Did You Know These 10 Actors Have an Oscar?

Some famous names are so associated with blockbuster roles that it’s easy to forget they’ve also taken home Academy Awards. This list rounds up ten male actors who’ve won at least one Oscar and highlights the specific films tied to those wins.

Each entry focuses on the work itself—what the film is about, who made it, and who else brought it to life—so you can connect the win to the movie’s story, cast, and crew.

Leonardo DiCaprio

DiCaprio won Best Actor for ‘The Revenant’, a survival drama about frontiersman Hugh Glass enduring a brutal trek after a mauling and betrayal. The film was directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, with Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, and Will Poulter in key roles, and it was inspired by Michael Punke’s novel. Emmanuel Lubezki handled cinematography, capturing extensive natural-light location work across harsh terrain.

The production was led by New Regency with Iñárritu among the producers, and the score drew from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Alva Noto, and Bryce Dessner. The film’s crew emphasized immersive realism, from period-accurate costuming to challenging on-site logistics that shaped the look and feel of Glass’s journey.

Denzel Washington

Washington earned Best Actor for ‘Training Day’, which follows a rookie LAPD officer’s turbulent first day with a veteran detective whose methods push legal and moral lines. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Ayer, the film co-stars Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, and Cliff Curtis, with Los Angeles neighborhoods featured as integral settings.

He also won Best Supporting Actor for ‘Glory’, a Civil War drama centered on the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. Directed by Edward Zwick and featuring Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, and Cary Elwes, the film’s production combined large-scale battle staging, period uniforms, and historical consultation to depict the regiment’s formation and combat.

Mahershala Ali

Ali took Best Supporting Actor for ‘Moonlight’, a coming-of-age story told in three chapters about a boy named Chiron navigating identity and environment. Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, adapted from Tarell Alvin McCraney’s work, it features Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Alex Hibbert, Naomie Harris, and Janelle Monáe, with Ali portraying Juan in a pivotal early segment.

He won the same category again for ‘Green Book’, which follows classical pianist Don Shirley on a concert tour through the American South with driver Tony Vallelonga. Directed by Peter Farrelly, the film co-stars Viggo Mortensen and Linda Cardellini, with production emphasizing period cars, venues, and wardrobe to track the itinerary and performances across multiple cities.

Christian Bale

Bale’s Best Supporting Actor win came for ‘The Fighter’, a biographical sports drama about boxer Micky Ward and his half-brother and trainer Dicky Eklund. Directed by David O. Russell, the film stars Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo, and it traces family dynamics, local gym culture, and the build-up to high-stakes bouts.

The screenplay by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, and Eric Johnson drew on real events, with producers including Mark Wahlberg and David Hoberman. Location shooting in Lowell, Massachusetts, and ringside choreography grounded the training and fight sequences in the Ward camp’s community and routines.

Rami Malek

Malek won Best Actor for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, a biographical drama charting Freddie Mercury’s life and the formation, recording process, and performances of Queen. The credited director is Bryan Singer, with Dexter Fletcher completing the production, and the cast includes Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, and Lucy Boynton.

Music supervision, re-created studio sessions, and staging of major concerts—including a detailed arena set and crowd work—drive the film’s performance sequences. Editor John Ottman’s work, production design by Aaron Haye, and contributions from surviving band members shaped the depiction of songwriting and touring.

Joaquin Phoenix

Phoenix received Best Actor for ‘Joker’, a character study of Arthur Fleck in a crime-ridden city as he becomes the title figure. Directed by Todd Phillips and co-written with Scott Silver, the film features Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, and Frances Conroy, with locations, production design, and costuming emphasizing the setting’s social and economic strain.

Cinematographer Lawrence Sher framed close-quarters character work and city exteriors, while Hildur Guðnadóttir’s score underscores the protagonist’s trajectory. The production, released by Warner Bros., integrates comic-book source elements with grounded drama through makeup, wardrobe, and staging choices tied to the character’s evolution.

Jamie Foxx

Foxx won Best Actor for ‘Ray’, a biographical film about musician Ray Charles covering his early life, career breakthroughs, and collaborations across genres. Directed by Taylor Hackford and written by James L. White, it co-stars Kerry Washington, Regina King, and Clifton Powell, and charts recording sessions, touring, and label relationships.

The production worked closely with Charles’s catalog to license performances and depict studio processes. Set design, wardrobe, and instrument-specific staging recreate concert venues and rehearsal spaces, while the music department coordinated playback and live elements for sequences showing band arrangements and session work.

Daniel Kaluuya

Kaluuya earned Best Supporting Actor for ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’, a historical drama about Illinois Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton and FBI informant William O’Neal. Directed by Shaka King, the film stars LaKeith Stanfield, Dominique Fishback, Jesse Plemons, and Ashton Sanders, mapping organizing efforts, surveillance, and internal group dynamics.

Producers included Ryan Coogler and Charles D. King, with the production reconstructing headquarters spaces, rallies, and meetings from archival sources. The screenplay by Will Berson and Shaka King, from a story by Berson, King, and the Lucas Brothers, interweaves investigative threads with political activity and law-enforcement operations.

Brendan Fraser

Fraser won Best Actor for ‘The Whale’, a chamber drama about a reclusive English teacher attempting to reconnect with his daughter over a few fraught days. Directed by Darren Aronofsky from Samuel D. Hunter’s screenplay adapted from his play, it co-stars Hong Chau, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins, and Samantha Morton.

The production is centered largely in a single apartment set, using staging and blocking to shape character interactions. Makeup and prosthetics work, production design detailing lived-in spaces, and A24’s distribution frame the intimate scope, while the script preserves the play’s emphasis on dialogue and confined setting.

Gary Oldman

Oldman received Best Actor for ‘Darkest Hour’, a political drama focused on Winston Churchill’s early tenure as prime minister during a national crisis. Directed by Joe Wright and written by Anthony McCarten, it features Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn, and Stephen Dillane, with scenes set across war rooms, Parliament, and private quarters.

The production combined extensive prosthetic makeup led by Kazu Hiro with period costuming and sets that re-create governmental spaces. Sarah Greenwood served as production designer with Katie Spencer as set decorator, while the cinematography and editing emphasize debates, cabinet meetings, and speeches that mark the film’s timeline and decision points.

Share which Oscar-winning performances surprised you most in the comments!