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AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role

{{Short description|Award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Use Australian English|date=February 2012}}

{{Infobox award

| name = AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role

| image =

| caption = The 2022 recipient:

| image_upright = 0.7

| awarded_for =

| presenter = Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)

| country = Australia

| year = 1971

| holder = Sarah Snook, Memoir of a Snail (2024)

| website = http://www.aacta.org

}}

The AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role is an award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The AACTA is 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 annually at the AACTA Awards, which hands out accolades for achievements in feature films, 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 AACTA in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current award being a continuum of the AFI Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

From 1971 to 1975, it was presented as a special award, and was accompanied with a cash prize, before it became a competitive award from 1976 onward.{{cite book|last1=French|first1=Lisa|last2=Poole|first2=Mark|title=Shining a Light: 50 Years of the Australian Film Institute|publisher=Australian Teachers of Media|year=2009|isbn=978-1-876467-20-3|page=27}}{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000062/overview|title=IMDb Australian Film Institute Awards|publisher=IMDb|access-date=23 June 2012}} Judy Davis is the most nominated and winning actress in this category, with nine nominations, including six wins, most recently for her role in Nitram (2021).

Candidates for this award must be female, and cannot be nominated for the same role in the supporting actress 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 and nominees

In the following table, the years listed correspond to the year of film release; the ceremonies are usually held the same year.{{ref label|Ceremonies|A|}} The actress in bold and in dark blue background have received a special award; those in bold and in yellow background have won a regular competitive award. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. When sorted chronologically, the table always lists the winning actress first and then the other nominees.Winners and nominees by year:

  • 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 }}
  • 1976: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1970-1979/1976.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1970–1979 – 1976 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1977: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1970-1979/1977.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1970–1979 – 1977 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1978: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1970-1979/1978.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1970–1979 – 1978 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1979: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1970-1979/1979.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1970–1979 – 1979 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1980: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1980.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1980 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1981: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1981.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1981 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1982: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1982.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1982 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1983: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1983.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1983 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1984: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1984.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1984 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1985: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1985.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1985 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1986: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1986.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1986 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1987: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1987.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1987 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1988: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1988.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1988 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1989: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1980-1989/1989.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1980–1989 – 1989 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1990: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1990.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1990 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1991: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1991.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1991 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1992: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1992.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1992 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1993: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1993.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1993 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027205923/http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1993.aspx |archive-date=27 October 2015 }}
  • 1994: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1994.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1994 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1995: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1995.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1995 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1996: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1996.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1996 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1997: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1997.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1997 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104053151/http://aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1997.aspx |archive-date=4 January 2015 }}
  • 1998: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1998.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1998 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 1999: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/1990-1999/1999.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 1990–1999 – 1999 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2000: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2000.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2000 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2001: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2001.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2001 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2002: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2002.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2002 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2003: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2003.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2003 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2004: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2004.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2004 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2005: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2005.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2005 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2006: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2006.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2006 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2007: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2007.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2007 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2008: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2008.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2008 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2009: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2009.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2009 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2010: {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/2000-2010/2010.aspx |title=AACTA – Past Winners – 2000–2010 – 2010 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 }}
  • 2011: {{cite web |url=http://aacta.org/winners-nominees/2011.aspx |title=AACTA – Winners and Nominees – 2011 |publisher=Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) |access-date=3 June 2012 |archive-date=11 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311174800/http://aacta.org/winners-nominees/2011.aspx |url-status=dead }}Additional winners and nominees references:
  • {{cite book|last1=French|first1=Lisa|last2=Poole|first2=Mark|title=Shining a Light: 50 Years of the Australian Film Institute|publisher=Australian Teachers of Media|year=2009|isbn=978-1-876467-20-3|page=165}}
  • {{cite book|last1=French|first1=Lisa|last2=Poole|first2=Mark|title=Shining a Light: 50 Years of the Australian Film Institute|publisher=Australian Teachers of Media|year=2009|isbn=978-1-876467-20-3|page=166}}
  • {{cite book|last1=French|first1=Lisa|last2=Poole|first2=Mark|title=Shining a Light: 50 Years of the Australian Film Institute|publisher=Australian Teachers of Media|year=2009|isbn=978-1-876467-20-3|page=167}}
  • {{cite book|last1=French|first1=Lisa|last2=Poole|first2=Mark|title=Shining a Light: 50 Years of the Australian Film Institute|publisher=Australian Teachers of Media|year=2009|isbn=978-1-876467-20-3|page=168}}

{{legend|#91CFF6|Winner of a special prize (1971–1975)|border=1px #555 solid}}

{{legend|#FAEB86|Winner of a competitive award (1976–present)|border=1px #555 solid}}

File:Judy Davis - Eye of The Storm.jpg is the most awarded and nominated actress in this category.]]

{{No footnotes|table|date=May 2015}}

=AFI Awards=

==1970s==

class="sortable wikitable" width="60%" align="centre"
width="5%" | Year

! width="19%" | Actress

! width="19%" | Film

! width="19%" | Role

align="center" | 1971
(13th)

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Monica Maughan

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | A City's Child

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Woman

align="center" | 1972
(14th)

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Jacki Weaver

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Stork

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Anna

align="center" | 1973
(15th)

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Judy Morris

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Libido: The Child

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Sybil

align="center" | 1974–75
(16th and
17th)

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Julie Dawson

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Who Killed Jenny Langby?

| style="background:#B0C4DE" | Jenny Langby

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1976
(18th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Helen Morse

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Caddie

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Caddie Marsh

Briony Behets

| The Trespassers

| Penny

Helen Morse

| Picnic at Hanging Rock

| Mlle. de Poitiers

Judy Morris

| The Trespassers

| Dee

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1977
(19th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Pat Bishop

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Don's Party

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Jenny

Jeanie Drynan

| Don's Party

| Kath Henderson

Sara Kestelman

| Break of Day

| Alice

Robyn Nevin

| The Fourth Wish

| Connie

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1978
(20th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Angela Punch McGregor

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Gilda Marshall

Geraldine Fitzgerald

| The Mango Tree

| Grandma Carr

Wendy Hughes

| Newsfront

| Amy Mackenzie

Kim Krejus

| Mouth to Mouth

| Carrie

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1979
(21st)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Michele Fawdon

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Cathy's Child

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Cathy

Ruth Cracknell

| The Night the Prowler

| Doris Bannister

Judy Davis

| My Brilliant Career

| Sybylla Melvyn

Sigrid Thornton

| Snapshot

| Madeline

==1980s==

class="sortable wikitable" width="60%" align="centre"
width="5%" | Year

! width="19%" | Actress

! width="19%" | Film

! width="19%" | Role

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1980
(22nd)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Tracy Mann

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Hard Knocks

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Samantha

Carmen Duncan

| Harlequin

| Sandra Rast

Judy Morris

| ...Maybe This Time

| Fran

Mawuyul Yanthalawuy

| Manganinnie

| Manganinnie

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1981
(23rd)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Judy Davis

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Winter of Our Dreams

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Lou

Jenny Agutter

| The Survivor

| Hobbs

Lorraine Bayly

|rowspan=2|Fatty Finn

| Maggie McGrath

Noni Hazlehurst

| Myrtle Finn

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1982
(24th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Noni Hazlehurst

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Monkey Grip

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Nora

Wendy Hughes

| Lonely Hearts

| Patricia Curnow

Carol Kane

| Norman Loves Rose

| Rose

Angela Punch McGregor

| We of the Never Never

| Jeannie Gunn

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1983
(25th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Wendy Hughes

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Careful, He Might Hear You

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Vanessa

Lorna Lesley

| The Settlement

| Joycie

Kris McQuade

| Buddies

| Stella

Geneviève Picot

| Undercover

| Libby

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1984
(26th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Angela Punch McGregor

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Annie's Coming Out

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Jessica Hathaway

Carol Burns

| Strikebound

| Agnes Doig

Gosia Dobrowolska

| Silver City

| Nina

Wendy Hughes

| My First Wife

| Helen

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1985
(27th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Noni Hazlehurst

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Fran

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Fran

Debra Byrne

| Rebel

| Kathy McLeod

Lynette Curran

| Bliss

| Bettina Joy

Michele Fawdon

| Unfinished Business

| Maureen

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1986
(28th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Judy Davis

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Kangaroo

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Harriet Somers

Helen Buday

| For Love Alone

| Teresa

Judy Morris

| The More Things Change...

| Connie

Justine Saunders

| The Fringe Dwellers

| Mollie Comeaway

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1987
(29th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Judy Davis

| style="background:#FAEB86" | High Tide

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Lillie

Julia Blake

| Travelling North

| Frances

Loene Carmen

| The Year My Voice Broke

| Freya Olson

Wendy Hughes

| Echoes of Paradise

| Maria

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1988
(30th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Nadine Garner

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Mull

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Phoebe Mullens

Wendy Hughes

| Boundaries of the Heart

| Stella Marsden

Rosey Jones

| Afraid to Dance

| The Female

Jo Kennedy

| Tender Hooks

| Mitch

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1989
(31st)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Meryl Streep

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Evil Angels

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Lindy Chamberlain

Judy Davis

| Georgia

| Nina Bailley and Georgia White

Geneviève Lemon

| Sweetie

| Dawn (Sweetie)

Irini Pappas

| Island

| Marquise

==1990s==

class="sortable wikitable" width="60%" align="centre"
width="5%" | Year

! width="19%" | Actress

! width="19%" | Film

! width="19%" | Role

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1990
(32nd)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Catherine McClements

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Weekend with Kate

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Kate Moir

Kerry Armstrong

| Hunting

| Michelle Harris

Rosanna Arquette

| Wendy Cracked a Walnut

| Wendy

Claudia Karvan

| The Big Steal

| Joanna Johnson

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1991
(33rd)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Sheila Florance

| style="background:#FAEB86" | A Woman's Tale

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Martha

Eri Ishida

| Aya

| Aya

Angie Milliken

| Act of Necessity

| Louise Coleman

Geneviève Picot

| Proof

| Celia

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1992
(34th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Lisa Harrow

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Last Days of Chez Nous

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Beth

Claudia Karvan

| Redheads

| Lucy

Tara Morice

| Strictly Ballroom

| Fran

Miranda Otto

| Daydream Believer

| Nell Tiscowitz

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1993
(35th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Holly Hunter

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Piano

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Ada McGrath

Claudia Karvan

| Broken Highway

| Catherine

Fiona Ruttelle

| Say a Little Prayer

| Angie

Jacqueline McKenzie

| This Won't Hurt A Bit!

| Vanessa Prescott

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1994
(36th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Toni Collette

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Muriel's Wedding

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Muriel Heslop

Tara FitzGerald

| Sirens

| Estella Campion

Kerry Fox

| Country Life

| Sally Voysey

Victoria Longley

| Talk

| Julia Strong

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1995
(37th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Jacqueline McKenzie

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Angel Baby

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Kate

Caroline Gillmer

|rowspan=2|Hotel Sorrento

| Hilary Moynihan

Caroline Goodall

| Meg Moynihan

Lisa Harrow

| That Eye, the Sky

| Alice Flack

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1996
(38th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Judy Davis

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Children of the Revolution

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Joan

Gia Carides

| Brilliant Lies

| Susy Connor

Claudia Karvan

| Dating the Enemy

| Tash

Frances O'Connor

| Love and Other Catastrophes

| Mia

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1997
(39th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Pamela Rabe

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Well

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Hester

rowspan=2|Frances O'Connor

| Kiss or Kill

| Nikki Davies

Thank God He Met Lizzie

| Jenny

Miranda Otto

| The Well

| Katherine

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1998
(40th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Deborah Mailman

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Radiance

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Nona

Cate Blanchett

| Oscar and Lucinda

| Lucinda Leplastrier

Lynette Curran

| The Boys

| Sandra Sprague

Rachel Griffiths

| Amy

| Tanya Rammus

rowspan=4 align="center" | 1999
(41st)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Sacha Horler

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Praise

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Cynthia

Jeanie Drynan

| Soft Fruit

| Patsy

Michela Noonan

| Strange Fits of Passion

| She

Maya Stange

| In a Savage Land

| Evelyn Spence

==2000s==

class="sortable wikitable" width="60%" align="centre"
width="5%" | Year

! width="19%" | Actress

! width="19%" | Film

! width="19%" | Role

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2000
(42nd)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Pia Miranda

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Looking for Alibrandi

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Josephine Alibrandi

Julia Blake

| Innocence

| Claire

Rachel Griffiths

| Me Myself I

| Pamela Drury

Susie Porter

| Better Than Sex

| Cin

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2001
(43rd)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Kerry Armstrong

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Lantana

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Sonja Zat

Alice Ansara

| La Spagnola

| Lucia

Nicole Kidman

| Moulin Rouge!

| Satine

Lola Marceli

| La Spagnola

| Lola

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2002
(44th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Maria Theodorakis

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Walking on Water

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Anna

Judy Davis

| Swimming Upstream

| Dora Fingleton

Rachel Griffiths

| The Hard Word

| Carol

Dannielle Hall

| Beneath Clouds

| Lena

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2003
(45th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Toni Collette

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Japanese Story

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Sandy Edwards

Helen Buday

| Alexandra's Project

| Alexandra

Rose Byrne

| The Rage in Placid Lake

| Gemma Taylor

Susie Porter

| Teesh and Trude

| Letitia (Teesh)

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2004
(46th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Abbie Cornish

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Somersault

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Heidi

Chloe Maxwell

| Under the Radar

| Jo

Olivia Pigeot

| A Cold Summer

| Tia

Leeanna Walsman

| One Perfect Day

| Alysse

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2005
(47th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Cate Blanchett

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Little Fish

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Tracy Louise Heart

Saskia Burmeister

| Hating Alison Ashley

| "Erk" Erica "Yuk" Yurken

Justine Clarke

| Look Both Ways

| Meryl Lee

Frances O'Connor

| Three Dollars

| Tanya

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2006
(48th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Emily Barclay

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Suburban Mayhem

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Katrina

Abbie Cornish

| Candy

| Candy

Laura Linney

| Jindabyne

| Claire

Teresa Palmer

| 2:37

| Melody

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2007
(49th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Joan Chen

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Home Song Stories

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Rose

Kerry Armstrong

| Razzle Dazzle

| Justine Morgan

Brenda Blethyn

| Clubland

| Jean Dwight

Franka Potente

| Romulus, My Father

| Christine

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2008
(50th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Monic Hendrickx

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Unfinished Sky

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Tahmeena

Noni Hazlehurst

| Bitter & Twisted

| Penelope Lombard

Emma Lung

|rowspan=2|The Jammed

| Crystal

Veronica Sywak

| Ashley

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2009
(51st)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Frances O'Connor

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Blessed

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Rhonda

Marissa Gibson

| Samson and Delilah

| Delilah

Sacha Horler

| My Year Without Sex

| Natalie

Sophie Lowe

| Beautiful Kate

| Kate

==2010s==

class="sortable wikitable" width="60%" align="centre"
width="5%" | Year

! width="19%" | Actress

! width="19%" | Film

! width="19%" | Role

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2010
(52nd)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Jacki Weaver

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Animal Kingdom

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Janine "Smurf" Cody

Abbie Cornish

| Bright Star

| Fanny Brawne

Morgana Davies

|rowspan=2|The Tree

| Simone

Charlotte Gainsbourg

| Dawn

=AACTA Awards=

==2010s==

class="sortable wikitable" width="60%" align="centre"
width="5%" | Year

! width="19%" | Actress

! width="19%" | Film

! width="19%" | Role

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2011
(1st)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Judy Davis

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Eye of the Storm

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Dorothy de Lascabanes

Frances O'Connor

| The Hunter

| Lucy Armstrong

Charlotte Rampling

| The Eye of the Storm

| Elizabeth Hunter

Emily Watson

| Oranges and Sunshine

| Margaret Humphreys

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2012
(2nd)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Deborah Mailman

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Sapphires

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Gail McCrae

Toni Collette

| Mental

| Shaz

Felicity Price

| Wish You Were Here

| Alice Flannery

Sarah Snook

| Not Suitable for Children

| Stevie

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2013
(3rd)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Rose Byrne

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Turning

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Raelene

Carey Mulligan

| The Great Gatsby

| Daisy Buchanan

Tasma Walton

| Mystery Road

| Mary Swan

Naomi Watts

| Adoration

| Lil

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2014
(4th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Sarah Snook

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Predestination

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The unmarried mother

Kate Box

| The Little Death

| Rowena

Essie Davis

| The Babadook

| Amelia

Mia Wasikowska

| Tracks

| Robyn Davidson

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2015
(5th) {{cite web |url=http://www.aacta.org/winners-nominees/5th-aacta-awards.aspx |title = Winners & Nominees {{!}} AACTA}}

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Kate Winslet

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Dressmaker

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Myrtle 'Tilly' Dunnage

Robyn Butler

| Now Add Honey

| Caroline Morgan

Ningali Lawford-Wolf

| Last Cab to Darwin

| Polly

Charlize Theron

| Mad Max: Fury Road

| Imperator Furiosa

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2016
(6th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Odessa Young

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Daughter

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Hedvig

Maeve Dermody

| Pawno

| Kate

Maggie Naouri

| Joe Cinque's Consolation

| Anu Singh

Teresa Palmer

| Hacksaw Ridge

| Dorothy Schutte

rowspan=4 align="center" | 2017
(7th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Emma Booth

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Hounds of Love

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Evelyn White

Teresa Palmer

| Berlin Syndrome

| Clare

Helana Sawires

| Ali's Wedding

| Dianne

Sara West

| Don't Tell

| Lyndal

rowspan=5 align="center" | 2018
(8th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Angourie Rice

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Ladies in Black

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Lisa

Abbey Lee

|1%

|Katrina

Rooney Mara

|Mary Magdalene

|Mary Magdalene

Kate Mulvany

|The Merger

|Angie Barlow

Julia Ormond

|Ladies in Black

|Magda

rowspan=5 align="center" | 2019
(9th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Aisling Franciosi

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Nightingale

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Clare Carroll

Nazanin Boniadi

|Hotel Mumbai

|Zahra

Teresa Palmer

|Ride Like a Girl

|Michelle Payne

Miranda Tapsell

|Top End Wedding

|Lauren

Mia Wasikowska

|Judy and Punch

|Judy

==2020s==

class="sortable wikitable" width="60%" align="centre"
width="5%" | Year

! width="19%" | Actress

! width="19%" | Film

! width="19%" | Role

rowspan=5 align="center" | 2020
(10th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Eliza Scanlen

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Babyteeth

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Milla Finlay

Tilda Cobham-Hervey

| I Am Woman

| Helen Reddy

Laura Gordon

| Undertow

| Claire

Elisabeth Moss

| The Invisible Man

| Cecilia Kass

Lupita Nyong'o

| Little Monsters

| Miss Audrey Caroline

rowspan=5 align="center" | 2021
(11th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Judy Davis

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Nitram

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Nitram's mother

Rose Byrne

| Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

| Bea McGregor

Noni Hazlehurst

| June Again

| June

Genevieve O'Reilly

| The Dry

| Gretchen

Naomi Watts

| Penguin Bloom

| Sam Bloom

rowspan=5 align="center" | 2022
(12th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Leah Purcell

| style="background:#FAEB86" | The Drover's Wife

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Molly Johnson

Aisha Dee

| Sissy

| Cecilia/Sissy

Julia Savage

| Blaze

| Blaze

Tilda Swinton

| Three Thousand Years of Longing

| Alithea

Jackie van Beek

| Nude Tuesday

| Laura

rowspan=6 align="center" | 2023
(13th)

| style="background:#FAEB86" |Sophie Wilde

| style="background:#FAEB86" | Talk to Me

| style="background:#FAEB86" |Mia

Shantae Barnes-Cowan

| Sweet As

| Murra

Cate Blanchett

| The New Boy

| Sister Eileen

Zar Amir Ebrahimi

| Shayda

| Shayda

Julia Garner

| The Royal Hotel

| Hanna

Sarah Snook

| Run Rabbit Run

| Sarah

Notes

{{refbegin}}

:A{{note|Ceremonies}}: From 1958–2010, the awards were held during the year of the film's release. However, the 1974–1975 awards were held in 1975 for films released in 1974 and 1975, and the first AACTA Awards were held in 2012 for films released in 2011.{{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}}{{cite news |last=Bodey |first=Michael | title=Industry academy announces new awards | date=8 November 2011 | work=The Australian | url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/industry-academy-announces-new-awards/story-e6frg996-1226188302362 |publisher=News Limited (News Corporation) |access-date=5 June 2012}}

{{refend}}

References

{{reflist|30em}}

External links

  • [http://www.aacta.org/ Official website of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts]

{{AACTA Award Best Actress in a Leading Role}}

{{Australian Film Institute Awards}}

A

Category:AACTA Award winners

Category:Film awards for lead actress