Awarded for Best Actor in a Play Official website Olivier Awards.com | Location United Kingdom Category of Laurence Olivier Award | |
Currently held by Kenneth Cranham for The Father (2016) Presented by The Society of London Theatre People also search for Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical Winners & Nominees Ian McKellenNo Man's Land, Ian McKellen, Nominee, Tom HollanderTravesties, Tom Hollander, Nominee, Jamie ParkerHarry Potter and the Cursed Child, Jamie Parker, Nominee, Ed HarrisBuried Child, Ed Harris, Nominee, Kenneth CranhamThe Father, Kenneth Cranham, Winner, Benedict CumberbatchHamlet, Benedict Cumberbatch, Nominee, Kenneth BranaghThe Winter's Tale, Kenneth Branagh, Nominee, Adrian LesterRed Velvet, Adrian Lester, Nominee, Mark RylanceFarinelli and the King, Mark Rylance, Nominee, Mark StrongA View From the Bridge, Mark Strong, Winner, James McAvoyThe Ruling Class, James McAvoy, Nominee, Richard ArmitageThe Crucible, Richard Armitage, Nominee, Tim Pigott-SmithKing Charles III, Tim Pigott-Smith, Nominee, Rory KinnearOthello, Rory Kinnear, Winner, Henry GoodmanThe Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Henry Goodman, Nominee, Tom HiddlestonCoriolanus, Tom Hiddleston, Nominee, Jude LawHenry V, Jude Law, Nominee, Luke TreadawayThe Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, Luke Treadaway, Winner, James McAvoyMacbeth, James McAvoy, Nominee, Rupert EverettThe Judas Kiss, Rupert Everett, Nominee, Rafe SpallConstellations, Rafe Spall, Nominee, Mark RylanceTwelfth Night, Mark Rylance, Nominee | ||
The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play is an annual award presented by The Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial British theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, and, renamed in 1984 in honour of English actor Lord Olivier.
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The award has been known by its current name of Best Actor since 1993, previously it was known as Actor of the Year. From 1976-1984 and again in 1988, there were two Actor of the Year awards, one for Actor of the Year in a New Play and the other for Actor of the Year in a Revival.
Multiple awards and nominations for Best Actor
Note: The below awards and nominations include individuals awarded and nominated under the now-defunct categories Actor of the Year in a New Play and Actor of the Year in a Revival as well as the current combined Best Actor category.