Academy Award for Best Actress
The Academy Awards are awarded the year after the film's release; the films below are listed with their production year, so the Oscar 2000 went to the best actor in 1999. 1928 Janet Gaynor - Seventh Heaven Street Angel and Sunrise Louise Dresser - A Ship Comes In Gloria Swanson - Sadie Thompson 1929 Mary Pickford - Coquette Ruth Chatterton - Madame X Betty Compson - The Barker Jeanne Eagels - The Letter Corinne Griffith - The Divine Lady Bessie Love - The Broadway Melody 1930 Norma Shearer - The Divorcee Nancy Carroll - The Devil's Holiday Ruth Chatterton - Sarah and Son Greta Garbo - Anna Christie and Romance Norma Shearer - Their Own Desire Gloria Swanson - The Trespasser 1931 Marie Dressler - Min and Bill Marlene Dietrich - Morocco Irene Dunne - Cimarron Ann Harding - Holiday Norma Shearer - A Free Soul 1932 Helen Hayes - The Sin of Madelon Claudet Marie Dressler - Emma Lynn Fontanne - The Guardsman 1933 Katharine Hepburn - Morning Glory May Robson - Lady for a Day Diana Wynyard - Cavalcade 1934 Claudette Colbert - It Happened One Night Grace Moore - One Night of Love Norma Shearer - The Barretts of Wimpole Street 1935 Bette Davis - Dangerous Elisabeth Bergner - Escape Me Never Claudette Colbert - Private Worlds Katharine Hepburn - Alice Adams Miriam Hopkins - Becky Sharp Merle Oberon - The Dark Angel 1936 Luise Rainer - The Great Ziegfeld Irene Dunne - Theodora Goes Wild Gladys George - Valiant Is the Word for Carrie Carole Lombard - My Man Godfrey Norma Shearer - Romeo and Juliet 1937 Luise Rainer - The Good Earth Irene Dunne - The Awful Truth Greta Garbo - Camille Janet Gaynor - A Star Is Born Barbara Stanwyck - Stella Dallas 1938 Bette Davis - Jezebel Fay Bainter - White Banners Wendy Hiller - Pygmalion Norma Shearer - Marie Antoinette Margaret Sullavan - Three Comrades 1939 Vivien Leigh - Gone With the Wind Bette Davis - Dark Victory Irene Dunne - Love Affair Greta Garbo - Ninotchka Greer Garson - Goodbye, Mr. Chips 1940 Ginger Rogers - Kitty Foyle Bette Davis - The Letter Joan Fontaine - Rebecca Katharine Hepburn - The Philadelphia Story Martha Scott - Our Town 1941 Joan Fontaine - Suspicion Bette Davis - The Little Foxes Olivia de Havilland - Hold Back the Dawn Greer Garson - Blossoms in the Dust Barbara Stanwyck - Ball of Fire 1942 Greer Garson- Mrs. Miniver Bette Davis - Now, Voyager Katharine Hepburn - Woman of the Year Rosalind Russell - My Sister Eileen Teresa Wright - The Pride of the Yankees 1943 Jennifer Jones - The Song of Bernadette Jean Arthur - The More the Merrier Ingrid Bergman - For Whom the Bell Tolls Joan Fontaine - The Constant Nymph Greer Garson - Madame Curie 1944 Ingrid Bergman - Gaslight Claudette Colbert - Since You Went Away Bette Davis - Mr. Skeffington Greer Garson - Mrs. Parkington Barbara Stanwyck - Double Indemnity 1945 Joan Crawford - Mildred Pierce Ingrid Bergman - The Bells of St. Mary's Greer Garson - The Valley of Decision Jennifer Jones - Love Letters Gene Tierney - Leave Her to Heaven 1946 Olivia de Havilland - To Each His Own Celia Johnson - Brief Encounter Jennifer Jones - Duel in the Sun Rosalind Russell - Sister Kenny Jane Wyman - The Yearling 1947 Loretta Young - The Farmer's Daughter Joan Crawford - Possessed Susan Hayward - Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman Dorothy McGuire - Gentleman's Agreement Rosalind Russell - Mourning Becomes Electra 1948 Jane Wyman - Johnny Belinda Ingrid Bergman - Joan of Arc Olivia de Havilland - The Snake Pit Irene Dunne - I Remember Mama Barbara Stanwyck - Sorry, Wrong Number 1949 Olivia de Havilland - The Heiress Jeanne Crain - Pinky Susan Hayward - My Foolish Heart Deborah Kerr - Edward, My Son Loretta Young - Come to the Stable 1950 Judy Holliday - Born Yesterday Anne Baxter - All About Eve Bette Davis - All About Eve Eleanor Parker - Caged Gloria Swanson - Sunset Boulevard 1951 Vivien Leigh - A Streetcar Named Desire Katharine Hepburn - The African Queen Eleanor Parker - Detective Story Shelley Winters - A Place in the Sun Jane Wyman - The Blue Veil 1952 Shirley Booth - Come Back, Little Sheba Joan Crawford - Sudden Fear Bette Davis - The Star Julie Harris - The Member of the Wedding Susan Hayward - With a Song in My Heart 1953 Audrey Hepburn - Roman Holiday Leslie Caron - Lili Ava Gardner - Mogambo Deborah Kerr - From Here to Eternity Maggie McNamara - The Moon Is Blue 1954 Grace Kelly - The Country Girl Dorothy Dandridge - Carmen Jones Judy Garland - A Star Is Born Audrey Hepburn - Sabrina Jane Wyman - Magnificent Obsession 1955 Anna Magnani - The Rose Tattoo Susan Hayward - I'll Cry Tomorrow Katharine Hepburn - Summertime Jennifer Jones - Love is a Many-Splendored Thing Eleanor Parker - Interrupted Melody 1956 Ingrid Bergman - Anastasia Carroll Baker - Baby Doll Katharine Hepburn - The Rainmaker Nancy Kelly - The Bad Seed Deborah Kerr - The King and I 1957 Joanne Woodward - The Three Faces of Eve Deborah Kerr - Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison Anna Magnani - Wild Is the Wind Elizabeth Taylor - Raintree County Lana Turner - Peyton Place 1958 Susan Hayward - I Want to Live! Deborah Kerr - Separate Tables Shirley MacLaine - Some Came Running Rosalind Russell - Auntie Mame Elizabeth Taylor - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1959 Simone Signoret - Room at the Top Doris Day - Pillow Talk Audrey Hepburn - The Nun's Story Katharine Hepburn - Suddenly, Last Summer Elizabeth Taylor - Suddenly, Last Summer 1960 Elizabeth Taylor - BUtterfield 8 Greer Garson - Sunrise at Campobello Deborah Kerr - The Sundowners Shirley MacLaine - The Apartment Melina Mercouri - Never on Sunday 1961 Sophia Loren - Two Women Audrey Hepburn - Breakfast at Tiffany's Piper Laurie - The Hustler Geraldine Page - Summer and Smoke Natalie Wood - Splendor in the Grass 1962 Anne Bancroft - The Miracle Worker Bette Davis - What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Katharine Hepburn - Long Day's Journey Into Night Geraldine Page - Sweet Bird of Youth Lee Remick - Days of Wine and Roses 1963 Patricia Neal - Hud Leslie Caron - The L-Shaped Room Shirley MacLaine - Irma la Douce Rachel Roberts - This Sporting Life Natalie Wood - Love with the Proper Stranger 1964 Julie Andrews - Mary Poppins Anne Bancroft - The Pumpkin Eater Sophia Loren - Marriage Italian Style Debbie Reynolds - The Unsinkable Molly Brown Kim Stanley - Seance on a Wet Afternoon 1965 Julie Christie - Darling Julie Andrews - The Sound of Music Samantha Eggar - The Collector Elizabeth Hartman - A Patch of Blue Simone Signoret - Ship of Fools 1966 Elizabeth Taylor - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Anouk Aimée - A Man and a Woman Ida Kaminska - The Shop on Main Street Lynn Redgrave - Georgy Girl Vanessa Redgrave - Morgan! 1967 Katharine Hepburn - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Anne Bancroft - The Graduate Faye Dunaway - Bonnie and Clyde Edith Evans - The Whisperers Audrey Hepburn - Wait Until Dark 1968 Katharine Hepburn - The Lion in Winter and Barbra Streisand - Funny Girl Patricia Neal - The Subject Was Roses Vanessa Redgrave - Isadora Joanne Woodward - Rachel, Rachel 1969 Maggie Smith - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Geneviève Bujold - Anne of the Thousand Days Jane Fonda - They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Liza Minnelli - The Sterile Cuckoo Jean Simmons - The Happy Ending 1970 Glenda Jackson - Women in Love Jane Alexander - The Great White Hope Ali MacGraw - Love Story Sarah Miles - Ryan's Daughter Carrie Snodgress - Diary of a Mad Housewife 1971 Jane Fonda - Klute Julie Christie - McCabe & Mrs. Miller Glenda Jackson - Sunday Bloody Sunday Vanessa Redgrave - Mary, Queen of Scots Janet Suzman - Nicholas and Alexandra 1972 Liza Minnelli - Cabaret Diana Ross - Lady Sings the Blues Maggie Smith - Travels with My Aunt Cicely Tyson - Sounder Liv Ullmann - The Emigrants 1973 Glenda Jackson - A Touch of Class Ellen Burstyn - The Exorcist Marsha Mason - Cinderella Liberty Barbra Streisand - The Way We Were Joanne Woodward - Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams 1974 Ellen Burstyn - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Diahann Carroll - Claudine Faye Dunaway - Chinatown Valerie Perrine - Lenny Gena Rowlands - A Woman Under the Influence 1975 Louise Fletcher - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Ann-Margret - Tommy Isabelle Adjani - The Story of Adele H. Glenda Jackson - Hedda Carol Kane - Hester Street 1976 Faye Dunaway - Network Marie-Christine Barrault - Cousin, cousine Talia Shire - Rocky Sissy Spacek - Carrie Liv Ullmann - Face to Face[?] 1977 Diane Keaton - Annie Hall Anne Bancroft - The Turning Point Jane Fonda - Julia Shirley MacLaine - The Turning Point Marsha Mason - The Goodbye Girl 1978 Jane Fonda - Coming Home Ingrid Bergman - Autumn Sonata Ellen Burstyn - Same Time, Next Year Jill Clayburgh - An Unmarried Woman Geraldine Page - Interiors 1979 Sally Field - Norma Rae Jill Clayburgh - Starting Over Jane Fonda - The China Syndrome Marsha Mason - Chapter Two Bette Midler - The Rose 1980 Sissy Spacek - Coal Miner's Daughter Ellen Burstyn - Resurrection Goldie Hawn - Private Benjamin Mary Tyler Moore - Ordinary People Gena Rowlands - Gloria 1981 Katharine Hepburn - On Golden Pond Diane Keaton - Reds Marsha Mason - Only When I Laugh Susan Sarandon - Atlantic City Meryl Streep - The French Lieutenant's Woman 1982 Meryl Streep - Sophie's Choice Julie Andrews - Victor/Victoria Jessica Lange - Frances Sissy Spacek - Missing Debra Winger - An Officer and a Gentleman 1983 Shirley MacLaine - Terms of Endearment Jane Alexander - Testament Meryl Streep - Silkwood Julie Walters - Educating Rita Debra Winger - Terms of Endearment 1984 Sally Field - Places in the Heart Judy Davis - A Passage to India Jessica Lange - Country Vanessa Redgrave - A Passage to India Sissy Spacek - The River 1985 Geraldine Page - The Trip to Bountiful Anne Bancroft - Agnes of God Whoopi Goldberg - The Color Purple Jessica Lange - Sweet Dreams Meryl Streep - Out of Africa 1986 Marlee Matlin - Children of a Lesser God Jane Fonda - The Morning After Sissy Spacek - Crimes of the Heart Kathleen Turner - Peggy Sue Got Married Sigourney Weaver - Aliens 1987 Cher - Moonstruck Glenn Close - Fatal Attraction Holly Hunter - Broadcast News Sally Kirkland - Anna[?] Meryl Streep - Ironweed 1988 Jodie Foster - The Accused[?] Glenn Close - Dangerous Liasions[?] Melanie Griffith[?] - Working Girl Meryl Streep - A Cry in the Dark[?] Sigourney Weaver - Gorillas in the Mist[?] 1989 Jessica Tandy - Driving Miss Daisy Isabelle Adjani - Camille Claudel Pauline Collins[?] - Shirley Valentine[?] Jessica Lange - Music Box[?] Michelle Pfeiffer - The Fabulous Baker Boys[?] 1990 Kathy Bates[?] - Misery[?] Anjelica Huston - The Grifters[?] Julia Roberts - Pretty Woman Meryl Streep - Postcards from the Edge[?] Joanne Woodward - Mr. and Mrs. Bridge[?] 1991 Jodie Foster - The Silence of the Lambs Geena Davis - Thelma and Louise Laura Dern[?] - Rambling Rose[?] Bette Midler - For the Boys[?] Susan Sarandon - Thelma and Louise 1992 Emma Thompson - Howards End Catherine Deneuve - Indochina Mary McDonnell[?] - Passion Fish[?] Michelle Pfeiffer - Love Field[?] Susan Sarandon - Lorenzo's Oil[?] 1993 Holly Hunter - The Piano Angela Bassett[?] - What's Love Got to Do with It[?] Stockard Channing[?] - Six Degrees of Separation Emma Thompson - Remains of the Day[?] Debra Winger - Shadowlands[?] 1994 Jessica Lange - Blue Sky[?] Jodie Foster - Nell Miranda Richardson - Tom and Viv[?] Winona Ryder - Little Women Susan Sarandon - The Client[?] 1995 Susan Sarandon - Dead Man Walking Elisabeth Shue[?] - Leaving Las Vegas Sharon Stone - Casino Meryl Streep - The Bridges of Madison County[?] Emma Thompson - Sense and Sensibility 1996 Frances McDormand[?] - Fargo Brenda Blethyn[?] - Secrets and Lies Diane Keaton - Marvin's Room[?] Kristin Scott Thomas[?] - The English Patient Emily Watson[?] - Breaking the Waves[?] 1997 Helen Hunt - As Good As It Gets Helena Bonham Carter - The Wings of the Dove[?] Julie Christie - Afterglow Judi Dench - Mrs. Brown Kate Winslet - Titanic 1998 Gwyneth Paltrow - Shakespeare in Love Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth Fernanda Montenegro[?] - Central do Brasil[?] Meryl Streep - One True Thing[?] Emily Watson[?] - Hilary and Jackie[?] 1999 Hilary Swank[?] - Boys Don't Cry Annette Bening[?] - American Beauty Julianne Moore - The End of the Affair[?] Meryl Streep - Music of the Heart[?] Janet McTeer[?] - Tumbleweeds[?] 2000 Julia Roberts - Erin Brockovich Juliette Binoche - Chocolat Joan Allen[?] - The Contender[?] Ellen Burstyn - Requiem for a Dream Laura Linney[?] - You Can Count on Me[?] 2001 Halle Berry - Monster's Ball[?] Renée Zellweger - Bridget Jones's Diary Sissy Spacek - In the Bedroom Judi Dench - Iris Nicole Kidman - Moulin Rouge! 2002 Nicole Kidman -The Hours[?] Renée Zellweger - Chicago Julianne Moore - Far from Heaven[?] Salma Hayek - Frida[?] Diane Lane[?] - Unfaithful[?] See also: Academy Awards