon | Dickie Cobb | Reasonable Doubts | NBC |
| 1992 (50th) | Rob Morrow | Joel Fleischman | Northern Exposure | CBS |
| 1992 (50th) | Jason Priestley | Brandon Walsh | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Fox |
| 1993 (51st) |
| 1993 (51st) | David Caruso ‡ | John Kelly | NYPD Blue | ABC |
| 1993 (51st) | Michael Moriarty | Benjamin Stone | Law & Order | NBC |
| 1993 (51st) | Rob Morrow | Joel Fleischman | Northern Exposure | CBS |
| 1993 (51st) | Carroll O'Connor | Bill Gillespie | In the Heat of the Night | CBS |
| 1993 (51st) | Tom Skerritt | Jimmy Brock | Picket Fences | CBS |
| 1994 (52nd) |
| 1994 (52nd) | Dennis Franz ‡ | Andy Sipowicz | NYPD Blue | ABC |
| 1994 (52nd) | Mandy Patinkin | Jeffrey Geiger | Chicago Hope | CBS |
| 1994 (52nd) | Jason Priestley | Brandon Walsh | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Fox |
| 1994 (52nd) | Tom Skerritt | Jimmy Brock | Picket Fences | CBS |
| 1994 (52nd) | Sam Waterston | Jack McCoy | Law & Order | NBC |
| 1995 (53rd) |
| 1995 (53rd) | Jimmy Smits ‡ | Bobby Simone | NYPD Blue | ABC |
| 1995 (53rd) | Daniel Benzali | Theodore Hoffman | Murder One | ABC |
| 1995 (53rd) | George Clooney | Doug Ross | ER | NBC |
| 1995 (53rd) | David Duchovny | Fox Mulder | The X-Files | Fox |
| 1995 (53rd) | Anthony Edwards | Mark Greene | ER | NBC |
| 1996 (54th) |
| 1996 (54th) | David Duchovny ‡ | Fox Mulder | The X-Files | Fox |
| 1996 (54th) | George Clooney | Doug Ross | ER | NBC |
| 1996 (54th) | Anthony Edwards | Mark Greene | ER | NBC |
| 1996 (54th) | Lance Henriksen | Frank Black | Millennium | Fox |
| 1996 (54th) | Jimmy Smits | Bobby Simone | NYPD Blue | ABC |
| 1997 (55th) |
| 1997 (55th) | Anthony Edwards ‡ | Mark Greene | ER | NBC |
| 1997 (55th) | Kevin Anderson | Francis Xavier Reyneaux | Nothing Sacred | ABC |
| 1997 (55th) | George Clooney | Doug Ross | ER | NBC |
| 1997 (55th) | David Duchovny | Fox Mulder | The X-Files | Fox |
| 1997 (55th) | Lance Henriksen | Frank Black | Millennium | Fox |
| 1998 (56th) |
| 1998 (56th) | Dylan McDermott ‡ | Bobby Donnell | The Practice | ABC |
| 1998 (56th) | David Duchovny | Fox Mulder | The X-Files | Fox |
| 1998 (56th) | Anthony Edwards | Mark Greene | ER | NBC |
| 1998 (56th) | Lance Henriksen | Frank Black | Millennium | Fox |
| 1998 (56th) | Jimmy Smits | Bobby Simone | NYPD Blue | ABC |
| 1999 (57th) |
| 1999 (57th) | James Gandolfini ‡ | Tony Soprano | The Sopranos | HBO |
| 1999 (57th) | Billy Campbell | Rick Sammler | Once and Again | ABC |
| 1999 (57th) | Rob Lowe | Sam Seaborn | The West Wing | NBC |
| 1999 (57th) | Dylan McDermott | Bobby Donnell | The Practice | ABC |
| 1999 (57th) | Martin Sheen | Josiah Bartlet | The West Wing | NBC |

### 2000s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| 2000 (58th) |
| 2000 (58th) | Martin Sheen ‡ | Josiah Bartlet | The West Wing | NBC |
| 2000 (58th) | Andre Braugher | Ben Gideon | Gideon's Crossing | ABC |
| 2000 (58th) | James Gandolfini | Tony Soprano | The Sopranos | HBO |
| 2000 (58th) | Rob Lowe | Sam Seaborn | The West Wing | NBC |
| 2000 (58th) | Dylan McDermott | Bobby Donnell | The Practice | ABC |
| 2001 (59th) |
| 2001 (59th) | Kiefer Sutherland ‡ | Jack Bauer | 24 | Fox |
| 2001 (59th) | Simon Baker | Nick Fallin | The Guardian | CBS |
| 2001 (59th) | James Gandolfini | Tony Soprano | The Sopranos | HBO |
| 2001 (59th) | Peter Krause | Nate Fisher | Six Feet Under | HBO |
| 2001 (59th) | Martin Sheen | Josiah Bartlet | The West Wing | NBC |
| 2002 (60th) |
| 2002 (60th) | Michael Chiklis ‡ | Vic Mackey | The Shield | FX |
| 2002 (60th) | James Gandolfini | Tony Soprano | The Sopranos | HBO |
| 2002 (60th) | Peter Krause | Nate Fisher | Six Feet Under | HBO |
| 2002 (60th) | Martin Sheen | Josiah Bartlet | The West Wing | NBC |
| 2002 (60th) | Kiefer Sutherland | Jack Bauer | 24 | Fox |
| 2003 (61st) |
| 2003 (61st) | Anthony LaPaglia ‡ | Jack Malone | Without a Trace | CBS |
| 2003 (61st) | Michael Chiklis | Vic Mackey | The Shield | FX |
| 2003 (61st) | William Petersen | Gil Grissom | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS |
| 2003 (61st) | Martin Sheen | Josiah Bartlet | The West Wing | NBC |
| 2003 (61st) | Kiefer Sutherland | Jack Bauer | 24 | Fox |
| 2004 (62nd) |
| 2004 (62nd) | Ian McShane ‡ | Al Swearengen | Deadwood | HBO |
| 2004 (62nd) | Michael Chiklis | Vic Mackey | The Shield | FX |
| 2004 (62nd) | Denis Leary | Tommy Gavin | Rescue Me | FX |
| 2004 (62nd) | Julian McMahon | Christian Troy | Nip/Tuck | FX |
| 2004 (62nd) | James Spader | Alan Shore | Boston Legal | ABC |
| 2005 (63rd) |
| 2005 (63rd) | Hugh Laurie ‡ | Gregory House | House | Fox |
| 2005 (63rd) | Patrick Dempsey | Derek Shepherd | Grey's Anatomy | ABC |
| 2005 (63rd) | Matthew Fox | Jack Shephard | Lost | ABC |
| 2005 (63rd) | Wentworth Miller | Michael Scofield | Prison Break | Fox |
| 2005 (63rd) | Kiefer Sutherland | Jack Bauer | 24 | Fox |
| 2006 (64th) |
| 2006 (64th) | Hugh Laurie ‡ | Gregory House | House | Fox |
| 2006 (64th) | Patrick Dempsey | Derek Shepherd | Grey's Anatomy | ABC |
| 2006 (64th) | Michael C. Hall | Dexter Morgan | Dexter | Showtime |
| 2006 (64th) | Bill Paxton | Bill Henrickson | Big Love | HBO |
| 2006 (64th) | Kiefer Sutherland | Jack Bauer | 24 | Fox |
| 2007 (65th) |
| 2007 (65th) | Jon Hamm ‡ | Don Draper | Mad Men | AMC |
| 2007 (65th) | Michael C. Hall | Dexter Morgan | Dexter | Showtime |
| 2007 (65th) | Hugh Laurie | Gregory House | House | Fox |
| 2007 (65th) | Bill Paxton | Bill Henrickson | Big Love | HBO |
| 2007 (65th) | Jonathan Rhys Meyers | Henry VIII of England | The Tudors | Showtime |
| 2008 (66th) |
| 2008 (66th) | Gabriel Byrne ‡ | Paul Weston | In Treatment | HBO |
| 2008 (66th) | Michael C. Hall | Dexter Morgan | Dexter | Showtime |
| 2008 (66th) | Jon Hamm | Don Draper | Mad Men | AMC |
| 2008 (66th) | Hugh Laurie | Gregory House | House | Fox |
| 2008 (66th) | Jonathan Rhys Meyers | Henry VIII of England | The Tudors | Showtime |
| 2009 (67th) |
| 2009 (67th) | Michael C. Hall ‡ | Dexter Morgan | Dexter | Showtime |
| 2009 (67th) | Simon Baker | Patrick Jane | The Mentalist | CBS |
| 2009 (67th) | Jon Hamm | Don Draper | Mad Men | AMC |
| 2009 (67th) | Hugh Laurie | Gregory House | House | Fox |
| 2009 (67th) | Bill Paxton | Bill Henrickson | Big Love | HBO |

### 2010s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| 2010 (68th) |
| 2010 (68th) | Steve Buscemi ‡ | Nucky Thompson | Boardwalk Empire | HBO |
| 2010 (68th) | Bryan Cranston | Walter White | Breaking Bad | AMC |
| 2010 (68th) | Michael C. Hall | Dexter Morgan | Dexter | Showtime |
| 2010 (68th) | Jon Hamm | Don Draper | Mad Men | AMC |
| 2010 (68th) | Hugh Laurie | Gregory House | House | Fox |
| 2011 (69th) |
| 2011 (69th) | Kelsey Grammer ‡ | Tom Kane | Boss | Starz |
| 2011 (69th) | Steve Buscemi | Nucky Thompson | Boardwalk Empire | HBO |
| 2011 (69th) | Bryan Cranston | Walter White | Breaking Bad | AMC |
| 2011 (69th) | Jeremy Irons | Pope Alexander VI | The Borgias | Showtime |
| 2011 (69th) | Damian Lewis | Nicholas Brody | Homeland | Showtime |
| 2012 (70th) |
| 2012 (70th) | Damian Lewis ‡ | Nicholas Brody | Homeland | Showtime |
| 2012 (70th) | Steve Buscemi | Nucky Thompson | Boardwalk Empire | HBO |
| 2012 (70th) | Bryan Cranston | Walter White | Breaking Bad | AMC |
| 2012 (70th) | Jeff Daniels | Will McAvoy | The Newsroom | HBO |
| 2012 (70th) | Jon Hamm | Don Draper | Mad Men | AMC |
| 2013 (71st) |
| 2013 (71st) | Bryan Cranston ‡ | Walter White | Breaking Bad | AMC |
| 2013 (71st) | Liev Schreiber | Ray Donovan | Ray Donovan | Showtime |
| 2013 (71st) | Michael Sheen | William Masters | Masters of Sex | Showtime |
| 2013 (71st) | Kevin Spacey | Frank Underwood | House of Cards | Netflix |
| 2013 (71st) | James Spader | Raymond "Red" Reddington | The Blacklist | NBC |
| 2014 (72nd) |
| 2014 (72nd) | Kevin Spacey ‡ | Frank Underwood | House of Cards | Netflix |
| 2014 (72nd) | Clive Owen | John "Thack" Thackery | The Knick | Cinemax |
| 2014 (72nd) | Liev Schreiber | Ray Donovan | Ray Donovan | Showtime |
| 2014 (72nd) | James Spader | Raymond "Red" Reddington | The Blacklist | NBC |
| 2014 (72nd) | Dominic West | Noah Solloway | The Affair | Showtime |
| 2015 (73rd) |
| 2015 (73rd) | Jon Hamm ‡ | Don Draper | Mad Men | AMC |
| 2015 (73rd) | Rami Malek | Elliot Alderson | Mr. Robot | USA |
| 2015 (73rd) | Wagner Moura | Pablo Escobar | Narcos | Netflix |
| 2015 (73rd) | Bob Odenkirk | Saul Goodman | Better Call Saul | AMC |
| 2015 (73rd) | Liev Schreiber | Ray Donovan | Ray Donovan | Showtime |
| 2016 (74th) |
| 2016 (74th) | Billy Bob Thornton ‡ | Billy McBride | Goliath | Amazon Prime Video |
| 2016 (74th) | Rami Malek | Elliot Alderson | Mr. Robot | USA |
| 2016 (74th) | Bob Odenkirk | Saul Goodman | Better Call Saul | AMC |
| 2016 (74th) | Matthew Rhys | Philip Jennings | The Americans | FX |
| 2016 (74th) | Liev Schreiber | Ray Donovan | Ray Donovan | Showtime |
| 2017 (75th) |
| 2017 (75th) | Sterling K. Brown ‡ | Randall Pearson | This Is Us | NBC |
| 2017 (75th) | Jason Bateman | Martin "Marty" Byrde | Ozark | Netflix |
| 2017 (75th) | Freddie Highmore | Dr. Shaun Murphy | The Good Doctor | ABC |
| 2017 (75th) | Bob Odenkirk | Saul Goodman | Better Call Saul | AMC |
| 2017 (75th) | Liev Schreiber | Ray Donovan | Ray Donovan | Showtime |
| 2018 (76th) |
| 2018 (76th) | Richard Madden ‡ | David Budd | Bodyguard | Netflix |
| 2018 (76th) | Jason Bateman | Martin "Marty" Byrde | Ozark | Netflix |
| 2018 (76th) | Stephan James | Walter Cruz | Homecoming | Prime Video |
| 2018 (76th) | Billy Porter | Pray Tell | Pose | FX |
| 2018 (76th) | Matthew Rhys | Philip Jennings | The Americans | FX |
| 2019 (77th) |
| 2019 (77th) | Brian Cox ‡ | Logan Roy | Succession | HBO |
| 2019 (77th) | Kit Harington | Jon Snow | Game of Thrones | HBO |
| 2019 (77th) | Rami Malek | Elliot Alderson | Mr. Robot | USA |
| 2019 (77th) | Tobias Menzies | Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | The Crown | Netflix |
| 2019 (77th) | Billy Porter | Pray Tell | Pose | FX |

### 2020s

| Year | Actor | Role | Program | Network |
| 2020 (78th) |
| 2020 (78th) | Josh O'Connor ‡ | Charles, Prince of Wales | The Crown | Netflix |
| 2020 (78th) | Jason Bateman | Martin "Marty" Byrde | Ozark | Netflix |
| 2020 (78th) | Bob Odenkirk | Saul Goodman | Better Call Saul | AMC |
| 2020 (78th) | Al Pacino | Meyer Offerman | Hunters | Prime Video |
| 2020 (78th) | Matthew Rhys | Perry Mason | Perry Mason | HBO |
| 2021 (79th) |
| 2021 (79th) | Jeremy Strong ‡ | Kendall Roy | Succession | HBO |
| 2021 (79th) | Brian Cox | Logan Roy | Succession | HBO |
| 2021 (79th) | Lee Jung-jae | Seong Gi-hun | Squid Game | Netflix |
| 2021 (79th) | Billy Porter | Pray Tell | Pose | FX |
| 2021 (79th) | Omar Sy | Assane Diop | Lupin | Netflix |
| 2022 (80th) |
| 2022 (80th) | Kevin Costner ‡ | John Dutton | Yellowstone | Paramount Network |
| 2022 (80th) | Jeff Bridges | Dan Chase | The Old Man | FX |
| 2022 (80th) | Diego Luna | Cassian Andor | Andor | Disney+ |
| 2022 (80th) | Bob Odenkirk | Saul Goodman | Better Call Saul | AMC |
| 2022 (80th) | Adam Scott | Mark Scout | Severance | Apple TV+ |
| 2023 (81st) |
| 2023 (81st) | Kieran Culkin ‡ | Roman Roy | Succession | HBO |
| 2023 (81st) | Brian Cox | Logan Roy | Succession | HBO |
| 2023 (81st) | Gary Oldman | Jackson Lamb | Slow Horses | Apple TV+ |
| 2023 (81st) | Pedro Pascal | Joel Miller | The Last of Us | HBO |
| 2023 (81st) | Jeremy Strong | Kendall Roy | Succession | HBO |
| 2023 (81st) | Dominic West | Charles, Prince of Wales | The Crown | Netflix |
| 2024 (82nd) |
| 2024 (82nd) | Hiroyuki Sanada ‡ | Lord Yoshii Toranaga | Shōgun | FX |
| 2024 (82nd) | Donald Glover | John Smith / Michael | Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Prime Video |
| 2024 (82nd) | Jake Gyllenhaal | Rozat "Rusty" Sabich | Presumed Innocent | Apple TV+ |
| 2024 (82nd) | Gary Oldman | Jackson Lamb | Slow Horses | Apple TV+ |
| 2024 (82nd) | Eddie Redmayne | Alexander Duggan / The Jackal | The Day of the Jackal | Peacock |
| 2024 (82nd) | Billy Bob Thornton | Tommy Norris | Landman | Paramount+ |