# Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor

The Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor is an annual Hong Kong industry award presented to an actor for the best performance by an actor in a leading role.

## History

The award was established at the 1st Hong Kong Film Awards (1982) and the first winner and the sole participant in this category was Michael Hui for his role in the film Security Unlimited. From the 2nd Hong Kong Film Awards (1983), there are 5, sometimes 6, nominations for the category of Best Actor from which one actor is chosen the winner of the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor, except the 2nd Awards when Sammo Hung and Karl Maka shared the award. The most recent recipient of the award was Tony Leung Chiu-wai, who was honoured at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards (2024), for his performance in The Goldfinger.
The actor with most awards in this category is Tony Leung Chiu-wai with six wins. He also holds the record for the actor with the most awards in the Best Supporting Actor category. Jackie Chan holds the record for an actor with the most nominations without ever winning, until the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards (2005) he was nominated 10 times without a single award.

## Winners and nominees

| Year | Actor | Film |
| 1982 (1st) | Michael Hui | Security Unlimited |
| 1983 (2nd) | Karl Maka | Aces Go Places |
| 1983 (2nd) | Sammo Hung | Carry On Pickpocket |
| 1983 (2nd) | Chan Wai Man | Crimson Street |
| 1983 (2nd) | George Lam | Boat People |
| 1983 (2nd) | Leslie Cheung | Nomad |
| 1984 (3rd) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Reign Behind a Curtain |
| 1984 (3rd) | Peter Wang | Ah Ying |
| 1984 (3rd) | Sammo Hung | The Dead and the Deadly |
| 1984 (3rd) | Richard Ng | Winners & Sinners |
| 1984 (3rd) | Alex Man | Hong Kong, Hong Kong |
| 1985 (4th) | Danny Lee | Law with Two Phases |
| 1985 (4th) | Chow Yun-fat | Hong Kong 1941 |
| 1985 (4th) | Kent Cheng | Beloved Daddy |
| 1985 (4th) | Michael Hui | Teppanyaki |
| 1985 (4th) | Jackie Chan | Project A |
| 1986 (5th) | Kent Cheng | Why Me? |
| 1986 (5th) | Chow Yun-fat | Women |
| 1986 (5th) | Michael Hui | Mr. Boo Meets Pom Pom |
| 1986 (5th) | Jackie Chan | Heart of Dragon |
| 1986 (5th) | Jackie Chan | Police Story |
| 1987 (6th) | Chow Yun-fat | A Better Tomorrow |
| 1987 (6th) | Danny Lee | Brotherhood |
| 1987 (6th) | Ti Lung | A Better Tomorrow |
| 1987 (6th) | Michael Hui | Inspector Chocolate |
| 1987 (6th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | The Last Emperor |
| 1987 (6th) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | Love Unto Waste |
| 1988 (7th) | Chow Yun-fat | City on Fire |
| 1988 (7th) | Leslie Cheung | A Better Tomorrow II |
| 1988 (7th) | Chow Yun-fat | An Autumn's Tale |
| 1988 (7th) | Chow Yun-fat | Prison on Fire |
| 1988 (7th) | Danny Lee | City on Fire |
| 1988 (7th) | Eric Tsang | Final Victory |
| 1988 (7th) | Da Shichang | The Romance of Book and Sword |
| 1989 (8th) | Sammo Hung | Painted Faces |
| 1989 (8th) | Leslie Cheung | Rouge |
| 1989 (8th) | Michael Hui | Chicken and Duck Talk |
| 1989 (8th) | Andy Lau | As Tears Go By |
| 1989 (8th) | Max Mok | Lai Shi, China's Last Eunuch |
| 1990 (9th) | Chow Yun-fat | All About Ah-Long |
| 1990 (9th) | Jackie Chan | Miracles |
| 1990 (9th) | Chow Yun-fat | God of Gamblers |
| 1990 (9th) | Michael Hui | Mr. Coconut |
| 1990 (9th) | Sammo Hung | Eight Taels of Gold |
| 1990 (9th) | Richard Ng | Beyond the Sunset |
| 1991 (10th) | Leslie Cheung | Days of Being Wild |
| 1991 (10th) | Jacky Cheung | Bullet in the Head |
| 1991 (10th) | Stephen Chow | All for the Winner |
| 1991 (10th) | Michael Hui | Front Page |
| 1991 (10th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Farewell China |
| 1992 (11th) | Eric Tsang | Alan and Eric - Between Hello and Goodbye |
| 1992 (11th) | Chow Yun-fat | Once a Thief |
| 1992 (11th) | Stephen Chow | Fight Back to School |
| 1992 (11th) | Andy Lau | Lee Rock |
| 1992 (11th) | Ray Lui | To Be Number One |
| 1993 (12th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | 92 Legendary La Rose Noire |
| 1993 (12th) | Jackie Chan | Police Story 3 |
| 1993 (12th) | Stephen Chow | Justice, My Foot! |
| 1993 (12th) | Charles Heung | Arrest the Restless |
| 1993 (12th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | King of Chess |
| 1994 (13th) | Anthony Wong | The Untold Story |
| 1994 (13th) | Jackie Chan | Crime Story |
| 1994 (13th) | Sean Lau | C'est la vie, mon chéri |
| 1994 (13th) | Sean Lau | Thou Shalt Not Swear |
| 1994 (13th) | Wu Xing Guo | Temptation of a Monk |
| 1995 (14th) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | Chungking Express |
| 1995 (14th) | Jacky Cheung | To Live and Die in Tsimshatsui |
| 1995 (14th) | Leslie Cheung | He's a Woman, She's a Man |
| 1995 (14th) | Chow Yun-fat | Treasure Hunt |
| 1995 (14th) | Stephen Chow | From Beijing with Love |
| 1995 (14th) | Eric Kot | Oh! My Three Guys |
| 1996 (15th) | Roy Chiao | Summer Snow |
| 1996 (15th) | Andy Lau | Full Throttle |
| 1996 (15th) | Stephen Chow | A Chinese Odyssey Part 2: Cinderella |
| 1996 (15th) | Chow Yun-fat | Peace Hotel |
| 1996 (15th) | Jackie Chan | Rumble in the Bronx |
| 1997 (16th) | Kent Cheng | The Log |
| 1997 (16th) | Jackie Chan | Police Story 4: First Strike |
| 1997 (16th) | Leslie Cheung | Viva Erotica |
| 1997 (16th) | Leon Lai | Comrades: Almost a Love Story |
| 1997 (16th) | Sean Lau | Big Bullet |
| 1997 (16th) | Michael Wong | First Option |
| 1998 (17th) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | Happy Together |
| 1998 (17th) | Leslie Cheung | Happy Together |
| 1998 (17th) | Sean Lau | Full Alert |
| 1998 (17th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Island of Greed |
| 1998 (17th) | Tse Kwan-ho | The Mad Phoenix |
| 1999 (18th) | Anthony Wong | Beast Cops |
| 1999 (18th) | Jackie Chan | Who Am I? |
| 1999 (18th) | Sonny Chiba | The Storm Riders |
| 1999 (18th) | Leon Lai | City of Glass |
| 1999 (18th) | Sean Lau | The Longest Nite |
| 1999 (18th) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | The Longest Nite |
| 2000 (19th) | Andy Lau | Running Out of Time |
| 2000 (19th) | Sean Lau | The Victim |
| 2000 (19th) | Francis Ng | Bullets Over Summer |
| 2000 (19th) | Eric Tsang | Metade Fumaca |
| 2000 (19th) | Anthony Wong | Ordinary Heroes |
| 2001 (20th) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | In the Mood for Love |
| 2001 (20th) | Chow Yun-fat | Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon |
| 2001 (20th) | Andy Lau | A Fighter's Blues |
| 2001 (20th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Jiang hu: The Triad Zone |
| 2001 (20th) | Francis Ng | Juliet in Love |
| 2002 (21st) | Stephen Chow | Shaolin Soccer |
| 2002 (21st) | Jacky Cheung | July Rhapsody |
| 2002 (21st) | Hu Jun | Lan Yu |
| 2002 (21st) | Andy Lau | Love on a Diet |
| 2002 (21st) | Liu Ye | Lan Yu |
| 2003 (22nd) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | Infernal Affairs |
| 2003 (22nd) | Leslie Cheung | Inner Senses |
| 2003 (22nd) | Leon Lai | Three: Going Home |
| 2003 (22nd) | Andy Lau | Infernal Affairs |
| 2003 (22nd) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Double Vision |
| 2004 (23rd) | Andy Lau | Running on Karma |
| 2004 (23rd) | Jacky Cheung | Golden Chicken 2 |
| 2004 (23rd) | Sean Lau | Lost in Time |
| 2004 (23rd) | Francis Ng | Infernal Affairs II |
| 2004 (23rd) | Simon Yam | PTU |
| 2005 (24th) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | 2046 |
| 2005 (24th) | Jackie Chan | New Police Story |
| 2005 (24th) | Stephen Chow | Kung Fu Hustle |
| 2005 (24th) | Alex Fong | One Nite in Mongkok |
| 2005 (24th) | Daniel Wu | One Nite in Mongkok |
| 2006 (25th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Election |
| 2006 (25th) | Simon Yam | Election |
| 2006 (25th) | Aaron Kwok | Divergence |
| 2006 (25th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Everlasting Regret |
| 2006 (25th) | Andy Lau | Wait 'til You're Older |
| 2007 (26th) | Sean Lau | My Name Is Fame |
| 2007 (26th) | Aaron Kwok | After This Our Exile |
| 2007 (26th) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | Confession of Pain |
| 2007 (26th) | Chow Yun-fat | Curse of the Golden Flower |
| 2007 (26th) | Jet Li | Fearless |
| 2008 (27th) | Jet Li | The Warlords |
| 2008 (27th) | Aaron Kwok | The Detective |
| 2008 (27th) | Simon Yam | Eye in the Sky |
| 2008 (27th) | Sean Lau | Mad Detective |
| 2008 (27th) | Andy Lau | The Warlords |
| 2009 (28th) | Nick Cheung | Beast Stalker |
| 2009 (28th) | Louis Koo | Run Papa Run |
| 2009 (28th) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | Red Cliff |
| 2009 (28th) | Simon Yam | Sparrow |
| 2009 (28th) | Donnie Yen | Ip Man |
| 2010 (29th) | Simon Yam | Echoes of the Rainbow |
| 2010 (29th) | Wang Xueqi | Bodyguards and Assassins |
| 2010 (29th) | Simon Yam | Night and Fog |
| 2010 (29th) | Aaron Kwok | Murderer |
| 2010 (29th) | Sean Lau | Overheard |
| 2011 (30th) | Nicholas Tse | The Stool Pigeon |
| 2011 (30th) | Chow Yun-fat | Confucius |
| 2011 (30th) | Jacky Cheung | Crossing Hennessy |
| 2011 (30th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Bruce Lee, My Brother |
| 2011 (30th) | Nick Cheung | The Stool Pigeon |
| 2012 (31st) | Andy Lau | A Simple Life |
| 2012 (31st) | Sean Lau | Life Without Principle |
| 2012 (31st) | Sean Lau | Overheard 2 |
| 2012 (31st) | Jiang Wen | Let the Bullets Fly |
| 2012 (31st) | Ge You | Let the Bullets Fly |
| 2013 (32nd) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Cold War |
| 2013 (32nd) | Nick Cheung | Nightfall |
| 2013 (32nd) | Chapman To | Vulgaria |
| 2013 (32nd) | Sean Lau | The Bullet Vanishes |
| 2013 (32nd) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | The Silent War |
| 2014 (33rd) | Nick Cheung | Unbeatable |
| 2014 (33rd) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | The Grandmaster |
| 2014 (33rd) | Louis Koo | The White Storm |
| 2014 (33rd) | Sean Lau | The White Storm |
| 2014 (33rd) | Anthony Wong | Ip Man: The Final Fight |
| 2015 (34th) | Sean Lau | Overheard 3 |
| 2015 (34th) | Eddie Peng | Rise of the Legend |
| 2015 (34th) | Sean Lau | Insanity |
| 2015 (34th) | Huang Bo | Dearest |
| 2015 (34th) | Daniel Wu | That Demon Within |
| 2016 (35th) | Aaron Kwok | Port of Call |
| 2016 (35th) | Andy Lau | Lost and Love |
| 2016 (35th) | Nick Cheung | Keeper of Darkness |
| 2016 (35th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | The Taking of Tiger Mountain |
| 2016 (35th) | Jacky Cheung | Heaven in the Dark |
| 2017 (36th) | Gordon Lam | Trivisa |
| 2017 (36th) | Shawn Yue | Mad World |
| 2017 (36th) | Francis Ng | Shed Skin Papa |
| 2017 (36th) | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Cold War 2 |
| 2017 (36th) | Richie Jen | Trivisa |
| 2018 (37th) | Louis Koo | Paradox |
| 2018 (37th) | Andy Lau | Shock Wave |
| 2018 (37th) | Ronald Cheng | Concerto of the Bully |
| 2018 (37th) | Tian Zhuangzhuang | Love Education |
| 2018 (37th) | Ling Man-lung | Tomorrow Is Another Day |
| 2019 (38th) | Anthony Wong | Still Human |
| 2019 (38th) | Aaron Kwok | Project Gutenberg |
| 2019 (38th) | Chow Yun-fat | Project Gutenberg |
| 2019 (38th) | Philip Keung | Tracey |
| 2019 (38th) | Francis Ng | Man on the Dragon |
| 2020 (39th) | Tai Bo | Suk Suk |
| 2020 (39th) | Aaron Kwok | I'm Livin’ It |
| 2020 (39th) | Louis Koo | A Witness Out Of The Blue |
| 2020 (39th) | Chu Pak Hong | My Prince Edward |
| 2020 (39th) | Jackson Yee | Better Days |
| 2022 (40th) | Patrick Tse | Time |
| 2022 (40th) | Gordon Lam | Hand Rolled Cigarette |
| 2022 (40th) | Gordon Lam | Limbo |
| 2022 (40th) | Leung Chung Hang | Zero to Hero |
| 2022 (40th) | Francis Ng | Drifting |
| 2023 (41st) | Sean Lau | Detective vs Sleuths |
| 2023 (41st) | Mak Pui Tung | The Sparring Partner |
| 2023 (41st) | Yeung Wai Lun | The Sparring Partner |
| 2023 (41st) | Anthony Wong | The Sunny Side of the Street |
| 2023 (41st) | Louis Cheung | The Narrow Road |
| 2024 (42nd) | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | The Goldfinger |
| 2024 (42nd) | Bowie Lam | In Broad Daylight |
| 2024 (42nd) | Siuyea Lo | Time Still Turns the Pages |
| 2024 (42nd) | Dayo Wong | A Guilty Conscience |
| 2024 (42nd) | Dong Chengpeng | Dust to Dust |

## Multiple wins and nominations

| Wins | Actor | Years |
| 6 | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | 1995, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2024 |
| 4 | Tony Leung Ka-fai | 1984, 1993, 2006, 2013 |
| 3 | Andy Lau | 2000, 2004, 2012 |
| 3 | Anthony Wong | 1994, 1999, 2019 |
| 3 | Chow Yun-fat | 1987, 1988, 1990 |
| 3 | Sean Lau | 2007, 2015, 2023 |
| 2 | Kent Cheng | 1986, 1997 |
| 2 | Nick Cheung | 2009, 2014 |
| 2 | Sammo Hung | 1983, 1989 |
| Nominations | Actor |
| 17 | Sean Lau |
| 15 | Chow Yun-fat |
| 14 | Tony Leung Ka-fai |
| 13 | Andy Lau |
| 12 | Tony Leung Chiu-wai |
| 10 | Jackie Chan |
| 8 | Leslie Cheung |
| 7 | Aaron Kwok |
| 7 | Michael Hui |
| 7 | Stephen Chow |
| 6 | Anthony Wong |
| 6 | Francis Ng |
| 6 | Jacky Cheung |
| 6 | Simon Yam |
| 5 | Nick Cheung |

## Records

| Items | Name | Statistics | Notes |
| Most wins | Tony Leung Chiu-wai | 6 wins | 12 nominations |
| Most nominations | Sean Lau | 17 nominations | 3 wins |
| Oldest winner | Patrick Tse | Age 85 years, 342 days | for Time |
| Oldest nominee | Patrick Tse | Age 85 years, 191 days | for Time |
| Youngest winner | Tony Leung Ka-fai | Age 26 years, 185 days | for Reign Behind a Curtain |
| Youngest nominee | Jackson Yee | Age 19 years, 76 days | for Better Days |
| Most nominations without win | Jackie Chan | 10 nominations | |