Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy — Every Winner and Nominee

Every film recognised in the Golden Globes Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy category in CineRoll's records: 348 films across 73 years, 73 of them winners.

The most recent winner is The Banshees of Inisherin (2023); the earliest on record is Three Little Words (1951).

The last three winners were The Banshees of Inisherin (2023), tick, tick... BOOM! (2022) and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2021).

The list is newest first. Each year shows the winner at the top, then the other nominees; a year with enough nominees links to its own page.

Last updated August 12, 2026

2023

The Banshees of Inisherin(2022)
Winner
Babylon(2022)
Diego Calva
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery(2022)
Daniel Craig
The Menu(2022)
Ralph Fiennes
White Noise(2022)
Adam Driver

2022

tick, tick... BOOM!(2021)
Andrew Garfield
Winner
Cyrano(2021)
Peter Dinklage
Don't Look Up(2021)
Leonardo DiCaprio
In the Heights(2021)
Anthony Ramos
Licorice Pizza(2021)
Cooper Hoffman

2021

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan(2020)
Sacha Baron Cohen
Winner
Hamilton(2020)
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Palm Springs(2020)
Andy Samberg
The Personal History of David Copperfield(2020)
Dev Patel
The Prom(2020)
James Corden

2020

Rocketman(2019)
Taron Egerton
Winner
Dolemite Is My Name(2019)
Eddie Murphy
Jojo Rabbit(2019)
Roman Davis
Knives Out(2019)
Daniel Craig
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood(2019)
Leonardo DiCaprio

2019

Vice(2018)
Christian Bale
Winner
Green Book(2018)
Viggo Mortensen
Mary Poppins Returns(2018)
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Stan & Ollie(2018)
John C. Reilly
The Old Man & the Gun(2018)
Robert Redford

2018

The Disaster Artist(2017)
Winner
Baby Driver(2017)
Ansel Elgort
Battle of the Sexes(2017)
Steve Carell
Get Out(2017)
Daniel Kaluuya
The Greatest Showman(2017)

2017

La La Land(2016)
Ryan Gosling
Winner
Deadpool(2016)
Ryan Reynolds
Florence Foster Jenkins(2016)
Hugh Grant
The Lobster(2015)
Colin Farrell
War Dogs(2016)
Jonah Hill

2016

The Martian(2015)
Matt Damon
Winner
Danny Collins(2015)
Al Pacino
Infinitely Polar Bear(2015)
Mark Ruffalo
The Big Short(2015)

2015

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)(2014)
Michael Keaton
Winner
Big Eyes(2014)
Christoph Waltz
Inherent Vice(2014)
Joaquin Phoenix
St. Vincent(2014)
Bill Murray
The Grand Budapest Hotel(2014)

2014

The Wolf of Wall Street(2013)
Winner
American Hustle(2013)
Christian Bale
Her(2013)
Joaquin Phoenix
Inside Llewyn Davis(2013)
Oscar Isaac
Nebraska(2013)
Bruce Dern

2013

Les Misérables(2012)
Hugh Jackman
Winner
Bernie(2012)
Jack Black
Hyde Park on Hudson(2012)
Bill Murray
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen(2012)
Ewan McGregor
Silver Linings Playbook(2012)
Bradley Cooper

2012

The Artist(2011)
Jean Dujardin
Winner
50/50(2011)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Crazy, Stupid, Love.(2011)
Ryan Gosling
Midnight in Paris(2011)
Owen Wilson
The Guard(2011)
Brendan Gleeson

2011

Barney's Version(2010)
Paul Giamatti
Winner
Alice in Wonderland(2010)
Johnny Depp
Casino Jack(2010)
Kevin Spacey
Love & Other Drugs(2010)
Jake Gyllenhaal
The Tourist(2010)
Johnny Depp

2010

Sherlock Holmes(2009)
Robert Downey Jr.
Winner
(500) Days of Summer(2009)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
A Serious Man(2009)
Nine(2009)
Daniel Day-Lewis
The Informant!(2009)
Matt Damon

2009

In Bruges(2008)
Colin Farrell
Winner
In Bruges(2008)
Brendan Gleeson
Last Chance Harvey(2008)
Dustin Hoffman
Pineapple Express(2008)
James Franco
Vicky Cristina Barcelona(2008)
Javier Bardem

2008

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(2007)
Johnny Depp
Winner
Charlie Wilson's War(2007)
Tom Hanks
Lars and the Real Girl(2007)
Ryan Gosling
The Savages(2007)
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story(2007)
John C. Reilly

2007

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan(2006)
Sacha Baron Cohen
Winner
Kinky Boots(2006)
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest(2006)
Johnny Depp
Stranger Than Fiction(2006)
Will Ferrell
Thank You for Smoking(2006)
Aaron Eckhart

2006

Walk the Line(2005)
Joaquin Phoenix
Winner
Breakfast on Pluto(2005)
Cillian Murphy
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory(2005)
Johnny Depp
The Matador(2005)
Pierce Brosnan
The Producers(2005)
Nathan Lane
The Squid and the Whale(2005)

2005

Ray(2004)
Jamie Foxx
Winner
Beyond the Sea(2004)
Kevin Spacey
De-Lovely(2004)
Kevin Kline
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind(2004)
Jim Carrey
Sideways(2004)
Paul Giamatti

2004

Lost in Translation(2003)
Bill Murray
Winner
Bad Santa(2003)
Billy Bob Thornton
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl(2003)
Johnny Depp
School of Rock (School of Rock, The)(2003)
Jack Black
Something's Gotta Give(2003)
Jack Nicholson

2003

Chicago(2002)
Richard Gere
Winner
About a Boy(2002)
Hugh Grant
Adaptation.(2002)
Nicolas Cage
Igby Goes Down(2002)
Kieran Culkin
Punch-Drunk Love(2002)
Adam Sandler

2002

The Royal Tenenbaums(2001)
Gene Hackman
Winner
Bandits(2001)
Billy Bob Thornton
Hedwig and the Angry Inch(2001)
John Cameron Mitchell
Kate & Leopold(2001)
Hugh Jackman
Moulin Rouge!(2001)
Ewan McGregor

2001

O Brother, Where Art Thou?(2000)
George Clooney
Winner
High Fidelity(2000)
John Cusack
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas)(2000)
Jim Carrey
Meet the Parents(2000)
Robert De Niro
What Women Want(2000)
Mel Gibson

2000

Man on the Moon(1999)
Jim Carrey
Winner
An Ideal Husband(1999)
Rupert Everett
Analyze This(1999)
Robert De Niro
Notting Hill(1999)
Hugh Grant
Sweet and Lowdown(1999)
Sean Penn

1999

Little Voice(1998)
Michael Caine
Winner
Bulworth(1998)
Warren Beatty
Patch Adams(1998)
Robin Williams
Primary Colors(1998)
John Travolta
The Mask of Zorro(1998)
Antonio Banderas

1998

As Good as It Gets(1997)
Jack Nicholson
Winner
In & Out(1997)
Kevin Kline
Jackie Brown(1997)
Samuel L. Jackson
Liar Liar(1997)
Jim Carrey
Wag the Dog(1997)
Dustin Hoffman

1997

Jerry Maguire(1996)
Tom Cruise
Winner
Evita(1996)
Antonio Banderas
The Birdcage(1996)
Nathan Lane
The Nutty Professor(1996)
Eddie Murphy
Tin Cup(1996)
Kevin Costner

1996

Get Shorty(1995)
John Travolta
Winner
Father of the Bride Part II(1995)
Steve Martin
Sabrina(1995)
Harrison Ford
The American President(1995)
Michael Douglas
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar(1995)
Patrick Swayze

1995

Four Weddings and a Funeral(1994)
Hugh Grant
Winner
Ed Wood(1994)
Johnny Depp
Junior(1994)
Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert(1994)
Terence Stamp
The Mask(1994)
Jim Carrey

1994

Mrs. Doubtfire(1993)
Robin Williams
Winner
Benny & Joon(1993)
Johnny Depp
Dave(1993)
Kevin Kline
Screen Two (Snapper, The)(1985)
Colm Meaney
Sleepless in Seattle(1993)
Tom Hanks
The Snapper(1993)
Colm Meaney

1993

The Player(1992)
Tim Robbins
Winner
Bob Roberts(1992)
Tim Robbins
Honeymoon in Vegas(1992)
Nicolas Cage
Mr. Saturday Night(1992)
Billy Crystal
Used People(1992)
Marcello Mastroianni

1992

The Fisher King(1991)
Robin Williams
Winner
City Slickers(1991)
Billy Crystal
Hook(1991)
Dustin Hoffman
Soapdish(1991)
Kevin Kline
The Fisher King(1991)
Jeff Bridges

1991

Green Card(1990)
Gérard Depardieu
Winner
Edward Scissorhands(1990)
Johnny Depp
Ghost(1990)
Patrick Swayze
Home Alone(1990)
Macaulay Culkin
Pretty Woman(1990)
Richard Gere

1990

Driving Miss Daisy(1989)
Morgan Freeman
Winner
Batman(1989)
Jack Nicholson
Parenthood(1989)
Steve Martin
The War of the Roses(1989)
Michael Douglas
When Harry Met Sally...(1989)
Billy Crystal

1989

Big(1988)
Tom Hanks
Winner
A Fish Called Wanda(1988)
John Cleese
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels(1988)
Michael Caine
Midnight Run(1988)
Robert De Niro
Who Framed Roger Rabbit(1988)
Bob Hoskins

1988

Good Morning, Vietnam(1987)
Robin Williams
Winner
Broadcast News(1987)
William Hurt
Dirty Dancing(1987)
Patrick Swayze
Moonstruck(1987)
Nicolas Cage
Roxanne(1987)
Steve Martin
Throw Momma from the Train(1987)
Danny DeVito

1987

Crocodile Dundee(1986)
Paul Hogan
Winner
Ferris Bueller's Day Off(1986)
Matthew Broderick
Ruthless People(1986)
Danny DeVito
Something Wild(1986)
Jeff Daniels
That's Life!(1986)
Jack Lemmon

1986

Prizzi's Honor(1985)
Jack Nicholson
Winner
After Hours(1985)
Griffin Dunne
Back to the Future(1985)
Michael J. Fox
Murphy's Romance(1985)
James Garner
The Purple Rose of Cairo(1985)
Jeff Daniels

1985

Micki & Maude(1984)
Dudley Moore
Winner
All of Me(1984)
Steve Martin
Beverly Hills Cop(1984)
Eddie Murphy
Ghostbusters(1984)
Bill Murray
Moscow on the Hudson(1984)
Robin Williams

1984

Educating Rita(1983)
Michael Caine
Winner
Risky Business(1983)
Tom Cruise
Trading Places(1983)
Eddie Murphy
Yentl(1983)
Mandy Patinkin
Zelig(1983)
Woody Allen

1983

Tootsie(1982)
Dustin Hoffman
Winner
Author! Author!(1982)
Al Pacino
My Favorite Year(1982)
Peter O’Toole
Night Shift(1982)
Henry Winkler
Victor/Victoria(1982)
Robert Preston

1982

Arthur(1981)
Dudley Moore
Winner
First Monday in October(1981)
Walter Matthau
Pennies from Heaven(1981)
Steve Martin
The Four Seasons(1981)
Alan Alda
Zorro, The Gay Blade(1981)
George Hamilton

1981

The Idolmaker(1980)
Ray Sharkey
Winner
Coal Miner's Daughter(1980)
Tommy Lee Jones
Hopscotch(1980)
Walter Matthau
Melvin and Howard(1980)
Paul Le Mat
The Jazz Singer(1980)
Neil Diamond

1980

Being There(1979)
Peter Sellers
Winner
10(1979)
Dudley Moore
All That Jazz(1979)
Roy Scheider
Love at First Bite(1979)
George Hamilton
Starting Over(1979)
Burt Reynolds

1979

Heaven Can Wait(1978)
Warren Beatty
Winner
Foul Play(1978)
Chevy Chase
Grease(1978)
John Travolta
Movie Movie(1978)
George C. Scott
Same Time, Next Year(1978)
Alan Alda
The Buddy Holly Story(1978)

1978

The Goodbye Girl(1977)
Winner
Annie Hall(1977)
Woody Allen
High Anxiety(1977)
Mel Brooks
New York, New York(1977)
Robert De Niro
Saturday Night Fever(1977)
John Travolta

1977

A Star Is Born(1976)
Kris Kristofferson
Winner
Silent Movie(1976)
Mel Brooks
Silver Streak(1976)
Gene Wilder
The Pink Panther Strikes Again(1976)
Peter Sellers
The Ritz (Ritz, The)(1976)
Jack Weston

1976

The Sunshine Boys(1975)
Walter Matthau
Winner
Funny Lady(1975)
James Caan
Shampoo(1975)
Warren Beatty
The Return of the Pink Panther(1975)
Peter Sellers
The Sunshine Boys(1975)
George Burns

1975

Harry and Tonto(1974)
Art Carney
Winner
Claudine(1974)
James Earl Jones
The Front Page (Front Page, The)(1974)
Jack Lemmon
The Front Page (Front Page, The)(1974)
Walter Matthau
The Longest Yard(1974)
Burt Reynolds

1974

A Touch of Class(1973)
Winner
American Graffiti(1973)
Richard Dreyfuss
Jesus Christ Superstar(1973)
Carl Anderson
Jesus Christ Superstar(1973)
Ted Neely
Paper Moon(1973)
Ryan O’Neal

1973

Avanti!(1972)
Jack Lemmon
Winner
Butterflies Are Free(1972)
Edward Albert
Man of La Mancha(1972)
Peter O’Toole
Pete 'n' Tillie(1972)
Walter Matthau
The Heartbreak Kid(1972)

1972

Fiddler on the Roof(1971)
Chaim Topol
Winner
Harold and Maude(1971)
Bud Cort
Kotch(1971)
Walter Matthau
The Million Dollar Duck ($1,000,000 Duck)(1971)
Dean Jones
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory(1971)
Gene Wilder

1971

Scrooge(1970)
Albert Finney
Winner
Diary of a Mad Housewife(1970)
Richard Benjamin
M*A*S*H(1970)
Elliott Gould
M*A*S*H(1970)
Donald Sutherland
The Out-of-Towners (Out-of-Towners, The)(1970)
Jack Lemmon

1970

Goodbye, Mr. Chips(1969)
Peter O’Toole
Winner
John and Mary(1969)
Dustin Hoffman
Paint Your Wagon(1969)
Lee Marvin
The Reivers(1969)
Steve McQueen
The Secret of Santa Vittoria(1969)
Anthony Quinn

1969

Oliver!(1968)
Ron Moody
Winner
Finian's Rainbow(1968)
Fred Astaire
The Odd Couple(1968)
Jack Lemmon
The Odd Couple(1968)
Walter Matthau
The Producers(1968)
Zero Mostel

1968

Camelot(1967)
Richard Harris
Winner
Doctor Dolittle(1967)
Rex Harrison
The Climax (L'immorale)(1967)
Ugo Tognazzi
The Graduate(1967)
Dustin Hoffman
The Taming of the Shrew(1967)
Richard Burton

1967

The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!(1966)
Alan Arkin
Winner
Gambit(1966)
Michael Caine
Georgy Girl(1966)
Alan Bates
The Fortune Cookie(1966)
Walter Matthau
The Spy with a Cold Nose(1966)
Lionel Jeffries

1966

Cat Ballou(1965)
Lee Marvin
Winner
A Thousand Clowns(1965)
Jason Robards Jr.
Boeing, Boeing(1965)
Jerry Lewis
The Great Race(1965)
Jack Lemmon
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines(1965)
Alberto Sordi

1965

My Fair Lady(1964)
Rex Harrison
Winner
Marriage Italian Style(1964)
Marcello Mastroianni
Mary Poppins(1964)
Dick Van Dyke
The Pink Panther(1963)
Peter Sellers
Topkapi(1964)
Peter Ustinov

1964

To Bed or Not to Bed(1963)
Alberto Sordi
Winner
Charade(1963)
Cary Grant
Come Blow Your Horn(1963)
Frank Sinatra
Irma la Douce(1963)
Jack Lemmon
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World(1963)
Jonathan Winters
The Mouse on the Moon(1963)
– Terry-Thomas
The Wheeler Dealers(1963)
James Garner
Tom Jones(1963)
Albert Finney
Under the Yum Yum Tree(1963)
Jack Lemmon

1963

Divorce Italian Style(1961)
Marcello Mastroianni
Winner
Billy Rose's Jumbo(1962)
Stephen Boyd
Billy Rose's Jumbo(1962)
Jimmy Durante
Gypsy(1962)
Karl Malden
Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation(1962)
James Stewart
That Touch of Mink(1962)
Cary Grant
The Best of Enemies(1961)
Alberto Sordi
The Music Man (Meredith Willson's The Music Man)(1962)
Robert Preston
The Pigeon That Took Rome(1962)
Charlton Heston

1962

Pocketful of Miracles(1961)
Glenn Ford
Winner
Bachelor in Paradise(1961)
Bob Hope
The Absent-Minded Professor(1961)
Fred MacMurray
The Pleasure of His Company(1961)
Fred Astaire
West Side Story(1961)
Richard Beymer

1961

The Apartment(1960)
Jack Lemmon
Winner
Pepe(1960)
– Cantinflas
Song Without End(1960)
Dirk Bogarde
The Facts of Life(1960)
Bob Hope
The Grass Is Greener(1960)
Cary Grant

1960

Some Like It Hot(1959)
Jack Lemmon
Winner
But Not for Me(1959)
Clark Gable
Operation Petticoat(1959)
Cary Grant
Porgy and Bess(1959)
Sidney Poitier
Who Was That Lady?(1960)
Dean Martin

1959

Me and the Colonel(1958)
Danny Kaye
Winner
Gigi(1958)
Louis Jourdan
Gigi(1958)
Maurice Chevalier
Indiscreet(1958)
Cary Grant
Teacher's Pet(1958)
Clark Gable

1958

Pal Joey(1957)
Frank Sinatra
Winner
Don't Go Near the Water(1957)
Glenn Ford
Love in the Afternoon(1957)
Maurice Chevalier
My Man Godfrey(1957)
David Niven
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?(1957)
Tony Randall

1957

Around the World in 80 Days(1956)
– Cantinflas
Winner
The Court Jester(1955)
Danny Kaye
The King and I(1956)
Yul Brynner
The Teahouse of the August Moon(1956)
Glenn Ford
The Teahouse of the August Moon(1956)
Marlon Brando

1956

The Seven Year Itch(1955)
Tom Ewell
Winner

1955

A Star Is Born(1954)
James Mason
Winner

1954

The Moon Is Blue(1953)
David Niven
Winner

1953

Singin' in the Rain(1952)
Donald O’Connor
Winner
Hans Christian Andersen(1952)
Danny Kaye
Stars and Stripes Forever(1952)
Clifton Webb

1952

On the Riviera(1951)
Danny Kaye
Winner
An American in Paris(1951)
Gene Kelly
Here Comes the Groom(1951)
Bing Crosby

1951

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