There is no shortage of competitors for the best actor category hoping to be nominated for this Oscars 2025 And try to win. The Academy Award for the best leading male actor is one of the biggest awards every year, which is not different in 2025. Following in the footsteps of Cillian Murphy’s breakthrough win for Oppenheimer In 2024, there is a whole new crop of performers who want to win this year. They will be among the nominees in all Oscars 2025 categories, as voters decide which five actors deserve the nominations before narrowing down to one winner.
Like the ones in front of the camera, actor awards can often get more attention than the 2025 Oscars Best Director nominations. There is usually a lot of overlap between the actors nominated for Best Actor and the selection of films contending for Best Picture. Since these ten movies are deemed the best of the best, it is understandable for the best performances of the year to be included in them. Whether or not the 2025 Oscars Best Picture nominated movies fully cover the acting category, Screen RantThe predictions for Best Actor are below.
|
Actor |
Movie |
|
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Ralph Fiennes |
Conclave |
|
2 |
Adrien Brody |
The Brutalist |
|
3 |
Daniel Craig |
funny |
|
4 |
Colman Domingo |
sing sing |
|
5 |
Timothée Chalamet |
A complete unknown |
6
Others contending for the Oscars 2025 Best Actor
Many other actors are still in the running
The list of five actors who we predict will receive Oscar nominations for Best Actor when the nominees are announced on January 17, 2025 is subject to change, as several other actors are still in contention. It has been confirmed that Jesse Plemons is angling for a Best Actor nomination Kinds of Kindness. Sebastian Stan has two different movies that could get him into the raceBut that depends on how the campaigns go for The Apprentice And A different person. John David Washington is also a potential nominee to watch for The piano lesson.
There are also several previous Best Actor nominees who could still receive support on voters’ ballots. Andrew Garfield’s emotional performance in We live in time May draw support As a two-time first nominee in the category. Paul Mescal is also a dark horse for Gladiator II After securing a nomination for After sun Before. It’s another shot for which Joaquin Phoenix gets a nomination Joker: Folie à Deux Considering he won best actor for the first movie. Plus, it’s Tom Hanks for Here Lurking as a late contender and fighting for his first Best Actor nomination in over 20 years.
5
Timoth̩e Chalamet Рa complete unknown
Chalamet already has one best actor nomination
Timothée Chalamet looks poised to earn his second Best Actor Oscar nomination thanks to A complete unknown. He plays iconic musician Bob Dylan in the movie, directed by James Mangold. All signs point to this being a bit of a transformational performance from the young Hollywood star as he nails Dylan’s speaking and singing voice. The Academy has a soft spot for biopicsEspecially when they involve a celebrity as famous as Bob Dylan, which is another point in Chalamet’s favor.
A complete unknown would be Chalamet’s first Oscar nomination since 2018, when he entered the race thanks to Call me by your name. He’s only become a bigger star in the years since, balancing roles with more obvious Oscar potential as A complete unknown With his first franchise, Don. Although his performance as Paul Atreides is great in Dunn: Part TwoIt is unlikely that he would be recognized for it by the Academy. This could make his Bob Dylan movie An opportunity for the Oscars to effectively acknowledge the overall work he has done in 2024 Between the two films.
The case for Chalamet’s nomination and potential win is still incomplete. No one saw A complete unknownAnd important precursor awards have yet to take place. There’s no clear evidence that a Best Actor Oscar nomination is in Chalamet’s future, but it’s still a likely outcome given the buzz surrounding the film and the actor’s standing in the industry.
4
Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
Domingo got his first Oscar nomination last year
Colman Domingo is back in awards contention again, and this could be the time he wins Best Actor. He has a breakthrough role in 2023 about the Oscars Rustin. Domingo’s strong performance in the biopic drew strong support from voters as he received his first Best Actor Oscar nomination. Although he ultimately did not win the category, it suggested that it would only take another great performance for him to be back in the race.
He is well positioned to earn Oscar nominations for Best Actor in back-to-back years
Thanks to sing sings debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023, it was known that Domingo had already done so before he officially lost in the 2024 Oscars. A 24 stopped at notice sing sing Until 2024, so it would be a contender for the Oscars 2025Probably due in part to the support that Domingo already had for a nomination Rustin. Now, he is well positioned to earn Oscar nominations for Best Actor in back-to-back years. The support for him to emerge victorious this year should be even bigger.
Although major precursors to the 2025 Oscars that could impact the best actor race have yet to happen, Colman Domingo has already earned some recognition for his sing sing Performance. His current wins include the Spotlight Award at SCAD Savannah Film Festival and the Impact Award at Middleburg Film Festival. There are also no direct indicators for the Oscars voting system, but they add to the praise for his performance to help improve his best actor chances.
3
Daniel Craig – Funny
He was never nominated for an Oscar
Daniel Craig is a prime contender for Best Actor at the Oscars 2025 thanks to funny. Luca Guadagnino’s film sees the former James Bond actor as an ex-military man in Texas who begins to fall for a younger man. It is Daniel Craig’s performance that has been the standout among reviews for funnyAs most praise him for giving the best performance of his career. The narrative is strong enough to propel the actor right into the middle of the Best Actor race.
Although Daniel Craig has never been nominated for an Oscar, he has a lot of support in Hollywood to get the nomination in 2025. funny is a clear break away from Bond or Knives OutTwo franchises that largely dominated the last decade of his career. The dramatic turn is worth celebrating. A24’s involvement in the film’s Oscar campaign should help Also, how the studio previously helped Brendan Fraser win his first Oscar for The whale Two years ago.
History is also a little on Daniel Craig’s side when it comes to getting a best actor nomination as the lead of a Luca Guadagnino movie. The director previously directed Timothée Chalamet to his first Oscar nomination in Call me by your nameSo the same could happen for Craig. If he is going to win the award, A few precursor award wins will go a long way In helping to build the necessary narrative.
2
Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
He is already a winner of the best actor Oscar
Adrien Brody is likely to be back in the Best Actor race for the 2025 Oscars. His role in The Brutalist strongly positioned him to win the Academy Award once more. Adrien Brody won the best actor Oscar in 2003 for The pianistAnd He made history by becoming the youngest actor to win an Oscar. This would seemingly position him to be a frequent contender for more nominations and wins, but that didn’t happen. The Brutalist would be Brody’s first Oscar nomination since winning the award over two decades earlier.
The Brutalist is predicted to be a strong Oscar contender in many categories, but it is uncertain what it will actually win. This could give Adrien Brody extra favor if he becomes the aspect of the film that voters rally around to show support. He is certainly a common point of praise among early reviews, but whether the acting branch finally recognizes his work in the same way is to be determined. Even if there isn’t enough support for him to win at the end of the day, The Brutalist‘s emergence is a big boost for Adrien Brody’s chances.
Adrien Brody currently has no awards that help support his case for a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars 2025. Finding a spot at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Golden Globes and more could give more confidence about his chances of winning. And though A24 will have competing campaigns for Brody and Craig, The Brutalist‘s stronger position as an overall contender could give the former Oscar winner an advantage over former James Bond.
1
Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
He is a two-time Oscar nominee
The 2025 Oscar Best Actor category may finally be the time for Ralph Fiennes to become an Oscar winner. He is Meanwhile, our predicted winner of Best Actor at the 2025 Oscars Thanks to his performance in Conclave. Early reviews of the film point to Fiennes’ performance as one of the highlights, and that feeling is one that should be consistent as more people see the movie. This is a good sign for Ralph Fiennes to earn a Best Actor nomination and remain at the forefront of the contenders.
It’s been almost thirty years since his last Oscar nomination
The story behind Ralph Fiennes being nominated and possibly winning the Best Actor Oscar is also powerful. He was nominated twice before by the Academy. His first Oscar nomination came in 1994 for Schindler’s List In Best Supporting Actor. He followed that up with a Best Actor nomination three years later for The English patient. Despite the overall excellence of his career, it has been nearly thirty years since his last Oscar nomination and a win has still eluded him. The 2025 Oscars could change that.
Conclave Is a expected Oscars contender in various categories, which helps Ralph Fiennes’ case, but the movie either needs to gain more momentum or shift its focus to just support him for a win to happen. He is far from a lock to win the awardBecause each of the aforementioned actors could have easily taken him over. As the precursors unfold, so too will the best actor race for these Oscars 2025 And make it more clear.