Every Best Actor Winner In Oscar History

Robert De Niro in Raging Bull. Image via MGM

Winners in the 1980s

The first Academy Awards of the 1980s was on April 14, 1980, and the big winner was Kramer vs. Kramer, which took home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Meryl Streep) and Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman.

In 1981, Robert De Niro won for Martin Scorcese’s Raging Bull. This was De Niro’s second Oscar, as he won Best Supporting Actor in 1975 for The Godfather Part Two.

Henry Fonda went home with the Oscar the following year for On Golden Pond. This was Fonda’s final film role, and he passed away a few months after the ceremony. Fonda was 76 when he won, making him the oldest Best Actor winner in Oscar history.

Ben Kingsley won for Gandhi in 1983 at the 55th Academy Awards. Gandhi was the big winner that year taking home 8 awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, as well as acting honors for Kingsley.

Robert Duvall won in 1984 for Tender Mercies, followed by F. Murray Abraham for Amadeus in 1985. William Hurt won the next year for Kiss of the Spiderwoman.

Paul Newman won Best Actor in 1987 for The Color of Money. This was Newman’s first win but his 7th nomination for Best Actor and 8th nomination overall (he was nominated in 1968 for a film he directed and produced, Rachel, Rachel). Newman would be nominated another two times before his death in 2008, and he picked up an honorary award in 1993.

Michael Douglas won for his role as Gordon Gecko in Wall Street in 1988. Dustin Hoffman won for Rain Man in 1989, meaning he both started and ended the decade with Best Actor wins.

Winners

1980: Dustin Hoffman – Kramer vs. Kramer
1981: Robert De Niro – Raging Bull
1982: Henry Fonda – On Golden Pond
1983: Ben Kingsley – Gandhi
1984: Robert Duvall – Tender Mercies
1985: F. Murray Abraham – Amadeus
1986: William Hurt – Kiss of the Spiderwoman
1987: Paul Newman – The Color of Money
1988: Michael Douglas – Wall Street
1989: Dustin Hoffman – Rain Man