The Academy Award for Finest Actor has been handed out yearly since 1929 — enjoyable truth, it was awarded to German actor Emil Jannings for not one however two acclaimed roles, in The Final Command and The Approach of All Flesh — and within the near-century since, it has been offered 97 instances to 86 actors. However whereas taking dwelling that coveted statuette is unquestionably a profession spotlight for any performer, the respect does add somewhat further strain on the actor’s subsequent mission. Will it’s as beloved and acclaimed because the position that received them the gold? Listed here are 32 movies that Oscar-winning actors did after taking dwelling the Academy Award, and the way they had been acquired.
Cillian Murphy
After the enormity of portraying famed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s billion-dollar blockbuster Oppenheimer, and taking dwelling the 2024 Oscar for Finest Actor within the course of, Cillian Murphy went small for his subsequent movie — actually. Within the 2024 adaptation of Claire Keegan’s Small Issues Like These, Murphy returned to his native Eire to play Invoice, a quiet coal service provider and father of 5 internally battling the cruel realities of the notorious Magdalene Laundries. Whereas Murphy did not replicate the awards dominance of Oppenheimer with SMTLT, his inside and affecting efficiency was extensively praised by critics.
Joaquin Phoenix
After 4 nominations all through his decades-spanning profession, Joaquin Phoenix lastly took dwelling that Finest Actor statue in 2020 for his engrossing portrayal of the nihilistic clown Arthur Fleck in Todd Phillips’ Joker. Following that iconic position, Phoenix subsequent appeared within the 2021 Mike Mills dramedy C’mon C’mon, an improv-heavy efficiency that noticed the actor play a middle-aged radio journalist tasked with babysitting his nephew (Woody Norman) whereas on the street for work. Phoenix was nominated for Excellent Lead Efficiency on the Gotham Awards, and the movie was chosen by the Nationwide Board of Assessment as one of many Prime 10 Impartial Movies of the yr.
Will Smith
Will Smith had fairly an, um, eventful night when he took dwelling the Oscar for Finest Actor in 2022 for King Richard after two prior nominations (Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness). Successful an Oscar implies that a highlight is already shiny on an actor, however the added publicity from the ceremony means his post-slap comeback can be much more scrutinized than normal. His follow-up was 2022’s Emancipation, during which he performed a runaway slave in 1860s Louisiana. Although the drama acquired blended critiques general, Smith received the NAACP Picture Award for Excellent Actor in a Movement Image for his efficiency.
Anthony Hopkins
Although he is garnered six Oscar nominations throughout his illustrious performing profession — together with his most up-to-date win being for 2021’s The Father — Anthony Hopkins’ first Academy Award was for that scene-stealing villain, psychiatrist turned serial killer Hannibal Lector in 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs. Following up such an iconic efficiency is not any small process and sadly, Hopkins’ subsequent movie, 1992’s Freejack reverse Emilio Estevez and Mick Jagger, was a sci-fi dud, bombing each with critics and audiences. Throughout an look on the Late Present with David Letterman, Hopkins himself known as the movie “horrible.”
Leonardo DiCaprio
5-time nominee Leonardo DiCaprio had a little bit of “at all times the bridesmaid” syndrome the place the Academy Awards had been involved, till he lastly took dwelling the Finest Actor Oscar for his emotionally uncooked and bodily punishing efficiency in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s 2019 Western epic The Revenant. His subsequent big-screen position was, graciously, a bit much less chilly and blustery, buying and selling the frosty American Midwest for starry Los Angeles in Quentin Tarantino’s As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood. The latter acquired 10 Oscar nominations on the 92nd Academy Awards, together with a nod for DiCaprio’s particular person work.
Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington had already taken dwelling a Finest Supporting Actor Oscar for enjoying a Civil Struggle soldier within the 1989 warfare drama Glory, however he received his first massive Finest Actor win for portraying corrupt LAPD officer Alonzo Harris within the 2001 crime thriller Coaching Day. His subsequent efficiency was one other memorable Denzel position: because the title character within the 2002 Nick Cassavetes-directed drama John Q, which noticed Washington play a determined father who takes a hospital emergency room hostage to ensure that his son to obtain a coronary heart transplant. Alas, regardless of some reward for Denzel’s efficiency, the movie itself boasts solely a 26% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Robert De Niro
Six years after taking dwelling the Finest Supporting Actor statue for The Godfather Half II, Robert De Niro received his Finest Actor win for his iconic and intense work as boxing champion Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull. A yr later, De Niro put away the boxing gloves and picked up the Bible to play a Roman Catholic monsignor in 1981’s True Confessions, reverse fellow The Godfather nice Robert Duvall. Although critiques for the neo-noir had been largely constructive, the Nationwide Assessment’s William F. Buckley, Jr. panned it: “Robert De Niro is badly miscast. He’s by no means solely convincing.”
Matthew McConaughey
After acclaimed turns in 2011’s Lincoln Lawyer and 2012’s Magic Mike, the so-called “McConaissance” was formally solidified a yr later with Matthew McConaughey’s Oscar-winning portrayal of Ron Woodroof, a cowboy identified with AIDS, within the biopic Dallas Patrons Membership. Regardless of not having almost as a lot screentime, the actor’s subsequent efficiency was simply as memorable: a chest-thumping, meme-inducing prolonged cameo as Mark Hanna in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Avenue.
Tom Hanks
Past being one of the beloved actors of all time, Tom Hanks additionally holds a bit of cinema historical past: he is considered one of solely two actors to win back-to-back Academy Awards for performing. Sure, meaning after taking dwelling the Finest Actor Oscar for his heart-wrenching efficiency as HIV-positive lawyer Andrew Beckett in 1994’s Philadelphia, Hanks struck Oscar gold but once more together with his very subsequent efficiency, because the titular lead of 1995’s Forrest Gump.
Rami Malek
Rami Malek belted his strategy to an Oscar as legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury within the shiny 2019 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. His first post-award efficiency additionally revolved round his voice — voice performing, that’s, as Malek portrayed a mountain gorilla named Chee-Chee within the 2020 fantasy-adventure movie Dolittle, together with his future Oppenheimer co-star Robert Downey Jr. because the titular doc. The family-friendly flick acquired abysmal critiques from critics, with Courtney Howard of Selection writing: “What ought to have been an awe-filled journey rapidly curdles into an terrible one, because of a pedestrian system and the filmmakers’ fixation on fart jokes.”
Adrien Brody
In 2003, Adrien Brody made Oscar historical past when he received the Academy Award for Finest Actor at age 29 for his portrayal of Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski’s warfare drama The Pianist, changing into the youngest actor ever to win in that class. Later that yr, he adopted up his historic win with the musical crime comedy The Singing Detective, a couple of thriller author (Robert Downey Jr.) who relives his detective tales by way of his creativeness and hallucinations. The movie scored a 39% “Rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx had one hell of a 2004, serving up not one however two award-worthy performances: He took dwelling the Academy Award for Finest Actor for his efficiency as soul nice Ray Charles within the 2004 biopic Ray and likewise acquired a Finest Supporting Actor nod that very same yr for his work within the crime movie Collateral. It will be near-impossible for any performer to hit that form of stratospheric excessive once more, particularly with Foxx’s follow-up Stealth — the 2005 army motion flick co-starring Josh Lucas and Jessica Biel was dubbed a “stink-bomb” by Roger Ebert.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Performing legend Daniel Day-Lewis deservedly holds the file for probably the most Finest Actor awards ever, with three wins out of six nominations, however his first was for enjoying Christy Brown, a writer-artist born with cerebral palsy, within the 1989 drama My Left Foot. And although he would later comply with that iconic position up by taking part in well-known figures similar to Abraham Lincoln and Invoice the Butcher, his quick subsequent efficiency was as an Irish-American dentist touring round Argentina within the forgettable 1989 dramedy Eversmile, New Jersey.
Jack Nicholson
The primary of three Academy Awards for the legendary film star, Jack Nicholson’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest efficiency as Randle McMurphy nabbed him the Oscar in 1976. Later that yr, he would star as cattle rustler Tom Logan reverse Marlon Brandon within the Arthur Penn-helmed Western The Missouri Breaks. Coming sizzling on the heels of not solely his personal Oscar win but in addition Brando’s for The Godfather, the movie was extremely anticipated — nevertheless, it did not reside as much as these expectations and have become a infamous essential and business flop.
Marlon Brando
One of the iconic cinema stars of all time, Marlon Brando was nominated for eight Oscars throughout his decades-spanning profession. He received two, the primary being for his electrifying position as prizefighter turned longshoreman Terry Malloy within the 1954 crime drama On the Waterfront, extensively thought of one of many biggest performing performances of all time. His subsequent position as Napoleon Bonaparte within the historic romance Désirée did not win him any awards, however Selection reportedly known as his efficiency “a masterful exhibition of thesping” on the time.
Philip Seymour Hoffman
The late, nice Philip Seymour Hoffman had already solidified himself as a vibrant and very important supporting actor with movies like The Gifted Mr. Ripley, Nearly Well-known, Magnolia and twenty fifth Hour, however his Oscar-winning portrayal of writer Truman Capote in 2005’s Capote formally upped him to main man standing. He would obtain one other three Oscar nominations within the years to comply with, however his very subsequent position was extra of a crowd-pleaser than an awards seize: as arms vendor Owen Davian in Mission: Unattainable III.
Russell Crowe
Audiences and critics alike had been very a lot entertained by Russell Crowe’s efficiency as Maximus Decimus Meridius within the 2000 Rome-set epic Gladiator, which earned the New Zealand-born star the Finest Actor Oscar on the 73rd Academy Awards. Crowe would go up for a similar award solely a yr later, for his portrayal of American mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. within the biographical drama A Stunning Thoughts, however he misplaced to Coaching Day lead Denzel Washington.
Jean Dujardin
Jean Dujardin rose to worldwide fame together with his efficiency as George Valentin within the 2011 silent film The Artist — his Oscar win was a historic one, as he was the primary French performer to ever take dwelling the Finest Actor statue. Regardless of his newfound Hollywood standing, nevertheless, the actor-comedian returned to his native France for his subsequent movie credit score: The Gamers, a 2012 comedy anthology co-starring Gilles Lellouche, with every man additionally directing and writing a phase.
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage’s filmography is a wild journey, from critically acclaimed fare like Elevating Arizona, Moonstruck and Adaptation to straight-to-video shlock. Fortunately, his 1995 drama Leaving Las Vegas falls into the previous class, successful Cage the Finest Actor Oscar for his position as alcoholic screenwriter Ben Sanderson. (Funnily sufficient, it is not considered one of Nic Cage’s favourite Nic Cage motion pictures.) His subsequent film was the 1996 motion thriller The Rock, which additionally received Cage an award: the Finest On-Display Duo statue on the MTV Film Awards alongside co-star Sean Connery.
Eddie Redmayne
British star Eddie Redmayne received the Academy Award for Finest Actor for his portrayal of famed theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking within the 2014 biographical drama The Principle of Every little thing. However that profession excessive was instantly adopted by a career-low: a Golden Raspberry Award — a parody award honoring cinematic failures — for Worst Supporting Actor for his work within the galactically goofy 2015 house opera Jupiter Ascending. Even he admitted his efficiency was dangerous!
Sidney Poitier
A film icon by way of and thru, Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier made historical past in 1964 as the primary Black performer to win the Academy Award for Finest Actor for his efficiency in Lilies of the Subject. A yr later, he moved on from that seminal position with the 1965 Chilly Struggle thriller The Bedford Incident, as a civilian photojournalist aboard a U.S. Navy ship that will get into some messy enterprise with a Soviet submarine. Although Bosley Crowther of The New York Instances wrote that “the entire thing transcends plausibility,” different critics clearly disagreed — the film has an 86% Licensed Contemporary score.
Sean Penn
After a trio of Finest Actor nominations, Sean Penn’s haunting efficiency as a grieving, vengeful father of a murdered Boston lady within the Clint Eastwood-directed neo-noir Mystic River lastly received him the Academy Award in 2004. Later that yr, Penn starred in one more crime thriller, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, based mostly on the story of the POTUS’s would-be murderer Samuel Byck within the mid-Nineteen Seventies. The latter movie did not share the award-worthy gravitas of Mystic River, although, per Rotten Tomatoes, essential consensus mentioned: “A captivating true story and compelling Sean Penn efficiency are worthy compensations.”
Roberto Benigni
Few Oscar wins had been as memorable as Roberto Benigni’s, what with presenter Sofia Loren’s passionate declaration of “Roberto!” to Benigni’s literal victory lap as much as the stage. The Italian actor-director took the Finest Actor trophy in 1998 for the Holocaust tragicomedy Life is Stunning, making him the primary honoree for a non-English language efficiency. A yr later, he would seem in a very totally different film: French-Italian-German comedy journey flick Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar reverse Gérard Depardieu and Christian Clavier, which was a field workplace success.
Al Pacino
One of the influential actors in fashionable cinema, Al Pacino was nominated for eight Academy Awards — together with for The Godfather movies, Serpico and the crime drama basic Canine Day Afternoon — earlier than lastly taking dwelling the Finest Actor statue for enjoying Frank Slade in 1992’s Scent of a Girl. That Oscar win gave viewers an additional essential eye on his subsequent position, as Nuyorican prison Carlito Brigante within the De Palma crime drama Carlito’s Approach, nevertheless, critiques had been largely constructive.
Ben Kingsley
It is a daunting factor taking part in any well-known determine in motion pictures based mostly on true tales, particularly when the topic is so well-known, that they want just one title. Living proof: Gandhi, the 1982 bio epic in regards to the Indian political and non secular chief Mahatma Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough and carried out by English actor Sir Ben Kingsley. Fortunately for them, the movie received Finest Image and Kingsley took dwelling the Finest Actor award. Although his subsequent mission, the 1983 movie adaptation of Harold Pinter’s play Betrayal, did not get Oscar acclaim, it was well-received by critics.
Humphrey Bogart
It appears stunning that Humphrey Bogart did not win the Oscar for a task as iconic as Rick Blaine within the 1942 basic Casablanca. No, it could truly be one other eight years till ol’ Bogie received Finest Actor for The African Queen, starring as Canadian mechanic Charlie Allnut reverse Katharine Hepburn’s Methodist missionary Rose Sayer. His post-Oscar follow-up was the 1952 noir Deadline – U.S.A.: Selection mentioned “Bogart provides a convincing efficiency all the way in which” as a big-city newspaper editor who exposes a gangster’s crimes.
Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker was ferocious and formidable as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin within the 2006 historic drama The Final King of Scotland, considered one of his greatest performances that received the performer a Finest Actor Oscar in ’07. Later that yr, the actor appeared within the ensemble crime drama The Air I Breathe alongside Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy and Brendan Fraser. Although critiques for the movie had been overwhelmingly adverse, a number of singled out Whitaker’s efficiency. Annabelle Robertson at Crosswalk wrote: “Whitaker, specifically, is extraordinarily sympathetic in his position—a feat that’s all of the extra excellent after his flip because the evil dictator in The Final King of Scotland.”
Dustin Hoffman
After three Finest Actor nods, New Hollywood icon Dustin Hoffman acquired his first Academy Award for enjoying half of a pair going by way of a devastating divorce (alongside an equally nice Meryl Streep) in Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980. His subsequent film position is simply as a lot of a basic: as Michael Dorsey-slash-Dorothy Michaels within the beloved 1982 comedy Tootsie, which nabbed the star one more Finest Actor nomination.
Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman was almost unrecognizable in his prosthetics-heavy efficiency as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill within the 2017 historic drama Darkest Hour. The Academy Awards honored the quintessential Oldman position with a Finest Actor award, his second nomination after Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. His subsequent position was simply as transformative, if not almost as acclaimed: Oldman voiced a man-made intelligence within the 2018 sci-fi thriller Tau, which holds a woeful essential score of 27% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Laurence Olivier
One of the celebrated Shakespearean actors in movie historical past, cinema icon Laurence Olivier starred in and directed variations of three of the Bard’s best-known phrases, Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948) and Richard III (1955), and earned a Finest Actor Oscar for enjoying the Prince of Denmark. After portraying one of the well-known characters of all time, Olivier switched it up by cameoing as a no-name policeman within the 1951 drama The Magic Field, a “distinguished” little bit of stunt casting that The New York Instances praised as a pleasant “extravagance.”
Casey Affleck
Casey Affleck’s devastating efficiency as a father grieving the lack of his three youngsters in Kenneth Lonergan’s gut-wrenching Manchester by the Sea clearly broke the collective hearts of the Academy, which voted to present the Boston-bred performer the Finest Actor award in 2017. That yr, he would deal with one other exploration of affection and loss with the supernatural drama A Ghost Story, which was a success with critics — Richard Brody of The New Yorker included the title on his checklist of the last decade’s greatest movies.
Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser skilled fairly the profession comeback when he took the Finest Actor Oscar for his acclaimed efficiency as a morbidly overweight, housebound English instructor within the 2022 Darren Aronofsky-directed melodrama The Whale. He saved these high-profile tasks going together with his subsequent movie credit score, as lawyer W. S. Hamilton in Martin Scorsese’s beautiful American crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, together with Finest Image.