Originally by Ranker FilmList RulesVote for the greatest performances that won Academy Awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, or Best Supporting Actress
Over the years, there have been so many great actors and actresses who have won Oscars for portraying classic characters. Some of these best actor Oscar performances were for roles based on real people, while others were based on fictional characters.
Who are some of the best characters to win an Oscar? Randle Patrick McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest made our list. Jack Nicholson won a Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of this not-so-crazy patient in 1975. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was based on the 1962 Ken Kesey book of the same name. Marlon Brando's iconic portrayal of Vito Corleone in the film The Godfather also made our list. Brando took home the Best Actor Oscar in 1972.
Several Best Actress performances also made this list. Julia Robert's portrayal of Erin Brockovich in the film of the same name, earned her an Oscar for Best Actress in 2000. Other Best Actress roles that are featured on this list include Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) from Black Swan and Clarice Starling (Jody Foster) from The Silence of the Lambs. Halle Berry was the first African American woman to win an Oscar for her performance as Leticia Musgrove in Monster's Ball.
Which best actor Oscar-winning performance is your favorite? Vote up your favorite role, and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section.1
8,409451Forrest Gump
Forrest GumpActor: Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks - Best Actor (1994).2
241208Judah Ben-Hur
Ben-HurActor: Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston -- Best Actor (1959)3
6,522388Andrew Beckett
PhiladelphiaActor: Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks - Best Actor (1993).4
420389Nurse Ratched
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestActor: Louise Fletcher
Louise Fletcher - Best Supporting Actress ( 1975)5
11992Dickie Eklund
The FighterActor: Christian Bale
Christian Bale - Best Supporting Actor (2010)
6
13096Homer Smith
Lilies of the Field, Christmas Lilies of the FieldActor: Sidney Poitier, Billy Dee Williams
Sidney Poitier-Best Actor (1963)7
285261Stephen Hawking
The Theory of EverythingEddie Redmayne-Best Actor (2014)8
328307Maximus Decimus Meridius
GladiatorActor: Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe - Best Actor (2000).9
206160Brandon Teena
Boys Don't CryActor: Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank - Best Actress (1999).10
338312Zofia "Sophie" Zawistowski
Sophie's ChoiceActor: Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep-Best Actress (1982)11
290264Marge Gunderson
FargoActor: Frances McDormand
Frances McDormand - Best Actress (1996).12
350328Mary Poppins
Mary PoppinsActor: Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews -- Best Actress (1964)13
425390Aileen Wuornos
MonsterActor: Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron - Best Actress (2003).14
12793Daisy Werthan
Driving Miss DaisyActor: Jessica Tandy
Jessica Tandy - Best Actress (1989)
15
233200Truman Capote
CapoteActor: Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Best Actor (2005).16
406387Anton Chigurh
No Country for Old MenActor: Javier Bardem
Javier Bardem - Best Supporting Actor (2007).17
205177Maggie Fitzgerald
Million Dollar BabyActor: Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank - Best Actress (2004).18
279250Ray Charles
RayActor: Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx - Best Actor (2004).19
10634Mildred Hayes
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MissouriFrances McDormand - Best Actress (2017)
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245214Minny Jackson
The HelpActor: Octavia Spencer
Octavia Spencer - Best Supporting Actress (2011).21
206182Katherine Hepburn
The AviatorActor: Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett - Best Supporting Actress (2004).22
8841Edith Piaf
La Vie En RoseActor: Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard - Best Actress (2007)
23
315289Mammy
Gone with the WindActor: Hattie McDaniel
Hattie McDaniel-Best Supporting Actress (1939)24
196169Blanche DuBois
A Streetcar Named Desire, A Streetcar Named DesireActor: Jessica Lange, Vivien Leigh, Ann-Margret
Vivien Leigh-Best Actress (1951)25
12992Eddie Dupris
Million Dollar BabyActor: Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman - Best Supporting Actor (2004)
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