Awards & Winners

BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role

British Academy Film Awards

Best Actress in a Leading Role is a British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film. From 1952-1967, 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 1968-1984, was known as Best Actress. From 1985–present, the award has been known by its current name of Best Actress in a leading role. † - indicates the performance also won the Academy Award ‡ - indicates the performance was also nominated for the Academy Award
Date Established : 1968

Check all the winners of BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role presented under British Academy Film Awards since 1969 .


Cate Blanchett

Honored for : Blue Jasmine

Nominations 2014 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Amy Adams American Hustle
Emma Thompson Saving Mr. Banks
Cate Blanchett Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock Gravity
Judi Dench Philomena

Emmanuelle Riva

Honored for : Amour

Nominations 2013 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jennifer Lawrence Silver Linings Playbook
Jessica Chastain Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard Rust and Bone
Helen Mirren Hitchcock
Emmanuelle Riva Amour

Meryl Streep

Honored for : The Iron Lady

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tilda Swinton We Need to Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams My Week with Marilyn
Viola Davis The Help
Meryl Streep The Iron Lady
Bérénice Bejo The Artist

Natalie Portman

Honored for : Black Swan

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Annette Bening The Kids Are All Right
Julianne Moore The Kids Are All Right
Natalie Portman Black Swan
Noomi Rapace The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hailee Steinfeld True Grit

Carey Mulligan

Honored for : An Education

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Carey Mulligan An Education
Saoirse Ronan The Lovely Bones
Gabourey Sidibe Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Meryl Streep Julie & Julia
Audrey Tautou Coco Before Chanel

Kate Winslet

Honored for : The Reader

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kate Winslet The Reader
Angelina Jolie Changeling
Kristin Scott Thomas I've Loved You So Long
Meryl Streep Doubt
Kate Winslet Revolutionary Road

Marion Cotillard

Honored for : La Vie en Rose

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Marion Cotillard La Vie en Rose
Cate Blanchett Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie Away from Her
Keira Knightley Atonement
Ellen Page Juno

Helen Mirren

Honored for : The Queen

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Helen Mirren The Queen
Penélope Cruz Volver
Judi Dench Notes on a Scandal
Meryl Streep The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet Little Children

Reese Witherspoon

Honored for : Walk the Line

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Reese Witherspoon Walk the Line
Judi Dench Mrs Henderson Presents
Charlize Theron North Country
Rachel Weisz The Constant Gardener
Zhang Ziyi Memoirs of a Geisha

Imelda Staunton

Honored for : Vera Drake

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Imelda Staunton Vera Drake
Charlize Theron Monster
Kate Winslet Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind","Finding Neverland
Zhang Ziyi House of Flying Daggers

Scarlett Johansson

Honored for : Lost in Translation

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Scarlett Johansson Lost in Translation","Girl with a Pearl Earring
Anne Reid The Mother
Uma Thurman Kill Bill Volume 1
Naomi Watts 21 Grams

Nicole Kidman

Honored for : The Hours

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Nicole Kidman The Hours
Halle Berry Monster's Ball
Salma Hayek Frida
Meryl Streep The Hours
Renée Zellweger Chicago

Judi Dench

Honored for : Iris

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Judi Dench Iris
Nicole Kidman The Others
Sissy Spacek In the Bedroom
Audrey Tautou Amélie
Renée Zellweger Bridget Jones's Diary

Julia Roberts

Honored for : Erin Brockovich

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julia Roberts Erin Brockovich
Juliette Binoche Chocolat
Kate Hudson Almost Famous
Hilary Swank Boys Don't Cry
Michelle Yeoh Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Annette Bening

Honored for : American Beauty

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Annette Bening American Beauty
Linda Bassett East Is East
Julianne Moore The End of the Affair
Emily Watson Angela's Ashes

Cate Blanchett

Honored for : Elizabeth

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Cate Blanchett Elizabeth
Jane Horrocks Little Voice
Gwyneth Paltrow Shakespeare in Love
Emily Watson Hilary and Jackie

Judi Dench

Honored for : Mrs. Brown

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Judi Dench Mrs. Brown
Kim Basinger L.A. Confidential
Kathy Burke Nil by Mouth
Helena Bonham Carter The Wings of the Dove

Brenda Blethyn

Honored for : Secrets & Lies

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Brenda Blethyn Secrets & Lies
Frances McDormand Fargo
Kristin Scott Thomas The English Patient
Emily Watson Breaking the Waves

Emma Thompson

Honored for : Sense and Sensibility

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Emma Thompson Sense and Sensibility
Nicole Kidman To Die For
Helen Mirren The Madness of King George
Elisabeth Shue Leaving Las Vegas

Susan Sarandon

Honored for : The Client

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Susan Sarandon The Client
Linda Fiorentino The Last Seduction
Irène Jacob Three Colors: Red
Uma Thurman Pulp Fiction

Holly Hunter

Honored for : The Piano

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Holly Hunter The Piano
Miranda Richardson Tom & Viv
Emma Thompson The Remains of the Day
Debra Winger Shadowlands

Emma Thompson

Honored for : Howards End

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Emma Thompson Howards End
Judy Davis Husbands and Wives
Tara Morice Strictly Ballroom
Jessica Tandy Fried Green Tomatoes

Jodie Foster

Honored for : The Silence of the Lambs

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Juliet Stevenson Truly, Madly, Deeply
Susan Sarandon Thelma & Louise
Geena Davis Thelma & Louise
Jodie Foster The Silence of the Lambs

Jessica Tandy

Honored for : Driving Miss Daisy

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julia Roberts Pretty Woman
Michelle Pfeiffer The Fabulous Baker Boys
Shirley MacLaine Postcards from the Edge
Jessica Tandy Driving Miss Daisy

Pauline Collins

Honored for : Shirley Valentine

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Melanie Griffith Working Girl
Jodie Foster The Accused
Glenn Close Dangerous Liaisons
Pauline Collins Shirley Valentine

Maggie Smith

Honored for : The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Maggie Smith The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
Stéphane Audran Babette's Feast
Cher Moonstruck
Jamie Lee Curtis A Fish Called Wanda

Anne Bancroft

Honored for : 84 Charing Cross Road

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Anne Bancroft 84 Charing Cross Road
Emily Lloyd Wish You Were Here
Sarah Miles Hope and Glory
Julie Walters Personal Services

Maggie Smith

Honored for : A Room with a View

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Maggie Smith A Room with a View
Mia Farrow Hannah and Her Sisters
Meryl Streep Out of Africa
Cathy Tyson Mona Lisa

Peggy Ashcroft

Honored for : A Passage to India

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peggy Ashcroft A Passage to India
Mia Farrow The Purple Rose of Cairo
Kelly McGillis Witness
Alexandra Pigg Letter to Brezhnev

Maggie Smith

Honored for : A Private Function

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Maggie Smith A Private Function
Shirley MacLaine Terms of Endearment
Helen Mirren Cal
Meryl Streep Silkwood

Julie Walters

Honored for : Educating Rita

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julie Walters Educating Rita
Jessica Lange Tootsie
Phyllis Logan Another Time, Another Place
Meryl Streep Sophie's Choice

Katharine Hepburn

Honored for : On Golden Pond

Nominations 1983 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Katharine Hepburn On Golden Pond
Diane Keaton Reds
Jennifer Kendal 36 Chowringhee Lane
Sissy Spacek Missing

Meryl Streep

Honored for : The French Lieutenant's Woman

Nominations 1982 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Meryl Streep The French Lieutenant's Woman
Mary Tyler Moore Ordinary People
Maggie Smith Quartet
Sissy Spacek Coal Miner's Daughter

Judy Davis

Honored for : My Brilliant Career

Nominations 1981 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Judy Davis My Brilliant Career
Shirley MacLaine Being There
Bette Midler The Rose
Meryl Streep Kramer vs. Kramer

Jane Fonda

Honored for : The China Syndrome

Nominations 1980 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jane Fonda The China Syndrome
Diane Keaton Manhattan
Maggie Smith California Suite
Meryl Streep The Deer Hunter

Jane Fonda

Honored for : Julia

Nominations 1979 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jane Fonda Julia
Anne Bancroft The Turning Point
Jill Clayburgh An Unmarried Woman
Marsha Mason The Goodbye Girl

Diane Keaton

Honored for : Annie Hall

Nominations 1978 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Diane Keaton Annie Hall
Faye Dunaway Network
Shelley Duvall 3 Women
Lily Tomlin The Late Show

Louise Fletcher

Honored for : One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Nominations 1977 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Liv Ullmann Face to Face
Rita Moreno The Ritz
Lauren Bacall The Shootist
Louise Fletcher One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Ellen Burstyn

Honored for : Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Nominations 1976 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Liv Ullmann Scenes from a Marriage
Valerie Perrine Lenny
Anne Bancroft The Prisoner of Second Avenue
Ellen Burstyn Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Joanne Woodward

Honored for : Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams

Nominations 1974 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Stéphane Audran The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie","Just Before Nightfall
Julie Christie Don't Look Now
Glenda Jackson A Touch of Class
Diana Ross Lady Sings the Blues

Stéphane Audran

Honored for : The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Just Before Nightfall

Nominations 1974 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Stéphane Audran The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie","Just Before Nightfall
Julie Christie Don't Look Now
Glenda Jackson A Touch of Class
Diana Ross Lady Sings the Blues

Liza Minnelli

Honored for : Cabaret

Nominations 1973 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Dorothy Tutin Savage Messiah
Anne Bancroft Young Winston
Stéphane Audran The Butcher
Liza Minnelli Cabaret

Glenda Jackson

Honored for : Sunday Bloody Sunday

Nominations 1972 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Glenda Jackson Sunday Bloody Sunday
Lynn Carlin Taking Off
Julie Christie The Go-Between
Jane Fonda Klute
Nanette Newman The Raging Moon

Katharine Ross

Honored for : Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here

Nominations 1971 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sarah Miles Ryan's Daughter
Goldie Hawn Cactus Flower","There's a Girl in My Soup
Jane Fonda They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Katharine Ross Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid","Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here

Maggie Smith

Honored for : The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Nominations 1970 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Barbra Streisand Funny Girl","Hello, Dolly!
Glenda Jackson Women in Love
Mia Farrow John and Mary","Secret Ceremony","Rosemary's Baby
Maggie Smith The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Katharine Hepburn

Honored for : The Lion in Winter, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Nominations 1969 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Katharine Hepburn The Lion in Winter","Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Catherine Deneuve Beauty of the Day
Anne Bancroft The Graduate
Joanne Woodward Rachel, Rachel