Oscars is the most prestigious award ceremony, started in the year 1929, which honors the talents of Hollywood. One of the main awards given at the ceremony comprises of 'Best Actor in a Leading Role'. Before the 49th Academy Award ceremony, of 1977, this award was known as the 'Academy Award of Merit for Performance by an Actor'.
The successful running of a movie depends a lot on the performance of the actor in the leading role. 'Academy Award for Best Actor' is given to acknowledge the caliber of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance. The nominees for this award are decided by Academy members, who are actors themselves, while the winners are selected by all the Academy members as a whole. Here is the list of the winners in the category of 'Academy Award for Best Actor'.
|
Year
|
Winner
|
Film
|
|
2009
|
Sean Penn
|
Milk
|
|
2008
|
Daniel Day Lewis
|
There Will Be Blood
|
|
2007
|
Forest Whitaker
|
The Last King of Scotland
|
|
2006
|
Philip Seymour Hoffman
|
Capote
|
|
2005
|
Jamie Foxx
|
Ray
|
|
2004
|
Sean Penn
|
Mystic River
|
|
2003
|
Adrien Brody
|
The Pianist
|
|
2002
|
Denzel
|
Washington
|
|
2001
|
Russell Crowe
|
Gladiator
|
|
2000
|
Kevin Spacey
|
American Beauty
|
|
1999
|
Roberto Benigni
|
Life Is Beautiful
|
|
1998
|
Jack Nicholson
|
As Good as It Gets
|
|
1997
|
Geoffrey Rush
|
Shine
|
|
1996
|
Nicolas Cage
|
Leaving Las Vegas
|
|
1995
|
Tom Hanks
|
Forrest Gump
|
|
1994
|
Tom Hanks -
|
Philadelphia
|
|
1993
|
Al Pacino
|
Scent of a Woman
|
|
1992
|
Anthony Hopkins
|
The Silence of the Lambs
|
|
1991
|
Jeremy Irons
|
Reversal of Fortune
|