AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
{{Short description|Australian film and television award}}
{{Infobox award
| name = AACTA Award
Best Actor in a Leading Role
| image = Jonno Davies at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival 2 (cropped).jpg
| caption = The 2025 recipient: Jonno Davies
| awarded_for =
| presenter = Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)
| country = Australia
| year = 1972
| holder = Jonno Davies for Better Man (2025)
| website = http://www.aacta.org
}}
The AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role is an award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television."{{cite web|url=http://aacta.org/the-academy.aspx |title=AACTA – The Academy |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=23 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624200524/http://aacta.org/the-academy.aspx |archive-date=24 June 2012 }} The award is presented at the annual AACTA Awards, which hand out accolades for achievements in feature film, television, documentaries and short films.{{cite web|url=http://aacta.org/the-awards.aspx|title=AACTA – The Academy – The Awards|publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)|access-date=23 June 2012}} From 1971 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards).{{cite web|url=http://aacta.org/the-academy/background.aspx |title=AACTA – The Academy – Background |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=23 June 2012 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current award being a continuation of the AFI Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
From 1971 up until 1975, the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress were awarded in a single category for Best Performance.{{cite book|last=French|first=Lisa|last2=Poole|first2=Mark|title=Shining a Light: 50 Years of the Australian Film Institute|publisher=Australian Teachers of Media|year=2009|isbn=1-876467-20-7|page=27}}1971–1975 awards:
- 1971: {{cite web|url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1970-1979/1971.aspx|title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1970–1979 – 1971|publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)|access-date=3 June 2012}}
- 1972: {{cite web|url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1970-1979/1972.aspx|title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1970–1979 – 1972|publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)|access-date=3 June 2012}}
- 1973: {{cite web|url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1970-1979/1973.aspx|title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1970–1979 – 1973|publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)|access-date=3 June 2012}}
- 1974–75: {{cite web|url=http://aacta.org/winners-nominees/1970-1979/1974-1975.aspx|title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1970–1979 – 1974–1975|publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)|access-date=3 June 2012}}
In 1971 the prize was given to Monica Maughan over fellow nominee Peter Cummins, who received a special mention for his performances in the films Some Regrets, The Hot Centre of the World (1971 short film), Bonjour Balwyn and Carson's Watermelons. From 1972 to 1975, the single award was handed out to the best actor and actress of the respective award giving years, with honourable mentions made to supporting casts. From 1976 to the present, the accolade has been handed out as a separate award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Candidates for this award must be human and male, and cannot be nominated for the same role in the supporting actor category.{{cite web | title = Part2: Rule 5.6 – Special Conditions for Feature Film; Special Rules for Acting Awards | work = 2013 AACTA Awards Rule Book | publisher = Australian Film Institute | url = http://aacta.org/media/198023/2013-aacta-awards-rule-book.pdf | access-date = 23 June 2012 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121029050843/http://aacta.org/media/198023/2013-aacta-awards-rule-book.pdf | archive-date = 29 October 2012 }}
Winners & nominations
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Actor ! Film ! Role |
|---|
| colspan="4" style="background:#CCCCCC;" align="center"| {{anchor|90s}}1970s |
| 1972
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Bruce Spence | style="background:#ffff80;"|Stork | style="background:#ffff80;"|Graham 'Stork' Wallace |
| 1973
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Robert McDarra | style="background:#ffff80;"|27A | style="background:#ffff80;"|Bill |
| 1974
| style="background:#ffff80;"|N/A | style="background:#ffff80;"|N/A | style="background:#ffff80;"|N/A |
| rowspan=2|1975
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Jack Thompson | style="background:#ffff80;"|Sunday Too Far Away | style="background:#ffff80;"|Foley |
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Martin Vaughan
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Billy and Percy | style="background:#ffff80;"|Billy Hughes |
| rowspan=4|1976
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Simon Burke |rowspan=2 style="background:#ffff80;"|The Devil's Playground | style="background:#ffff80;"|Tom Allen |
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Nick Tate
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Brother Victor |
| Arthur Dignam
|Brother Francine |
| George Mallaby
|Robert Gifford |
| rowspan=4|1977
| style="background:#ffff80;"|John Meillon | style="background:#ffff80;"|The Fourth Wish | style="background:#ffff80;"|Casey |
| Noel Ferrier
|Captain James Fraser |
| David Gulpilil
|Fingerbone Bill |
| John Meillon
|Mr. Pym |
| rowspan=4|1978
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Bill Hunter | style="background:#ffff80;"|Newsfront | style="background:#ffff80;"|Len Maguire |
| Richard Chamberlain
|David Burton |
| Robert Helpmann
|The Professor |
| John Waters
|Rabbit |
| rowspan=4|1979
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Mel Gibson | style="background:#ffff80;"|Tim | style="background:#ffff80;"|Tim Melville |
| Alan Cassell
|Dick Wordley |
| Richard Moir
|Tony |
| Michael Preston
|Pansy |
| colspan="4" style="background:#CCCCCC;" align="center"| {{anchor|90s}}1980s |
| rowspan=4|1980
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Jack Thompson | style="background:#ffff80;"|Breaker Morant | style="background:#ffff80;"|Capt. Alfred Taylor |
| Bryan Brown
|rowspan=2|Stir |China Jackson |
| Max Phipps
|Norton |
| Edward Woodward |
| rowspan=4|1981
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Mel Gibson | style="background:#ffff80;"|Gallipoli | style="background:#ffff80;"|Frank Dunne |
| John Hargreaves
|Martin Stang |
| Graham Kennedy
|Ted Parker |
| Mark Lee
|Archy Hamilton |
| rowspan=4|1982
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Ray Barrett | style="background:#ffff80;"|Goodbye Paradise | style="background:#ffff80;"|Michael Stacy |
| Vince Colosimo
|Gino |
| Norman Kaye
|Peter Thompson |
| William Henry Kerr
|Tom Lincoln |
| rowspan=4|1983
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Norman Kaye | style="background:#ffff80;"|Man of Flowers | style="background:#ffff80;"|Charles Bremer |
| Mel Gibson
|The Year of Living Dangerously |Guy Hamilton |
| Nicholas Gledhill
|PS |
| Martin Vaughan
|Harry Telford |
| rowspan=4|1984
| style="background:#ffff80;"|John Hargreaves | style="background:#ffff80;"|My First Wife | style="background:#ffff80;"|John |
| Drew Forsythe
|David |
| Chris Haywood
|Wattie Doig |
| Ivar Kants
|Julian |
| rowspan=4|1985
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Chris Haywood | style="background:#ffff80;"|A Street to Die | style="background:#ffff80;"|Colin Turner |
| John Clayton
|Geoff |
| Richard Moir
|Luce Daggett |
| Barry Otto
|Harry Joy |
| rowspan=4|1986
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Colin Friels | style="background:#ffff80;"|Malcolm | style="background:#ffff80;"|Malcolm Hughes |
| Reb Brown |
| Robert Menzies
|Robert |
| Barry Otto
|Lex |
| rowspan=4|1987
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Leo McKern | style="background:#ffff80;"|Travelling North | style="background:#ffff80;"|Frank |
| Bryan Brown
|Sonny Hills |
| Colin Friels
|Harvey Denton |
| Noah Taylor
|Danny |
| rowspan=4|1988
| style="background:#ffff80;"|John Waters | style="background:#ffff80;"|Boulevard of Broken Dreams | style="background:#ffff80;"|Tom Garfield |
| Mark Lee
|The Everlasting Secret Family |Youth |
| Hamish McFarlane
|The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey |Griffin |
| Sean Scully
|David Simmons |
| rowspan=4|1989
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Sam Neill | style="background:#ffff80;"|Evil Angels | style="background:#ffff80;"|Michael Chamberlain |
| Mike Bishop
|David Yale |
| John Hargreaves
|Colin |
| Chris Haywood
|Janis |
| colspan="4" style="background:#CCCCCC;" align="center"| {{anchor|90s}}1990s |
| rowspan=4|1990
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Max von Sydow | style="background:#ffff80;"|Father | style="background:#ffff80;"|Joe Muller |
| Russell Crowe
|Johnny |
| Frankie J. Holden
|Steve |
| Ben Mendelsohn
|Danny Clark |
| rowspan=4|1991
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Hugo Weaving | style="background:#ffff80;"|Proof | style="background:#ffff80;"|Martin |
| Colin Friels
|John Anderson |
| Ben Mendelsohn
|Carey |
| Sam Neill
|Carl Fitzgerald |
| rowspan=4|1992
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Russell Crowe | style="background:#ffff80;"|Romper Stomper | style="background:#ffff80;"|Hando |
| Lothaire Bluteau
|LaForgue |
| Bruno Ganz
|JP |
| Paul Mercurio
|Scott Hastings |
| rowspan=4|1993
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Harvey Keitel | style="background:#ffff80;"|The Piano | style="background:#ffff80;"|George Baines |
| Matthew Ferguson
|Simon Henderson |
| Anthony LaPaglia
|Det. Sgt. James Quinlan |
| John Moore
|Doug Dooligan |
| rowspan=4|1994
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Nicholas Hope | style="background:#ffff80;"|Bad Boy Bubby | style="background:#ffff80;"|Bubby |
| John Hargreaves
|Jack Dickens |
| Terence Stamp
|rowspan=2|The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert |Ralph Waite/Bernadette Bassinger |
| Hugo Weaving
|Anthony "Tick" Belrose/Mitzi Del Bra |
| rowspan=4|1995
| style="background:#ffff80;"|John Lynch | style="background:#ffff80;"|Angel Baby | style="background:#ffff80;"|Harry |
| John Jarratt
|Barry |
| John Moore
|Harry Dare |
| Aden Young
|Joe |
| rowspan=4|1996
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Geoffrey Rush | style="background:#ffff80;"|Shine | style="background:#ffff80;"|Adult David Helfgott |
| John Brumpton
|Life |Des |
| Noah Taylor
|Adolescent David Helfgott |
| Aden Young
|Ben Egan |
| rowspan=4|1997
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Richard Roxburgh | style="background:#ffff80;"|Doing Time for Patsy Cline | style="background:#ffff80;"|Boyd |
| Michael Caton
|Darryl Kerrigan |
| Matt Day
|Al Fletcher |
| Jeremy Sims
|Mick |
| rowspan=4|1998
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Hugo Weaving | style="background:#ffff80;"|The Interview | style="background:#ffff80;"|Eddie Rodney Fleming |
| Ray Barrett
|Maurice Stubbs |
| Alex Dimitriades
|Ari |
| David Wenham
|Brett Sprague |
| rowspan=4|1999
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Russell Dykstra | style="background:#ffff80;"|Soft Fruit | style="background:#ffff80;"|Bo |
| Hugh Jackman
|Wace |
| Heath Ledger
|Jimmy |
| Richard Roxburgh |
| colspan="4" style="background:#CCCCCC;" align="center"| {{anchor|90s}}2000s |
| rowspan=4|2000
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Eric Bana | style="background:#ffff80;"|Chopper | style="background:#ffff80;"|Mark "Chopper" Read |
| Steve Bastoni
|Alfredo |
| David Wenham
|Josh |
| Sam Worthington
|Mitchell Okden |
| rowspan=4|2001
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Anthony LaPaglia | style="background:#ffff80;"|Lantana | style="background:#ffff80;"|Leon Zat |
| Ewan McGregor
|Christian |
| Ben Mendelsohn
|Eddie 'Mullet' Maloney |
| David Wenham
|Jim Doyle |
| rowspan=4|2002
| style="background:#ffff80;"|David Gulpilil | style="background:#ffff80;"|The Tracker | style="background:#ffff80;"|The Tracker |
| Vince Colosimo
|Charlie |
| Geoffrey Rush
|Harold Fingleton |
| David Wenham
|Father Damien |
| rowspan=4|2003
| style="background:#ffff80;"|David Wenham | style="background:#ffff80;"|Gettin' Square | style="background:#ffff80;"|Johnny Francis 'Spit' Spitieri |
| Heath Ledger |
| Timothy Spall
|Darren 'Dabba' Barrington |
| Gotaro Tsunashima
|Hiromitsu Tachibana |
| rowspan=4|2004
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Sam Worthington | style="background:#ffff80;"|Somersault | style="background:#ffff80;"|Joe |
| Colin Friels
|Tom White |
| Kevin Harrington
|Wally Norman |
| Dan Spielman
|Tommy Matisse |
| rowspan=4|2005
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Hugo Weaving | style="background:#ffff80;"|Little Fish | style="background:#ffff80;"|Lionel Dawson |
| William McInnes
|Nick |
| Guy Pearce
|rowspan=2|The Proposition |Charlie Burns |
| Ray Winstone
|Captain Morris Stanley |
| rowspan=4|2006
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Shane Jacobson | style="background:#ffff80;"|Kenny | style="background:#ffff80;"|Kenny Smyth |
| Gabriel Byrne
|Stewart |
| Heath Ledger
|Dan |
| Steve Le Marquand
|The tall thug |
| rowspan=4|2007
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Eric Bana | style="background:#ffff80;"|Romulus, My Father | style="background:#ffff80;"|Romulus |
| Brendan Cowell
|Graham McGahan |
| Qi Yuwu
|Joe |
| Kodi Smit-McPhee
|Raimond |
| rowspan=4|2008
| style="background:#ffff80;"|William McInnes | style="background:#ffff80;"|Unfinished Sky | style="background:#ffff80;"|John Woldring |
| Guy Pearce |
| David Roberts
|Raymond Yale |
| Rhys Wakefield
|Thomas Mollison |
| rowspan=4|2009
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Anthony LaPaglia | style="background:#ffff80;"|Balibo | style="background:#ffff80;"|Roger East |
| Rowan McNamara
|Samson |
| Ben Mendelsohn
|Ned Kendall |
| Hugo Weaving
|Kev |
| colspan="4" style="background:#CCCCCC;" align="center"| {{anchor|90s}}2010s |
| rowspan=4|2010
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Ben Mendelsohn | style="background:#ffff80;"|Animal Kingdom | style="background:#ffff80;"|Andrew 'Pope' Cody |
| Brendan Cowell |
| James Frecheville
|Joshua 'J' Cody |
| Clive Owen
|Joe Warr |
| colspan="4" style="background:#FFDEAD;" align="center"| {{anchor|AACTA}}AACTA Awards |
| rowspan=4|2011 (1st) | style="background:#ffff80;"|Daniel Henshall | style="background:#ffff80;"|Snowtown | style="background:#ffff80;"|John Bunting |
| Willem Dafoe
|Martin David |
| Geoffrey Rush
|Basil Hunter |
| David Wenham
|Len |
| rowspan=4|2012 (2nd) | style="background:#ffff80;"|Chris O'Dowd | style="background:#ffff80;"|The Sapphires | style="background:#ffff80;"|Dave Lovelace |
| Joel Edgerton
|Dave Flannery |
| Matthew Goode
|Tom |
| Guy Pearce
|Dean Randall |
| rowspan=4|2013 (3rd) | style="background:#ffff80;"|Leonardo DiCaprio | style="background:#ffff80;"|The Great Gatsby | style="background:#ffff80;"|Jay Gatsby |
| Sitthiphon Disamoe
|Ahlo |
| Ewen Leslie
|Isaac |
| Hugo Weaving
|Bob Lang |
| rowspan=4|2014 (4th) | style="background:#ffff80;"|David Gulpilil | style="background:#ffff80;"|Charlie's Country | style="background:#ffff80;"|Charlie |
| Russell Crowe
|Joshua Connor |
| Damon Herriman
|Dan |
| Guy Pearce
|Eric |
| rowspan=4|2015 (5th) {{cite web|url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/5th-aacta-awards.aspx|title=Past Awards - AACTA|website=www.aacta.org|access-date=20 April 2018}} | style="background:#ffff80;"|Michael Caton | style="background:#ffff80;"|Last Cab to Darwin | style="background:#ffff80;"|Rex |
| Patrick Brammall
| Ruben Guthrie |
| Ryan Corr |
| Sullivan Stapleton
| Pommie |
| rowspan=4|2016 (6th) | style="background:#ffff80;"|Andrew Garfield | style="background:#ffff80;"|Hacksaw Ridge | style="background:#ffff80;"|Desmond Doss |
| John Brumpton
|rowspan=2|Pawno | Les Underwood |
| Damian Hill
| Danny Williamson |
| Ewen Leslie
| Oliver |
| rowspan=4|2017 (7th) | style="background:#ffff80;"|Sunny Pawar | style="background:#ffff80;"|Lion | style="background:#ffff80;"|Young Saroo Brierley |
| Stephen Curry
| John White |
| Ewen Leslie
| Al |
| Osamah Sami
| Ali |
| rowspan=6|{{center|2018 (8th)}} |
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Hamilton Morris
| style="background:#ffff80;"|Sweet Country | style="background:#ffff80;"|Sam Kelly |
| Ryan Corr
|1% |President Paddo |
| Lucas Hedges
|Jared Eamons |
| Damian Hill
|Jim |
| Daniel Monks
|Pulse |Olly |
| rowspan=5|2019 (9th) | style="background:#ffff80;"|Damon Herriman | style="background:#ffff80;"|Judy and Punch | style="background:#ffff80;"|Punch |
| Timothée Chalamet |
| Baykali Ganambarr
|"Billy" Mangala |
| Dev Patel
|Arjun |
| Hugo Weaving
|Dan Fisher |
| colspan="4" style="background:#CCCCCC;" align="center"| {{anchor|90s}}2020s |
| rowspan=5|2020 (10th) | style="background:#ffff80;"|Toby Wallace | style="background:#ffff80;"|Babyteeth | style="background:#ffff80;"|Moses |
| George MacKay |
| Sam Neill
|Rams |Colin |
| Richard Roxburgh
|Jim Phee |
| Hugo Weaving
|Measure for Measure |Duke |
| rowspan=5|2021 (11th) | style="background:#ffff80;"|Caleb Landry Jones | style="background:#ffff80;"|Nitram | style="background:#ffff80;"|Nitram |
| Simon Baker
|Travis |
| Eric Bana
|Aaron Falk |
| Ahmed Malek
|Hanif |
| Jacob Junior Nayinggul
|High Ground |Gutjuk |
| rowspan=5|2022 (12th) | style="background:#ffff80;"|Austin Butler | style="background:#ffff80;"|Elvis | style="background:#ffff80;"|Elvis Presley |
| Rob Collins
|The Drover's Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson | Yadaka |
| Joel Edgerton
| Mark Frame |
| Idris Elba |
| Damon Herriman
| Bruno |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.afi.org.au/ Afi.org.au — AFI Award Winners] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503184038/http://afi.org.au/ |date=2019-05-03 }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150910115804/http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/ AACTA Winners & Nominees]
{{AACTA Award Best Actor in a Leading Role}}
{{Australian Film Institute Awards}}