Resolution criteria

The winner will be determined by the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Resolution will be based on the official Academy Awards announcement for Best Actor at the 98th Academy Awards. Only one answer can resolve yes; all others resolve no.

Background

Top contenders include Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Wagner Moura, Michael B. Jordan, and Ethan Hawke. Ethan Hawke earned the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's leading performance prize for his work in "Blue Moon", while Wagner Moura won best actor from the New York Film Critics Circle, becoming the first Latino actor ever to win the category. Leonardo DiCaprio currently leads the Best Actor race, even as many consider Timothée Chalamet's performance to be a career best.

Considerations

Only five male performances are eligible to be nominated by the Academy for Best Actor, meaning several contenders on this list may not receive nominations. The race remains fluid with multiple credible frontrunners, and early critical awards have been split among different candidates.