2026 PERFORMANCE NOMINEES
A Year of Transformative Performances
The 2026 Best Actor category showcases an extraordinary range of talent—from veteran masters to rising stars, each delivering career-defining performances that span genres, eras, and emotional depths. These five actors have not only mastered their craft but have transformed themselves for roles that demand physical, emotional, and psychological commitment beyond measure.
LEADING MAN
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TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET
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Oscars
2
Nominations
12
Major Roles
2026 Oscar-Nominated Performance
"MARTY SUPREME"
as Marty Mauser
Timothée Chalamet is nominated for Best Actor for his role as Marty Mauser in Marty Supreme,
a 2025 period drama directed by Josh Safdie about a gifted but unpredictable young table-tennis
hustler in the 1950s whose ambitions and personal choices thrust him into complicated relationships,
forcing him to confront the costs of chasing fame and success.
"Chalamet's performance captures both the raw athleticism of a table-tennis prodigy and
the fragile vulnerability of a young man navigating love, ambition, and self-destruction."
At only 30 years old, Chalamet delivers what critics are calling his most physically and emotionally
demanding performance to date, mastering the rapid-fire movements of a ping-pong champion while
portraying the psychological unraveling of a young man caught between his talent and his demons.
Performance Highlights
Mastered professional-level table tennis for the role
Portrays a complex character arc from ambition to self-destruction
Brings 1950s New York atmosphere to life through nuanced performance
Balances athletic physicality with emotional vulnerability
Notable Filmography
Dune (2021)
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Little Women (2019)
Rising Star • Second Oscar Nomination
HOLLYWOOD LEGEND
1
LEONARDO DICAPRIO
1
Oscar Win
7
Nominations
30+
Years Career
2026 Oscar-Nominated Performance
"ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER"
as Former Revolutionary
Leonardo DiCaprio earned his Best Actor nomination for One Battle After Another, a sprawling
2025 action-thriller by Paul Thomas Anderson about a former revolutionary (DiCaprio) living in hiding
with his daughter whose efforts to stay peaceful are upended when an old adversary resurfaces,
pulling them back into a dangerous, politically charged conflict.
"DiCaprio delivers a masterclass in restrained intensity, portraying a man torn between
his violent past and his protective present as a father."
This marks DiCaprio's seventh Oscar nomination, coming nearly a decade after his win for
The Revenant. At 51, he brings a world-weary gravitas to the role of a former radical
trying to build a quiet life, only to find the past won't stay buried. Critics praise his
ability to convey decades of history and regret through subtle gestures and haunted expressions.
Performance Highlights
Portrays complex paternal-protective instincts alongside violent capability
Masterful physical transformation for action sequences
Nuanced portrayal of political ideology clashing with personal survival
Brings emotional depth to high-stakes thriller genre
Iconic Roles
The Revenant (2015)
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Inception (2010)
Hollywood Royalty • 7th Oscar Nomination
VETERAN ARTIST
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ETHAN HAWKE
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Oscars
4
Nominations
40
Years Acting
2026 Oscar-Nominated Performance
"BLUE MOON"
as Lorenz "Larry" Hart
Ethan Hawke is nominated for his performance in Blue Moon, a 1940s-set biographical
comedy-drama directed by Richard Linklater in which Hawke plays lyricist Lorenz "Larry" Hart
reflecting on his life, loves, and creative career on the night of the Broadway opening of
Oklahoma!, blending poignant character study with period storytelling.
"Hawke disappears into the role of the brilliant but troubled lyricist, capturing
both his creative genius and personal demons with heartbreaking authenticity."
This marks Hawke's fourth Oscar nomination, coming after decades of acclaimed work in both
mainstream and independent cinema. At 55, he brings a lifetime of artistic understanding
to the role of Hart, portraying the complex intersection of artistic brilliance, personal
insecurity, and unrequited love that defined the legendary lyricist's life.
Performance Highlights
Portrays real-life Broadway legend Lorenz Hart with depth and empathy
Masterful delivery of period dialogue and musical numbers
Nuanced exploration of creativity, sexuality, and depression
Exceptional chemistry with ensemble cast in single-night narrative
Career Highlights
Training Day (2001)
Before Sunrise (1995)
Boyhood (2014)
Career Achievement • Fourth Oscar Nomination
GENERATION LEADER
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MICHAEL B. JORDAN
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Oscars
1
Nominations
20
Years Career
2026 Oscar-Nominated Performance
"SINNERS"
as Twin Brother
Michael B. Jordan received a Best Actor nod for Sinners, Ryan Coogler's 2025
genre-blending supernatural horror drama set in 1930s Mississippi that follows twin brothers
returning home to open a nightclub, only to confront a threatening supernatural force,
interweaving themes of history, blues-infused culture, racial injustice, and survival.
"Jordan delivers a dual performance of remarkable range, portraying twin brothers
with distinct personalities bound by shared trauma and supernatural terror."
This marks Jordan's first Oscar nomination, recognizing his evolution from rising star
to leading man capable of anchoring complex, genre-defying cinema. At 39, he brings
both physical intensity and emotional depth to the dual role, navigating the film's
blend of historical drama, horror, and social commentary with compelling authority.
Performance Highlights
Dual role portraying twin brothers with distinct personalities
Masterful navigation of horror, drama, and historical genres
Physical and emotional intensity in supernatural sequences
Authentic portrayal of 1930s Mississippi atmosphere and dialect
Breakthrough Roles
Black Panther (2018)
Creed (2015)
Fruitvale Station (2013)
First Oscar Nomination • Genre-Defining Performance
INTERNATIONAL STAR
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WAGNER MOURA
0
Oscars
1
Nominations
25
Years Career
2026 Oscar-Nominated Performance
"THE SECRET AGENT"
as Former Professor
Wagner Moura is nominated for Best Actor for his role in The Secret Agent, a 2025
Brazilian political thriller about a former professor attempting to escape his past under
oppressive surveillance; as his carefully constructed anonymity crumbles, the film explores
paranoia, resistance, and the psychological toll of living under a repressive regime.
"Moura delivers a tour-de-force performance of psychological unraveling,
portraying a man haunted by his past while fighting for his future."
This marks Moura's first Oscar nomination and represents a breakthrough for Brazilian
cinema on the international stage. Best known globally for his portrayal of Pablo Escobar
in Narcos, the 49-year-old actor demonstrates remarkable range in this tense,
politically charged thriller, capturing the quiet desperation and growing paranoia of
a man trapped between his principles and his survival.
Performance Highlights
Masterful portrayal of psychological paranoia and tension
Authentic Brazilian Portuguese performance with emotional depth
Nuanced exploration of political resistance and personal survival
Physical transformation reflecting character's psychological state
International Acclaim
Narcos (2015-2017)
Elite Squad (2007)
Wasp Network (2019)
Brazilian Cinema • First Oscar Nomination
The Art of Transformation
From table-tennis hustlers to former revolutionaries, from Broadway lyricists to haunted twins, the 2026 Best Actor nominees have transformed themselves entirely for their roles. These performances remind us that great acting is not imitation but creation—building characters from the inside out, breathing life into scripts, and making us believe in people who never existed or understand those who did in ways we never could before. Each actor brings a unique approach to their craft, yet all share a commitment to truth, vulnerability, and the transformative power of storytelling.
Who Will Take Home the Oscar?
Celebrating Transformative Performances and Artistic Range