BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Best Actress in a Leading Role is a British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film.
- From 1952 to 1967, there were two Best Actress awards presented, Best British Actress and Best Foreign Actress.
- From 1968 onwards, the two awards merged into one award, which from 1968 to 1984 was known as Best Actress.[1]
- From 1985 to present, the award has been known by its current name of Best Actress in a Leading Role.[2]
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role | |
---|---|
![]() The 2022 recipient: Cate Blanchett | |
Awarded for | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role |
Country | United Kingdom |
Presented by | British Academy of Film and Television Arts |
First awarded | Vivien Leigh for A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Simone Signoret for Golden Helmet (1952) |
Currently held by | Cate Blanchett for Tár (2022) |
Website | http://www.bafta.org/ |
Winners and nominees
![](../I/Vivien_Leigh_Scarlet.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Audrey_Hepburn_1956.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Rachel_Roberts.JPG.webp)
![](../I/Shirley_MacLaine_-_1960.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Leslie_Caron-publicity.JPG.webp)
![](../I/Julie_Christie_-_1966.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Elizabeth_Taylor_1.JPG.webp)
![](../I/Dame_Edith_Evans_4_Allan_Warren.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Katharine_Hepburn_publicity_photograph.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Dame_Maggie_Smith-cropped.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Katharine_Ross_-_Buddwing.JPG.webp)
![](../I/Glenda_Jackson.JPG.webp)
![](../I/Liza_Minnelli_Cabaret_1972_crop_2.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Joanne_Woodward_1971.jpg.webp)
![](../I/EllenBurstyn07TIFF.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Diane_Keaton_2012-1_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![](../I/Jane_Fonda_Cannes_2015.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Meryl_Streep_December_2018.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Julie_Walters_2014_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![](../I/Jodie_Foster_C%C3%A9sars_2011_2_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![](../I/Emma_Thompson_2009.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Judi Dench at the 2007 British Academy Film Awards](../I/Judi_Dench_at_the_BAFTAs_2007.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Cate Blanchett at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival](../I/Cate_Blanchett_Cannes_2015.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Annette Bening at the 2013 Tribeca International Film Festival](../I/AnnetteBeningSept2013TIFF.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Julia Roberts at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival](../I/Julia_Roberts_2011_Shankbone.JPG.webp)
![Photo of Nicole Kidman at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival](../I/Nicole_Kidman_Cannes_2017_2.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Scarlett Johansson at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con](../I/Scarlett_Johansson_by_Gage_Skidmore_2_(cropped)_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![Photo of Reese Witherspoon at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival](../I/Reese_Witherspoon_2012_cropped.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Helen Mirren at the 2014 British Independent Film Awards](../I/Helen_Mirren-2208.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Marion Cotillard at the 2017 Cabourg Film Festival](../I/Marion_Cotillard_Cabourg_2017.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Kate Winslet at the 2011 Venice Film Festival](../I/KateWinsletByAndreaRaffin2011.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Carey Mulligan in Sydney, Australia at the premiere of "The Great Gatsby" in 2013](../I/Carey_Mulligan_2%252C_2013.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Natalie Portman at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival](../I/Natalie_Portman_Cannes_2015_5_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![Photo of Emmanuelle Riva at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival](../I/Emmanuelle_Riva_Cannes_2012.jpg.webp)
![Photo of Julianne Moore at the 2014 Tribeca International Film Festival](../I/Julianne_Moore_(15011443428).jpg.webp)
![Photo of Brie Larson at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con](../I/TIFF_2019_Brie_Larsen_(48690948097)_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![Photo of Julianne Moore at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.](../I/Emma_Stone_at_Maniac_UK_premiere_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![Photo of Frances McDormand at the 2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards](../I/Frances_McDormand_2015_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![Photo of Olivia Colman at the 2014 British Independent Film Awards](../I/Olivia_Colman_at_Moet_BIFA_2014_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![](../I/Ren%C3%A9e_Zellweger_Berlinale_2010_(cropped).jpg.webp)
![](../I/Joanna_Scanlan_2019.jpg.webp)
Best British Actress (1952–1967)
Best Foreign Actress (1952–1967)
1968–1979
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Year | Actress | Film | Character |
---|---|---|---|
2020 74th [25] | |||
Frances McDormand | Nomadland | Fern | |
Bukky Bakray | Rocks | Olushola "Rocks" Omotoso | |
Radha Blank | The Forty-Year-Old Version | Radha Blank | |
Vanessa Kirby | Pieces of a Woman | Martha Weiss | |
Wunmi Mosaku | His House | Rial Majur | |
Alfre Woodard | Clemency | Bernardine Williams | |
2021 75th [26] | |||
Joanna Scanlan | After Love | Mary Hussain | |
Lady Gaga | House of Gucci | Patrizia Reggiani | |
Alana Haim | Licorice Pizza | Alana Kane | |
Emilia Jones | CODA | Ruby Rossi | |
Renate Reinsve | The Worst Person in the World | Julie | |
Tessa Thompson | Passing | Irene Redfield | |
2022 76th | |||
Cate Blanchett | Tár | Lydia Tár | |
Viola Davis | The Woman King | General Nanisca | |
Danielle Deadwyler | Till | Mamie Till | |
Ana de Armas | Blonde | Norma Jeane Mortenson / Marilyn Monroe | |
Emma Thompson | Good Luck to You, Leo Grande | Nancy Stokes / Susan Robinson | |
Michelle Yeoh | Everything Everywhere All at Once | Evelyn Quan Wang |
Note: Between 1964 and 1973, several actresses were nominated for multiple performances in a single year, these each count as one nomination.[27] Scarlett Johansson's two mentions in 2003 count as two separate nominations.[28] The two mentions received by Kate Winslet in both 2004 and 2008 count as two separate nominations each time.
Note: The 2013 ceremony was the first time in the history of BAFTA that two French actresses were nominated for French-language performances in this category: Marion Cotillard for Rust and Bone and Emmanuelle Riva for Amour; the latter won.[29]
Superlatives
Superlative | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Best Supporting Actress | Overall | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Actress with most awards | Maggie Smith | 4 | Judi Dench | 3 | Judi Dench Maggie Smith |
5 |
Actress with most British Actress Awards (until 1967) | Audrey Hepburn | 3 | — | — | Audrey Hepburn | 3 |
Actress with most Foreign Actress Awards (until 1967) | Simone Signoret | 3 | — | — | Simone Signoret | 3 |
Actress with most nominations | Meryl Streep | 12 | Judi Dench | 9 | Meryl Streep | 15 |
Actress with most British Actress Award nominations (until 1967) | Audrey Hepburn | 5 | — | — | Audrey Hepburn | 5 |
Actress with most Foreign Actress Award nominations (until 1967) | Shirley MacLaine | 5 | — | — | Shirley MacLaine | 5 |
Note: Meryl Streep and Judi Dench tie for the record of a total of 15 BAFTA Film nominations, with Streep having 12 Best Actress nominations and 3 Best Supporting Actress nominations. Dench has 5 Best Actress nominations and 9 Best Supporting Actress nominations. Dench's 15th nomination is for Best Newcomer in 1966 (which she won). This gives her 6 BAFTA Film wins. In addition, she has won 4 BAFTA TV awards (from 12 nominations). In total, she has received 27 BAFTA Film & TV nominations with 10 wins. In 2001, Dench also received an honorary BAFTA: The BAFTA Fellowship.
Note: Maggie Smith has a total of 13 BAFTA Film nominations, for Best Actress (8), Best Supporting Actress (4) and Best Newcomer (1), winning 5. She also has 5 BAFTA TV nominations. This gives her a total of 18 BAFTA Film and TV nominations. In addition, Smith has received two honorary awards: The BAFTA Special Award (1993) and BAFTA Fellowship (1996).
Multiple nominations
- 12 nominations
- 8 nominations
- 7 nominations
- 6 nominations
- 5 nominations
- 4 nominations
- 3 nominations
- 2 nominations
- Anouk Aimée
- Julie Andrews
- Peggy Ashcroft
- Leslie Caron
- Glenn Close
- Marion Cotillard
- Judy Davis
- Faye Dunaway
- Jodie Foster
- Lady Gaga
- Goldie Hawn
- Susan Hayward
- Judy Holliday
- Celia Johnson
- Grace Kelly
- Anna Magnani
- Giulietta Masina
- Virginia McKenna
- Melina Mercouri
- Hayley Mills
- Yvonne Mitchell
- Marilyn Monroe
- Jeanne Moreau
- Patricia Neal
- Natalie Portman
- Emmanuelle Riva
- Julia Roberts
- Rachel Roberts
- Susan Sarandon
- Maria Schell
- Kristin Scott Thomas
- Jean Simmons
- Barbra Streisand
- Sylvia Syms
- Jessica Tandy
- Audrey Tautou
- Uma Thurman
- Rita Tushingham
- Liv Ullmann
- Julie Walters
- Reese Witherspoon
- Michelle Yeoh
- Ziyi Zhang
Multiple wins
See also
- Academy Award for Best Actress
- Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress
- Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical
- BIFA Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
References
- "BAFTA Awards".
- "BAFTA Awards".
- "American Beauty shines at Baftas". BBC News. 9 April 2000. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- "Gladiator, Crouching Tiger do battle in Bafta nominations". The Guardian. 31 January 2001. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- "Gladiator conquers the Baftas". BBC News. 25 February 2001. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- "'Lord of the Rings' dominates BAFTAs, wins best film award". The Irish Times. 22 February 2002. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Hernandez, Eugene (24 February 2003). "Top BAFTA Awards For "The Pianist"". Indiewire. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- "Rings rule at Bafta film awards". BBC News. 16 February 2004. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- "Aviator flies off with Bafta for Best Film". The Scotsman. 13 February 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Hernandez, Eugene (20 February 2006). ""Brokeback Mountain" Wins 4 BAFTA Awards, Including Best Picture". Indiewire. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- "Baftas 2007: The winners". BBC News. 11 February 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Dawtrey, Adam (10 February 2008). "'Atonement' tops BAFTA Awards". Variety. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Turner, Mimi (8 February 2009). "'Slumdog Millionaire' wins 7 BAFTA nods". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- King, Susan (21 February 2010). "'Hurt Locker' wins big at BAFTA Awards". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Brown, Mark (14 February 2011). "Baftas 2011: The King's Speech sweeps the board". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Reynolds, Simon (12 February 2012). "Orange BAFTA Film Awards 2012 winners list - in full". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Brooks, Xan (11 February 2013). "Baftas 2013 – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- "Baftas: Gravity and 12 Years a Slave share glory". BBC News. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Brown, Mark (8 February 2015). "Baftas 2015: Boyhood wins top honours but Grand Budapest Hotel checks out with most". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Lodderhose, Diana (14 February 2016). "'The Revenant,' Leonardo DiCaprio Dominate BAFTA Awards". Variety. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Grater, Tom. "Baftas 2017: 'La La Land' scoops five as 'Moonlight', 'Nocturnal Animals' are shutout". Screendaily. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- "Bafta Film Awards 2018: Three Billboards wins top prizes". BBC. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Nordine, Michael (10 February 2019). "BAFTA Awards 2019: 'Roma' Wins Best Film as 'The Favourite' Takes Home the Most Prizes". Indiewire. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- "Baftas 2020: Sam Mendes film 1917 dominates awards". BBC. 2 February 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- Shoard, Catherine (12 April 2021). "Baftas 2021: Nomadland wins big as Promising Young Woman and Anthony Hopkins surprise". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- "2022 EE British Academy Film Awards: Nominations". BAFTA. 11 January 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- "[award_type] in [year] | BAFTA Awards". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- "[award_type] in [year] | BAFTA Awards". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- "Film | Leading Actress in 2013".