For our final rankings of the Academy Award acting categories across the 2020s, we arrive at Best Actor in a Leading Role. The Best Actor Award has been presented 97 times to 86 actors across the Academy Awards history. The 2020s wins have been laced with upsets, snubs, and long-awaited victories. As we await to see who will join this elite club this Sunday, let’s revisit recent victories.
Here are my rankings of the Best Actor winners of the 2020s so far.
5. Joaquin Phoenix in Joker (2019)
After winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, Joker immediately shifted our culture. It was unprecedented for a major superhero-adjacent production to win such a prestigious award and immediately began cementing its award potential. Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal as the titular crown prince of crime instantly became a frontrunner for the Best Actor award.
Phoenix’s iteration of the character is unsettling, from his physical transformation to his painful laugh. While many cheap copycats attempted to replicate the grandiose of his Joker, many overlook the more impressive work he is doing as Arthur Fleck.
It is no doubt a notable performance from a highly acclaimed actor. Phoenix had been nominated three times before and Joker presented the opportunity for him to finally win. However, considering Phoenix’s competition, his performance falls short. Phoenix’s fellow 2019 nominees include Adam Driver for Marriage Story, Antonio Banderas for Pain and Glory, Leonardo DiCaprio for Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood, and Jonathan Pryce for The Two Popes.
Each of these performances are a masterclass in acting. Despite the fact that it is a comic-book icon being portrayed, Phoenix weirdly still felt like a predictable choice while the other nominees could have equally been as, if not more, deserving. His performance is definitely the most acting out of all of the nominations, but that does not mean it’s the best.
4. Will Smith in King Richard (2021)
If there’s one thing the Academy Awards love, it’s an actor in a biopic. So much so that this is not the only biopic win included on our list, but more on that later.
Will Smith is an interesting choice to portray a controversial and much-discussed figure like Richard Williams. Given Will Smith’s persona, it feels a biopic should be made about him. And yet, he completely dials in to the role as a rigidly devoted father and coach.
For fans of his acting career, King Richard felt like a long-awaited return from Smith. This was Will Smith’s third Best Actor nomination, and, like many on this, felt like a long overdue recognition. However, his performances in Ali (2001) and Pursuit of Happyness (2006) seem much more deserving. That year Smith was most notably up against Denzel Washington in The Tragedy of Macbeth and Benedict Cumberbatch in The Power of the Dog – two other staggering performances by beloved actors.
The Academy potentially played it safe once again, awarding a biopic performance which they tend to favor. This would be fine, a bit forgettable even, if it was not for the slap. When you think of Will Smith’s win, what is the first thing you think of? And perhaps, that says all we need to know about the merit of his win.
3. Brendan Fraser in The Whale (2022)
All predictors of the Oscars will tell you one thing about the awards that rings true every year– a win is not always about merit but about the narrative around a win. Brendan Fraser’s 2023 Oscar win is indicative of this. After emerging as a major star in films like The Mummy (1999) and Crash (2004), for which he earned his first Academy Award nomination, Fraser’s career stalled. He later revealed this withdrawal was due to an incident of sexual harassment he faced.
The Whale reintroduced Fraser to our screens, spurring reflection on his career, talent, and the abuse he was subjected to within the industry. This is not to understate the performance he gives. Fraser’s sincerity grounds the role in a much-needed way. Without his performance, the movie would simply fall apart. However, the role was not without its fair share of criticism as the prosthetic suit Fraser wears in the film drew necessary reinvigorated discussion on representation in film.
Fraser’s performance seemed to be amplified by the conversation around the representation. Fraser’s campaign narrative emphasized his work in the industry for over thirty years and championed his return to the screen in this transformative role. While Fraser’s recognition was long overdue, it does seem like the Academy decided to reward the narrative instead of the performance.
2. Anthony Hopkins in The Father (2020)
The 93rd Academy Awards was an unusual ceremony. Set against the backdrop of a global pandemic, the ceremony had a reduced guest list and hybrid format. Most notable to this list was the ceremony’s decision to restructure the order nominations were announced. For the first time since 1973, the Oscars did not end with the Best Picture award; instead they presented Best Actor as the night’s last award.
Chadwick Boseman’s tragic demise and posthumous nomination seemed to be what the show anticipated ending on, using the moment to honor the actor gone too soon. Instead, Anthony Hopkins received his second Oscar for The Father. A moment made even more lackluster considering Hopkins did not attend the ceremony. This change by the Academy Awards made Boseman’s loss of the award sting all the more and cast a shadow over Hopkin’s win.
This is unfortunate considering Hopkins’ win for The Father is entirely deserving. Hopkins delivers a disorientating layered portrayal of a man suffering from dementia. He provides a nuanced and empathetic look at a man in turmoil and presents a true mastery of the craft. It is a worthy win given by one of our greatest actors. It is simply a shame a performance as profound as this, with the acclaim to show for it, still feels like it has not earned the admiration it deserves.
1. Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer (2023)
Cillian Murphy is a quiet force, not only in Oppenheimer, but throughout his career. His portrayal of the father of the atomic bomb gained him his first Academy Award nomination and win. Fans of Murphy, like myself, had already known him to be an exceptional actor worthy of accolades for multiple projects throughout his career. Oppenheimer allowed Murphy to lead a major Hollywood production from longtime collaborator Christopher Nolan.
Each subtle etching on Oppenheimer’s face, in his stance, and in the look of his eyes captures the weight of his creation and legacy. He is both a sympathetic figure and a hypocrite. Murphy captures the complexity of J. Robert Oppenheimer with a precision that commands the screen as 180 minutes pass.
His humility offscreen and on the campaign trail managed to elevate an already career-defining performance. It was almost impossible not to fall for his Irish charm. The work speaks for itself, but to see an actor as consistent as Murphy finally be recognized made the moment and this role all the more special. Hopefully, it is his first of many more awards to come.
His win is the rare case when the narrative around a nomination, competition, and performance all work together to create a victory that feels truly earned. Moments like these are why we love the Academy Awards, despite their snubs and poor choices, sometimes they truly get it right. It is not only one of my favorite Best Actor wins of the 2020s, but of all time.
List Courtesy of Kam Ryan
Feature Image from ‘Oppenheimer’ via The Hollywood Reporter; Credit to Warner Bros