All Oscars 2026 Best Actor Performances, Ranked Worst To Best

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The Oscars for acting are always exciting, but the 2026 Best Actor category is particularly strong. The five nominees delivered incredible performances in some of the year’s best movies. With the exception of one, all the actors haven’t won an Oscar before, and they all clearly lead their films. The performances are so impressive that even though Jesse Plemons didn’t get a nomination, it’s hard to complain.

Wow, everyone online seems to agree – this year’s Best Actor race is one for the ages! Honestly, just choosing a winner feels impossible, let alone trying to put them in order. But, I’ve seen all five nominated performances – just like I did with the Best Picture contenders – and I’m going to give it a shot. Here’s how I’d rank them, from what I think is the ‘weakest’ (though they’re all great!) to the very best.

5. Michael B. Jordan, Sinners

It’s surprising to rank a dual performance last, but this is a very competitive year, and this award isn’t for the best actor overall. Michael B. Jordan delivers strong work in Sinners, and the characters Smoke and Stack are clearly defined as individuals. The highest praise I can give a dual role is that I always believed I was watching two separate people. He subtly conveys their relationship through small movements and looks, even though those interactions are created through editing – yet they feel completely real.

Even though Michael B. Jordan is a well-known actor, I was always aware I was watching him perform, which made his performance stand out among the other nominees as a classic ‘movie star’ turn. This is perfect for what Sinners needed. As the film shifts from a historical drama to a horror, Jordan grounds the story and delivers the action required at the end. However, when considering his chances for Best Actor, it would have been more beneficial if Sinners had stayed true to its initial tone, allowing him to fully showcase his acting skills.

4. Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon

No other film up for an award relies as heavily on its lead actor as Blue Moon does on Ethan Hawke. He plays songwriter Lorenz Hart as a captivating, yet troubled, force – someone you can’t help but watch, even when he’s spiraling. The film keeps the dialogue flowing constantly, and Hawke carries it all with a complex performance that captures both Hart’s brilliance and his inner turmoil.

What makes Hawke’s performance so impressive is how easily you can picture it going wrong – becoming either overly dramatic or completely flat. Yet, he consistently avoids those pitfalls. His lengthy monologues serve a dual purpose: they both conceal and reveal Hart’s true feelings, and Hawke expertly portrays these subtle shifts. If the movie itself were as strong as his acting, he might rank higher, but currently, he’s only narrowly behind the top contenders.

3. Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another

It’s odd to say, considering I ranked him third, but Leonardo DiCaprio is delivering one of the best performances of his career. He’s the lead in One Battle After Another, though his comedic style doesn’t quite fit the film’s overall tone. Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar-nominated movie is a largely serious political thriller with moments of dark satire – the humor often feels unsettling. DiCaprio’s character feels almost like a comedic foil, as if Jeff Bridges’ The Dude from The Big Lebowski suddenly found himself in the midst of a genuine revolution.

It’s effective—and even more than that, the AI character, OBAA, occasionally mirrors Bob’s way of speaking while leading a scene, which adds depth and nuance. DiCaprio understands Bob so well that his presence subtly alters the film’s world, making it feel more real. His genuine love for his daughter rises above the complicated relationships around him, giving the film’s themes a relatable and believable emotional core. Without DiCaprio’s nuanced performance, the story wouldn’t resonate as powerfully.

2. Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent

While The Secret Agent is a beautifully complex film, Wagner Moura’s performance is truly what makes it work. He delivers a captivating performance that ultimately leads to a surprising twist for the audience.

The film introduces Marcelo arriving in town with an air of mystery, leading us to expect a complex puzzle to unravel. While the movie reveals a lot about him, he’s not actually that enigmatic. The actor, Moura, doesn’t try to conceal Marcelo’s personality; instead, he portrays a character with warmth, intelligence, and strong beliefs that we quickly recognize. Through his performance, Moura invites us to connect with Marcelo, rather than keeping us at a distance.

Ultimately, The Secret Agent explores how a decent person can become lost to obscurity—how, during times of hardship and unchecked power, the lives of good people are often tragically sacrificed. This outcome largely depends on the character Moura, and her final scene poignantly negates all of his previous efforts. It’s exceptionally well-done and, in most years, would easily be considered the best.

1. Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme

While the off-screen drama surrounding this performance is captivating, Timothée Chalamet’s work in Marty Supreme is truly remarkable. He plays a character, Marty, with such compelling charisma that people repeatedly change their lives for him, even though it always ends badly for them. Marty’s arrogance is both overwhelming and strangely charming, and Chalamet embodies this destructive allure so convincingly that it draws the audience in as well.

It’s incredibly satisfying to watch him succeed, and we genuinely root for him, even when we know he’s flawed, both in table tennis and in his personal life. While director Josh Safdie uses familiar sports movie techniques to create this feeling, it’s primarily due to the actor’s ability to convincingly portray the character’s self-image. This character’s massive ego isn’t unfounded – he is talented. However, his biggest weakness is his inability to overcome his own flaws and let his talent shine.

Timothée Chalamet’s performance as Marty Mauser is exactly the kind of role that elevates a truly talented actor at the height of their career. It’s my vote for Best Actor, and I believe this role will become a defining moment for him – and for cinema – cementing his place as a deserving winner, even among such a strong field of nominees.

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2026-02-21 21:11