BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role

Best Actor in a Leading Role is a British Academy Film award presented each year by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It is to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a movie.
Winners and nominees
From 1952 to 1967, there were two Best Actor awards: one for a British actor and another for a foreign actor. In 1968, the two prizes of British and Foreign actor were combined to create a single Best Actor award. Its current title, for Best Actor in a Leading Role, has been used since 1995.
1950s
1952
Best British Actor - Ralph Richardson - The Sound Barrier
Laurence Olivier - Carrie
Alastair Sim - Folly to Be Wise
Jack Hawkins - Mandy
James Hayter - The Pickwick Papers
Nigel Patrick - The Sound Barrier
Best Foreign Actor - Marlon Brando - Viva Zapata!
Humphrey Bogart - The African Queen
Fredric March - Death of a Salesman
Pierre Fresnay - Dieu a besoin des hommes
Francesco Golisano - Miracolo a Milano
1953
Best British Actor - John Gielgud - Julius Caesar
Jack Hawkins - The Cruel Sea
Kenneth More - Genevieve
Trevor Howard - The Heart of the Matter
Duncan Macrae - The Kidnappers'
Best Foreign Actor - Marlon Brando - Julius Caesar Spencer Tracy - The Actress Claude Laydu - Journal d'un cure de campagne Marcel Mouloudji - Nous sommes tous des assassins Eddie Albert - Roman Holiday Gregory Peck - Roman Holiday Van Heflin - Shane 1954
Best British Actor- Kenneth More - Doctor in the House David Niven - Carrington V.C. John Mills - Hobson's Choice Robert Donat - Lease of Life Maurice Denham - The Purple Plain Donald Wolfit - Svengali Best Foreign Actor - Marlon Brando - On the Waterfront Jose Ferrer - The Caine Mutiny Fredric March - Executive Suite James Stewart - The Glenn Miller Story Neville Brand - Riot in Cell Block 11 1955
Best British Actor - Laurence Olivier - Richard III Alfie Bass - The Bespoke Overcoat Kenneth More - The Deep Blue Sea Michael Redgrave - The Night My Number Came Up Alec Guinness - The Prisoner Jack Hawkins - The Prisoner Best Foreign Actor - Ernest Borgnine - Marty James Dean - East of Eden Jack Lemmon - Mister Roberts Frank Sinatra - Not as a Stranger Toshiro Mifune - Shichinin no samurai Takashi Shimura - Shichinin no samurai 1956
Best British Actor - Peter Finch - A Town Like Alice Jack Hawkins - The Long Arm Kenneth More - Reach for the Sky Best Foreign Actor - Francois Perier - Gervaise Karl Malden - Baby Doll Pierre Fresnay - Le Defroque Frank Sinatra - The Man with the Golden Arm Spencer Tracy - The Mountain William Holden - Picnic James Dean - Rebel Without a Cause Gunnar Bjornstrand - Sommarnattens leende 1957
Best British Actor - Alec Guinness - The Bridge on the River Kwai Trevor Howard - Manuela Laurence Olivier - The Prince and the Showgirl Michael Redgrave - Time Without Pity Peter Finch - Windom's Way Best Foreign Actor - Henry Fonda - 12 Angry Men Sidney Poitier - Edge of the City Ed Wynn - The Great Man Robert Mitchum - Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison Pierre Brasseur - Porte des Lilas Tony Curtis - Sweet Smell of Success Richard Basehart - Time Limit Jean Gabin - La Traversee de Paris 1958
Best British Actor - Trevor Howard - The Key I.S. Johar - Harry Black Anthony Quayle - Ice Cold in Alex Laurence Harvey - Room at the Top Donald Wolfit - Room at the Top Michael Craig - Sea of Sand Terry-Thomas - tom thumb Best Foreign Actor - Sidney Poitier - The Defiant Ones Paul Newman - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Tony Curtis - The Defiant Ones Curd Jurgens - The Enemy Below Curd Jurgens - The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Spencer Tracy - The Last Hurrah Glenn Ford - The Sheepman Victor Sjostrom - Smultronstallet Charles Laughton - Witness for the Prosecution Marlon Brando - The Young Lions 1959
Best British Actor - Peter Sellers - I'm All Right Jack Laurence Olivier - The Devil's Disciple Laurence Harvey - Expresso Bongo Richard Burton - Look Back in Anger Peter Finch - The Nun's Story Stanley Baker - Yesterday's Enemy Gordon Jackson - Yesterday's Enemy Best Foreign Actor - Jack Lemmon - Some Like It Hot James Stewart - Anatomy of a Murder Takashi Shimura - Ikiru Jean Desailly - Maigret tend un piege Jean Gabin - Maigret tend un piege Zbigniew Cybulski - Popiol i diament 1960s
1960
Best British Actor - Peter Finch - The Trials of Oscar Wilde Richard Attenborough - The Angry Silence Laurence Olivier - The Entertainer Albert Finney - Saturday Night and Sunday Morning John Fraser - The Trials of Oscar Wilde Alec Guinness - Tunes of Glory John Mills - Tunes of Glory Best Foreign Actor - Jack Lemmon - The Apartment George Hamilton - Crime & Punishment Burt Lancaster - Elmer Gantry Fredric March - Inherit the Wind Spencer Tracy - Inherit the Wind Yves Montand - Let's Make Love 1961
Best British Actor - Peter Finch - No Love for Johnnie Dirk Bogarde - Victim Best Foreign Actor - Paul Newman - The Hustler Vladimir Ivashov - Ballada o soldate Alberto Sordi - The Best of Enemies Montgomery Clift - Judgment at Nuremberg Maximilian Schell - Judgment at Nuremberg Sidney Poitier - A Raisin in the Sun Philippe Leroy - Le Trou 1962
Best British Actor - Peter O'Toole - Lawrence of Arabia Richard Attenborough - The Dock Brief Alan Bates - A Kind of Loving James Mason - Lolita Peter Sellers - Only Two Can Play Laurence Olivier - Term of Trial Best Foreign Actor - Burt Lancaster - Birdman of Alcatraz Charles Laughton - Advise and Consent Robert Ryan - Billy Budd Anthony Quinn - Lawrence of Arabia George Hamilton - Light in the Piazza Kirk Douglas - Lonely Are the Brave Jean-Paul Belmondo - Leon Morin, pretre Georges Wilson - Une aussi longue absence 1963
Best British Actor - Dirk Bogarde - The Servant Tom Courtenay - Billy Liar Richard Harris - This Sporting Life Albert Finney - Tom Jones Hugh Griffith - Tom Jones Best Foreign Actor - Marcello Mastroianni - Divorzio all'italiana Franco Citti - Accattone Howard Da Silva - David and Lisa Jack Lemmon - Days of Wine and Roses Paul Newman - Hud Gregory Peck - To Kill a Mockingbird 1964
Best British Actor - Richard Attenborough - Guns at Batasi and Seance on a Wet Afternoon Peter O'Toole - Becket Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Tom Courtenay - King & Country Peter Sellers - The Pink Panther Best Foreign Actor - Marcello Mastroianni - Ieri, oggi, domani Cary Grant - Charade Sterling Hayden - Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Sidney Poitier - Lilies of the Field 1965
Best British Actor - Dirk Bogarde - Darling Harry Andrews - The Hill Michael Caine - The Ipcress File Rex Harrison - My Fair Lady Best Foreign Actor - Lee Marvin - Cat Ballou and The Killers Anthony Quinn - Alexis Zorbas Innokenti Smoktunovsky - Hamlet Jack Lemmon - Good Neighbor Sam Jack Lemmon - How to Murder Your Wife Oskar Werner - Ship of Fools 1966
Best British Actor - Richard Burton - The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Michael Caine - Alfie Ralph Richardson - Doctor Zhivago Ralph Richardson - Khartoum Ralph Richardson - The Wrong Box David Warner - Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment Best Foreign Actor - Rod Steiger - The Pawnbroker Sidney Poitier - A Patch of Blue Jean-Paul Belmondo - Pierrot le fou Oskar Werner - The Spy Who Came in from the Cold 1967
Best British Actor - Paul Scofield - A Man for All Seasons Dirk Bogarde - Accident James Mason - The Deadly Affair Dirk Bogarde - Our Mother's House Richard Burton - The Taming of the Shrew Best Foreign Actor - Rod Steiger - In the Heat of the Night Warren Beatty - Bonnie and Clyde Orson Welles - Campanadas a medianoche Sidney Poitier - In the Heat of the Night 1968 - Spencer Tracy - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner as Matt Drayton
Ron Moody - Oliver! Trevor Howard - The Charge of the Light Brigade Nicol Williamson - The Bofors Gun 1969 - Dustin Hoffman - John and Mary as John, and Midnight Cowboy as Enrico 'Ratso' Rizzo
Walter Matthau - Hello, Dolly! Walter Matthau - The Secret Life of an American Wife Nicol Williamson - Inadmissible Evidence Alan Bates - Women in Love 1970s
1970 - Robert Redford - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as the Sundance Kid, Downhill Racer as David Chappellet, and Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here as Deputy Sheriff Christopher Cooper
Paul Newman - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid George C. Scott - Patton Elliott Gould - MASH Elliott Gould - Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice 1971 - Peter Finch - Sunday Bloody Sunday as Dr. Daniel Hirsh
Albert Finney - Gumshoe Dustin Hoffman - Little Big Man Dirk Bogarde - Morte a Venezia 1972 - Gene Hackman - The French Connection as Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle, and The Poseidon Adventure as Reverend Frank Scott
Marlon Brando - The Godfather Marlon Brando - The Nightcomers George C. Scott - The Hospital George C. Scott - They Might Be Giants Robert Shaw - Young Winston 1973 - Walter Matthau - Charley Varrick as Charley Varrick, and Pete 'n' Tillie as Pete
Marlon Brando - Ultimo tango a Parigi Donald Sutherland - Steelyard Blues Donald Sutherland - Don't Look Now Laurence Olivier - Sleuth 1974 - Jack Nicholson - Chinatown as J.J. 'Jake' Gittes, and The Last Detail as Billy Buddusky
Gene Hackman - The Conversation Albert Finney - Murder on the Orient Express Al Pacino - Serpico 1975 - Al Pacino - The Godfather Part II as Michael Corleone, and Dog Day Afternoon as Sonny Wortzik
Richard Dreyfuss - Jaws Gene Hackman - French Connection II Gene Hackman - Night Moves Dustin Hoffman - Lenny 1976 - Jack Nicholson - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as Randle McMurphy
Robert De Niro - Taxi Driver Dustin Hoffman - All the President's Men Dustin Hoffman - Marathon Man Walter Matthau - The Bad News Bears Walter Matthau - The Sunshine Boys 1977 - Peter Finch - Network as Howard Beale
William Holden - Network Woody Allen - Annie Hall Sylvester Stallone - Rocky 1978 - Richard Dreyfuss - The Goodbye Girl as Elliot Garfield
Peter Ustinov - Death on the Nile Anthony Hopkins - Magic Brad Davis - Midnight Express 1979 - Jack Lemmon - The China Syndrome as Jack Godell
Woody Allen - Manhattan
Robert De Niro - The Deer Hunter
Martin Sheen - Apocalypse Now
1980s
1980 - John Hurt - The Elephant Man as John Merrick
Dustin Hoffman - Kramer vs. Kramer
Roy Scheider - All That Jazz
Peter Sellers - Being There
1981 - Burt Lancaster - Atlantic City as Lou Pascal
Jeremy Irons - The French Lieutenant's Woman
Robert De Niro - Raging Bull
Bob Hoskins - The Long Good Friday
1982 - Ben Kingsley - Gandhi as Mahatma Gandhi
Warren Beatty - Reds
Henry Fonda - On Golden Pond
Albert Finney - Shoot the Moon
Jack Lemmon - Missing
1983 - Michael Caine - Educating Rita as Dr. Frank Bryant and Dustin Hoffman - Tootsie as Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels
Michael Caine - The Honorary Consul
Robert De Niro - The King of Comedy
1984 - Haing S. Ngor - The Killing Fields as Dith Pran
Sam Waterston - The Killing Fields
Tom Courtenay - The Dresser
Albert Finney - The Dresser
1985 - William Hurt - Kiss of the Spider Woman as Luis Molina
F. Murray Abraham - Amadeus
Harrison Ford - Witness
Victor Banerjee - A Passage to India
1986 - Bob Hoskins - Mona Lisa as George
Woody Allen - Hannah and Her Sisters
Michael Caine - Hannah and Her Sisters
Paul Hogan - Crocodile Dundee
1987 - Sean Connery - Der Name der Rose as William of Baskerville
Gerard Depardieu - Jean de Florette
Yves Montand - Jean de Florette
Gary Oldman - Prick Up Your Ears
1988 - John Cleese - A Fish Called Wanda as Archie Leach
Kevin Kline - A Fish Called Wanda as Otto West
Michael Douglas - Fatal Attraction as Dan Gallagher
Robin Williams - Good Morning, Vietnam as Adrian Cronauer
1989 - Daniel Day-Lewis - My Left Foot as Christy Brown
Dustin Hoffman - Rain Man as Raymond Babbit
Robin Williams - Dead Poets Society as John Keating
Kenneth Branagh - Henry V as Henry V
1990s
1990 - Philippe Noiret - Nuovo cinema Paradiso as Alfredo
Robert De Niro - Goodfellas as Jimmy Conway
Sean Connery - The Hunt for Red October as Captain Marko Ramius
Tom Cruise - Born on the Fourth of July as Ron Kovic
1991 - Anthony Hopkins - The Silence of the Lambs as Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Kevin Costner - Dances with Wolves as Lieutenant Dunbar
Alan Rickman - Truly, Madly, Deeply as Jamie
Gerard Depardieu - Cyrano de Bergerac as Cyrano de Bergerac
1992 - Robert Downey, Jr. - Chaplin as Charlie Chaplin
Stephen Rea - The Crying Game as Fergus
Tim Robbins - The Player as Griffin Mill
Daniel Day-Lewis - The Last of the Mohicans as Nathaniel Poe
1993 - Anthony Hopkins - Shadowlands as C. S. Lewis
Anthony Hopkins - The Remains of the Day as James Stevens
Liam Neeson - Schindler's List as Oskar Schindler
Daniel Day-Lewis - In the Name of the Father as Gerry Conlon
1994 - Hugh Grant - Four Weddings and a Funeral as Charles
Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump as Forrest Gump
Terence Stamp - The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert as Ralph / Bernadette Bassenger
John Travolta - Pulp Fiction as Vincent Vega
1995 - Nigel Hawthorne - The Madness of King George as George III
Jonathan Pryce - Carrington as Lytton Strachey
Nicolas Cage - Leaving Las Vegas as Ben Sanderson
Massimo Troisi - Il Postino as Mario Ruoppolo
1996 - Geoffrey Rush - Shine as David Helfgott
Ralph Fiennes - The English Patient as Count Laszlo de Almasy
Ian McKellen - Richard III as Richard III
Timothy Spall - Secrets & Lies as Maurice Purley
1997 - Robert Carlyle - The Full Monty as Gaz
Kevin Spacey - L.A. Confidential as Jack Vincennes
Billy Connolly - Mrs Brown as John Brown
Ray Winstone - Nil by Mouth as Ray
1998 - Roberto Benigni - Life Is Beautiful (La vita e bella) as Guido
Michael Caine - Little Voice as Ray Say
Tom Hanks - Saving Private Ryan as Captain John H. Miller
Joseph Fiennes - Shakespeare in Love as William Shakespeare
1999 - Kevin Spacey - American Beauty as Lester Burnham
Om Puri - East Is East as George Khan
Ralph Fiennes - The End of the Affair as Maurice Bendrix
Russell Crowe - The Insider as Jeffrey Wigand
Jim Broadbent - Topsy-Turvy as W. S. Gilbert
2000s
2000 - Jamie Bell as Billy Elliot - Billy Elliot Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius - Gladiator
Michael Douglas as Grady Tripp - Wonder Boys
Tom Hanks as Chuck Noland - Cast Away
Geoffrey Rush as Marquis de Sade - Quills
2001 - Russell Crowe as John Nash - A Beautiful Mind Jim Broadbent as John Bayley - Iris
Ian McKellen as Gandalf - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Kevin Spacey as Quoyle - The Shipping News
Tom Wilkinson as Matt Fowler - In the Bedroom
2002 - Daniel Day-Lewis as William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting - Gangs of New York Adrien Brody as Wladyslaw Szpilman - The Pianist
Nicolas Cage as Charlie and Donald Kaufman - Adaptation.