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European Film Award for Best Actor

European film award


European film award

FieldValue
nameEuropean Film Award for Best Actor
awarded_forBest Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
presenterEuropean Film Academy
imageStellan Skarsgård-9707 (cropped).jpg
captionThe 2025 recipient: Stellan Skarsgård
yearMax von Sydow
*Pelle the Conqueror* ([1988](1st-european-film-awards))
holderStellan Skarsgård
*Sentimental Value* ([2025](38th-european-film-awards))
website

Pelle the Conqueror (1988) Sentimental Value (2025)

The European Film Award for Best Actor is an award given out at the annual European Film Awards to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film industry. The awards are presented by the European Film Academy (EFA) and was first presented in 1988 to Swedish actor Max von Sydow for his role as Lassefar "Lasse" Karlsson in Pelle the Conqueror.

Daniel Auteuil, Mads Mikkelsen, and Toni Servillo are the only actors who have received this award more than once with two wins each, while Mikkelsen is the most nominated actor in the category with five nominations.

Winners and nominees

1980s

**Year****Winner and nominees****English title****Original title**Character
1988
[(1st)](1st-european-film-awards)**Max von Sydow*****Pelle the Conqueror******Pelle erobreren*****Lassefar "Lasse" Karlsson**
Klaus Maria Brandauer*Hanussen*Klaus Schneider / Erik Jan Hanussen
Alfredo Landa*El bosque animado*Malvís / Bandid Fendetestas
Udo Samel*Mit meinen heißen Tränen*Franz Schubert
Dorel Vişan*Iacob*Iacob
1989
[(2nd)](2nd-european-film-awards)**Philippe Noiret*****Life and Nothing But***
***Cinema Paradiso******La vie et rien d'autre*
*Nuovo cinema Paradiso*****Commandant Delaplane
Alfredo**
Daniel Day-Lewis*My Left Foot*Christy Brown
Davor Dujmović*Time of the Gypsies**Dom za vesanje*Perhan
Károly Eperjes*Eldorádó*Sándor Monori
Jozef Króner*Thou, Which Art in Heaven**Ti, koyto si na nebeto*Georg Henih

1990s

**Year****Winner and nominees****English title****Original title**Character
1990
[(3rd)](3rd-european-film-awards)**Kenneth Branagh*****Henry V*****King Henry V of England**
Gérard Depardieu*Cyrano de Bergerac*Cyrano de Bergerac
Philip Zandén*Skyddsängeln*Jacob
1991
[(4th)](4th-european-film-awards)**Michel Bouquet*****Toto the Hero******Toto le héros*****Thomas**
Claudio Amendola*Ultrà*Principe
Richard Anconina*Le Petit Criminel*Gérard
1992
[(5th)](5th-european-film-awards)**Matti Pellonpää*****La Vie de Bohème*****Rodolfo**
Denis Lavant*The Lovers on the Bridge**Les Amants du Pont-Neuf*Alex
Enrico Lo Verso*The Stolen Children**Il ladro di bambini*Antonio
1993
[(6th)](6th-european-film-awards)**Daniel Auteuil*****Un cœur en hiver*****Stéphane**
Carlo Cecchi*Morte di un matematico napoletano*Renato Caccioppoli
Jan Decleir*Daens*Adolf Daens
1994
[(7th)](7th-european-film-awards)No award given
1995
[(8th)](8th-european-film-awards)No award given
1996
[(9th)](9th-european-film-awards)**Ian McKellen*****Richard III*****Richard III of England**
1997
[(10th)](10th-european-film-awards)**Bob Hoskins*****Twenty Four Seven*****Alan Darcy**
Mario Adorf*Rossini*Paolo Rossini
Jerzy Stuhr*Love Stories**Historie miłosne*The university teacher / The priest / Col. Jerzy Matałowski / Prisoner Zdzisław Filip / Petent
Philippe Torreton*Captain Conan**Capitaine Conan*Conan
1998
[(11th)](11th-european-film-awards)**Roberto Benigni*****Life Is Beautiful******La vita è bella*****Guido Orefice**
Javier Bardem*Live Flesh**Carne trémula*David
Peter Mullan*My Name Is Joe*Joe Kavanagh
Ulrich Thomsen*The Celebration**Festen*Christian Klingenfeldt-Hansen
1999
[(12th)](12th-european-film-awards)**Ralph Fiennes*****Sunshine*****Ignatz Sonnenschein (Sors) / Adam Sors / Ivan Sors**
Anders W. Berthelsen*Mifune's Last Song**Mifunes sidste sang*Kresten
Rupert Everett*An Ideal Husband*Lord Arthur Goring
Götz George*After the Truth**Nichts als die Wahrheit*Josef Mengele
Philippe Torreton*Ça commence aujourd'hui*Daniel Lefebvre
Ray Winstone*The War Zone*Dad

2000s

**Year****Winner and nominees****English title****Original title**Character
2000
[(13th)](13th-european-film-awards)
**Sergi López*****Harry, He's Here to Help******Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien*****Harry**
Jamie Bell*Billy Elliot*Billy Elliot
Bruno Ganz*Bread and Tulips**Pane e tulipani*Fernando Girasole
Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson*Angels of the Universe**Englar alheimsins*Páll
Krzysztof Siwczyk*Wojaczek*Rafal Wojaczek
Stellan Skarsgård*Aberdeen*Tomas Heller
2001
[(14th)](14th-european-film-awards)
**Ben Kingsley*****Sexy Beast*****Don Logan**
Jesper Christensen*The Bench**Bænken*Kaj
Branko Đurić*No Man's Land*Čiki
Michael Caine
Tom Courtenay
David Hemmings
Bob Hoskins
Ray Winstone
(Cast of *Last Orders*)*Last Orders*Jack Dodds
Vic Tucker
Lenny
Ray Johnson
Vince Dodds
Michel Piccoli*I'm Going Home**Je rentre à la maison*Gilbert Valence
Stellan Skarsgård*Taking Sides*Wilhelm Furtwängler
2002
[(15th)](15th-european-film-awards)
**Sergio Castellitto*****Mostly Martha*
*My Mother's Smile******Bella Martha*
*L'ora di religione (Il sorriso di mia madre)*****Mario
Ernesto Picciafuocco**
Javier Bardem*Mondays in the Sun**Los lunes al sol*Santa
Javier Cámara*Talk to Her**Hable con ella*Benigno Martín
Martin Compston*Sweet Sixteen*Liam
Olivier Gourmet*The Son**Le fils*Olivier
Markku Peltola*The Man Without a Past**Mies vailla menneisyyttä*M
Timothy Spall*All or Nothing*Phil
2003
[(16th)](16th-european-film-awards)
**Daniel Brühl*****Good Bye Lenin!*****Alexander "Alex" Kerner**
Chiwetel Ejiofor*Dirty Pretty Things*Okwe/Olatokumbo Fadipe
Tómas Lemarquis*Noi the Albino**Nói albinói*Nói
Luigi Lo Cascio*The Best of Youth**La meglio gioventù*Nicola Carati
Jean Rochefort*The Man on the Train**L'homme du train*Monsieur Manesquier
Bruno Todeschini*His Brother**Son frère*Thomas
2004
[(17th)](17th-european-film-awards)
**Javier Bardem*****The Sea Inside******Mar adentro*****Ramón Sampedro**
Daniel Brühl*The Edukators**Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei*Jan
Bruno Ganz*Downfall**Der Untergang*Adolf Hitler
Gérard Jugnot*The Chorus**Les choristes*Clement Mathieu
Bogdan Stupka*Our Own**Svoi*Ivan Blinov
Birol Ünel*Head-On**Gegen die Wand*Cahit Tomruk
2005
[(18th)](18th-european-film-awards)
**Daniel Auteuil*****Hidden******Caché*****Georges Laurent**
Romain Duris*The Beat That My Heart Skipped**De battre mon cœur s'est arrêté*Thomas Seyr
Henry Hübchen*Go for Zucker**Alles auf Zucker!*Jakob "Jaeckie Zucker" Zuckermann
Ulrich Matthes*The Ninth Day**Der neunte Tag*Henri Kremer
Jérémie Renier*The Child**L'enfant*Bruno
Ulrich Thomsen*Brothers**Brødre*Michael
2006
[(19th)](19th-european-film-awards)
**Ulrich Mühe*****The Lives of Others******Das Leben der Anderen*****Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler**
Patrick Chesnais*Not Here to Be Loved**Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé*Jean-Claude Delsart
Jesper Christensen*Manslaughter**Drabet*Carsten
Mads Mikkelsen*After the Wedding**Efter brylluppet*Jacob Petersen
Cillian Murphy*The Wind That Shakes the Barley*Damien O'Donovan
*Breakfast on Pluto*Patrick/Patricia "Kitten" Braden
Silvio Orlando*The Caiman**Il caimano*Bruno Bonomo
2007
[(20th)](20th-european-film-awards)
**Sasson Gabai*****The Band's Visit******Bikur Ha-Tizmoret*****Lieutenant-colonel Tawfiq Zacharya**
Elio Germano*My Brother is an Only Child**Mio fratello è figlio unico*Accio Benassi
Miki Manojlović*Irina Palm*Miklos
James McAvoy*The Last King of Scotland*Dr. Nicholas Garrigan
Michel Piccoli*Belle Toujours*Henri Husson
Ben Whishaw*Perfume: The Story of a Murderer*Jean-Baptiste Grenouille
2008
[(21st)](21st-european-film-awards)
**Toni Servillo*****Il Divo*
*Gomorra*****Giulio Andreotti
Franco**
Michael Fassbender*Hunger*Bobby Sands
Thure Lindhardt
Mads Mikkelsen*Flame & Citron**Flammen & Citronen*Bent Faurschou-Hviid / Flammen
Jørgen Haagen Schmith / Citronen
James McAvoy*Atonement*Robbie Turner
Jürgen Vogel*The Wave**Die Welle*Rainer Wenger
Elmar Wepper*Cherry Blossoms**Kirschbluten - Hanami*Rudi Angermeier
2009
[(22nd)](22nd-european-film-awards)
**Tahar Rahim*****A Prophet******Un prophète*****Malik El-Djebena**
Moritz Bleibtreu*The Baader Meinhof Complex**Der Baader Meinhof Komplex*Andreas Baader
Steve Evets*Looking for Eric*Eric Bishop
David Kross*The Reader*Michael Berg
Dev Patel*Slumdog Millionaire*Jamal Malik
Filippo Timi*Vincere*Benito Mussolini and Benito Albino Mussolini

2010s

**Year****Winner and nominees****English title****Original title**Character
2010
[(23rd)](23rd-european-film-awards)
**Ewan McGregor*****The Ghost Writer*****The Ghost**
Jakob Cedergren*Submarino*Nick
Elio Germano*Our Life**La nostra vita*Claudio
George Piştereanu*If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle**Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier*Silviu
Luis Tosar*Cell 211**Celda 211*Malamadre
2011
[(24th)](24th-european-film-awards)
**Colin Firth*****The King's Speech*****King George VI**
Jean Dujardin*The Artist*George Valentin
Mikael Persbrandt*In a Better World**Hævnen*Anton
Michel Piccoli*We Have a Pope**Habemus Papam*Cardinal Melville/The Pope
André Wilms*Le Havre*Marcel Marx
2012
[(25th)](25th-european-film-awards)
**Jean-Louis Trintignant*****Amour*****Georges Laurent**
François Cluzet
Omar Sy*The Intouchables**Intouchables*Philippe
Driss Bassary
Michael Fassbender*Shame*Brandon Sullivan
Mads Mikkelsen*The Hunt**Jagten*Lucas
Gary Oldman*Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*George Smiley/"Beggarman"
2013
[(26th)](26th-european-film-awards)
**Toni Servillo*****The Great Beauty******La grande belleza*****Jep Gambardella**
Jude Law*Anna Karenina*Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin
Johan Heldenbergh*The Broken Circle Breakdown*Didier Bontinck
Fabrice Luchini*In the House**Dans la maison*Germain Germain
Tom Schilling*A Coffee in Berlin**Oh Boy!*Niko Fischer
2014
[(27th)](27th-european-film-awards)
**Timothy Spall*****Mr. Turner*****Joseph Mallord William Turner**
Brendan Gleeson*Calvary*Father James
Tom Hardy*Locke*Ivan Locke
Aleksei Serebryakov*Leviathan**Левиафан*Kolya Sergeyev
Stellan Skarsgård*Nymphomaniac*Seligman
2015
[(28th)](28th-european-film-awards)
**Michael Caine*****Youth******Youth - La giovinezza*****Fred Ballinger**
Tom Courtenay*[45 Years](45-years)*Geoff Mercer
Colin Farrell*The Lobster*David
Christian Friedel*[13 Minutes](13-minutes-2015-film)**Elser - Er hätte die Welt verändert*Georg Elser
Vincent Lindon*The Measure of a Man**La Loi du marché*Thierry Taugourdeau
2016
[(29th)](29th-european-film-awards)
**Peter Simonischek*****Toni Erdmann*****Winfried Conradi / Toni Erdmann**
Javier Cámara*Truman*Tomás
Hugh Grant*Florence Foster Jenkins*St. Clair Bayfield
Dave Johns*I, Daniel Blake*Daniel Blake
Burghart Klaußner*The People vs. Fritz Bauer**Der Staat gegen Fritz Bauer*Fritz Bauer
Rolf Lassgård*A Man Called Ove**En man som heter Ove*Ove
2017
[(30th)](30th-european-film-awards)
**Claes Bang*****The Square*****Christian**
Nahuel Pérez Biscayart*BPM (Beats per Minute)**120 battements par minute*Sean Dalmazo
Colin Farrell*The Killing of a Sacred Deer*Steven Murphy
Josef Hader*Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe**Vor der Morgenröte*Stefan Zweig
Jean-Louis Trintignant*Happy End*Georges Laurent
2018
[(31st)](31st-european-film-awards)
** Marcello Fonte*****Dogman*****Marcello**
Jakob Cedergren*The Guilty**Den skyldige*Asger Holm
Rupert Everett*The Happy Prince*Oscar Wilde
Sverrir Gudnason*Borg vs McEnroe**Borg*Björn Borg
Tomasz Kot*Cold War**Zimna wojna*Wiktor Warski
Victor Polster*Girl*Lara
2019
[(32nd)](32nd-european-film-awards)
**Antonio Banderas*****Pain and Glory******Dolor y gloria*****Salvador Mallo**
Jean Dujardin*An Officer and a Spy**J'accuse*Picquart
Pierfrancesco Favino*The Traitor**Il traditore*Tommaso Buscetta
Levan Gelbakhiani*And Then We Danced*Merab
Alexander Scheer*Gundermann*Gerhard Gundermann
Ingvar E. Sigurdsson*A White, White Day**Hvítur, Hvítur Dagur*Ingimundur

2020s

**Year**Winner and nomineesEnglish titleOriginal titleCharacter
2020
[(33rd)](33rd-european-film-awards)
** Mads Mikkelsen*****Another Round******Druk*****Martin**
Bartosz Bielenia*Corpus Christi**Boże Ciało*Daniel
Goran Bogdan*Father**Otac*Nikola
Elio Germano*Hidden Away**Volevo nascondermi*Antonio Ligabue
Luca Marinelli*Martin Eden*Martin Eden
Viggo Mortensen*Falling*John Petersen
2021
[(34th)](34th-european-film-awards)
**Anthony Hopkins*****The Father*****Anthony**
Yura Borisov*Compartment No. 6**Hytti nro 6* / *Купе номер шесть*Vadim
Vincent Lindon*Titane*Vincent
Tahar Rahim*The Mauritanian*Mohamedou Ould Slahi
Franz Rogowski*Great Freedom*Große FreiheitHans Hoffmann
2022
[(35th)](35th-european-film-awards)
**Zlatko Burić*****Triangle of Sadness*****Dmitry**
Elliott Crosset Hove*Godland*Lucas
Eden Dambrine*Close*Léo
Pierfrancesco Favino*Nostalgia*Felice Lasco
Paul Mescal*Aftersun*Calum
2023
[(36th)](36th-european-film-awards)
**Mads Mikkelsen*****The Promised Land*****Ludvig Kahlen**
Christian Friedel*The Zone of Interest*Rudolf Höss
Josh O'Connor*La chimera*Arthur
Thomas Schubert*Afire*Leon
Jussi Vatanen*Fallen Leaves*Holappa
2024
[(37th)](37th-european-film-awards)
**Abou Sangaré*****Souleymane's Story******L'Histoire de Souleymane*****Souleymane**
Daniel Craig*Queer*William Lee
Lars Eidinger*Dying**Sterben*Tom Lunies
Ralph Fiennes*Conclave*Thomas Cardinal Lawrence
Franz Rogowski*Bird*Bird
2025
[(38th)](38th-european-film-awards)**Stellan Skarsgård*****Sentimental Value******Affeksjonsverdi*****Gustav Borg**
Sergi López*Sirāt*Luis
Mads Mikkelsen*The Last Viking**Den sidste viking*John
Toni Servillo*La grazia*Mariano De Santis
Idan Weiss*Franz*Franz Kafka

Multiple wins and nominations

Multiple wins

WinsActor
2Daniel Auteuil
Mads Mikkelsen
Toni Servillo

Most nominations

NominationsActor
6Mads Mikkelsen
4Stellan Skarsgård
3Javier Bardem
Elio Germano
Michel Piccoli
Toni Servillo
2Daniel Auteuil
Daniel Brühl
Michael Caine
Javier Cámara
Jakob Cedergren
Jesper Christensen
Tom Courtenay
Jean Dujardin
Rupert Everett
Colin Farrell
Michael Fassbender
Pierfrancesco Favino
Ralph Fiennes
Bruno Ganz
Bob Hoskins
Vincent Lindon
Sergi López
James McAvoy
Cillian Murphy
Tahar Rahim
Franz Rogowski
Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson
Timothy Spall
Ulrich Thomsen
Philippe Torreton
Jean-Louis Trintignant
Ray Winstone

References

References

  1. "2000 - The Winners". [[European Film Academy]].
  2. Blaney, Martin. (December 2, 2001). "Amelie walks off with European film academy crown".
  3. Frater, Patrick. (December 7, 2002). "Talk To Her triumphs at European Film Awards".
  4. Hernandez, Eugene. (December 8, 2003). "Germany’s "Lenin" Wins Top Prizes at European Film Awards".
  5. Hernandez, Eugene. (December 13, 2004). "German Film “Head-On’ Tops 2004 European Film Awards".
  6. Hernandez, Eugene. (December 4, 2005). ""Cache" and "Sophie Scholl" Top European Film Awards".
  7. Hernandez, Eugene. (December 3, 2006). "AWARDS WATCH: "Volver" and "The Lives of Others" Top European Film Awards".
  8. "2007 - The Winners". [[European Film Academy]].
  9. Roxborough, Scott. (December 6, 2008). "‘Gomorra’ tops European Film Awards".
  10. Brooks, Brian. (December 12, 2009). ""White Ribbon" Reigns at European Film Awards".
  11. Lyttelton, Oliver. (December 6, 2010). "‘The Ghost Writer’ Inexplicably Wins Six At 2010 European Film Academy Awards".
  12. Roxborough, Scott. (December 3, 2011). "Lars Von Trier’s ‘Melancholia’ Wins Best Film at European Film Awards".
  13. Knegt, Peter. (December 1, 2012). "‘Amour’ Sweeps European Film Awards".
  14. Barraclough, Leo. (December 7, 2013). "Paolo Sorrentino’s ‘The Great Beauty’ Wins Top Prize at European Film Awards".
  15. Hopewell, John. (November 8, 2014). "‘Ida,’ ‘Leviathan’ Top European Film Awards Nominations".
  16. Jagernauth, Kevin. (December 15, 2014). "Pawel Pawlikowski’s ‘Ida’ Wins Big At European Film Awards".
  17. Lodge, Guy. (November 7, 2015). "‘Youth,’ ‘The Lobster’ Lead European Film Award Nominations".
  18. Heath, Paul. (December 14, 2015). "European Film Awards winners: Youth, Amy, The Lobster lead field".
  19. Roxborough, Scott. (December 10, 2016). "‘Toni Erdmann’ Wins European Film Awards".
  20. "Archive - European Film Awards".
  21. Pond, Steve. (December 9, 2017). "Swedish Comedy ‘The Square’ Dominates European Film Awards".
  22. "Archive - European Film Awards".
  23. Nordine, Michael. (December 15, 2018). "‘Cold War’ Is the Big Winner at the European Film Awards, Picking Up Oscar Momentum".
  24. "Archive - European Film Awards".
  25. Roxborough, Scott. (December 7, 2019). "‘The Favourite’ Wins Big at European Film Awards".
  26. Grater, Tom. (November 10, 2020). "European Film Award Nominations: ‘Another Round’, ‘Corpus Christi’, ‘Martin Eden’ Lead The Way".
  27. Roxborough, Scott. (December 12, 2020). "‘Another Round’ Wins 2020 European Film Awards".
  28. Roxborough, Scott. (November 9, 2021). "‘Titane’, ‘Hand of God’ Among European Film Awards Nominees".
  29. Goodfellow, Melanie. (2022-11-08). "‘Close’, ‘Holy Spider’ & ‘Triangle Of Sadness’ Lead European Film Awards Nominations".
  30. Goodfellow, Melanie. (November 7, 2023). "‘Fallen Leaves’ & ‘The Zone Of Interest’ Top European Film Award Nominations In Main Categories". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
  31. Goodfellow, Melanie. (November 7, 2023). "‘Fallen Leaves’ & ‘The Zone Of Interest’ Top European Film Award Nominations In Main Categories". [[Deadline Hollywood]].
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