Best Actor in the 80s: An Alternative Oscar History
Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 7:30PM 
Your eyes don't deceive you. At long last, AMPAs and I can find common ground and award the same performance. Well, two out of ten. It's something!
This November, we've been celebrating the 1980s with a series of throwback articles. To contribute and inspired by Nathaniel's top tens, I decided to share my alternative Oscar ballots, the idealized lineups that would have come to pass in a world where my taste prevailed over the Academy's. We've already looked at Best Actress, Supporting Actress, and Supporting Actor, so now it's time for the leading men. As always, I welcome all recommendations – it's been a great pleasure to read all your own ideal lineups and jot down films to watch in the future. To repeat some critical details, these lists include my personal Oscar lineup according to the eligibility established by the Academy. There are also honorable mentions, ineligible gems, and some notable titles I already have on my watchlist…
1980
Richard Gere, AMERICAN GIGOLO
Timothy Hutton, ORDINARY PEOPLE
Tatsuya Nakadai, KAGEMUSHA
Robert De Niro, RAGING BULL *winner*
Donald Sutherland, ORDINARY PEOPLE
Honorable Mentions: Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt in THE ELEPHANT MAN, Lee Marvin in THE BIG RED ONE, Jack Nicholson in THE SHINING.
Ineligible: Gérard Depardieu in THE LAST METRO, Michel Piccoli in LEAP INTO THE VOID.
On the Watchlist: Brad Dourif in WISE BLOOD, William Hurt in ALTERED STATES, Jack Lemmon in TRIBUTE, Ken Ogata in VENGEANCE IS MINE, Kan Takakura and Hidetaka Yoshioka in A DISTANT CRY OF SPRING, Jack Thompson and Edward Woodward in BREAKER MORANT.
1981
James Caan, THIEF
Gérard Depardieu, LOULOU
Harrison Ford, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
Burt Lancaster, ATLANTIC CITY *winner*
Steve Martin, PENNIES FROM HEAVEN
Honorable Mentions: Henry Fonda in ON GOLDEN POND, William Hurt in BODY HEAT, Jeremy Irons in THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN.
Ineligible: Klaus Maria Brandauer in MEPHISTO, Sam Neil in POSSESSION.
On the Watchlist: Jeff Bridges and John Heard in CUTTER'S WAY, Keith Carradine and Powers Boothe in SOUTHERN COMFORT, Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn in MY DINNER WITH ANDRE, Timothy Hutton in TRAPS, Sam Neill in OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT.
1982
Albert Finney, SHOOT THE MOON
Dustin Hoffman, TOOTSIE
Bob Hoskins, THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY
Klaus Kinski, FITZCARRALDO
Paul Newman, THE VERDICT *winner*
Honorable Mentions: Jeremy Irons in MOONLIGHTING, Ben Kingsley in GANDHI, Jack Lemmon in MISSING, Armin Mueller-Stahl in LOLA, Kurt Russell in THE THING, Peter O'Toole in MY FAVORITE YEAR.
Ineligible: Tim Roth in MADE IN BRITAIN.
On the Watchlist: André Dussollier in A GOOD MARRIAGE, Michael Keaton and Henry Winkler in NIGHT SHIFT, Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte in 48 HRS., Ken Takakura in STATION, Ugo Tognazzi in TRAGEDY OF A RIDICULOUS MAN.
1983
Tom Courtenay, THE DRESSER
Robert De Niro, THE KING OF COMEDY *winner*
Eric Roberts, STAR 80
Christopher Walken, THE DEAD ZONE
James Woods, VIDEODROME
Honorable Mentions: Albert Finney in THE DRESSER, Keith Gordon in CHRISTINE, Michael Keaton in MR. MOM, Marcello Mastroianni in THE NIGHT OF VARENNES, Eddie Murphy in TRADING PLACES.
Ineligible: Nate Hardman in BLESS THEIR LITTLE HEARTS, Ken Ogata in THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA, Gary Oldman and Tim Roth in MEANTIME, Oleg Yankovsky in NOSTALGIA.
On the Watchlist: Tom Conti in REUBEN, REUBEN, Gérard Depardieu and Wojciech Pszoniak in DANTON, Richard Farnsworth in THE GREY FOX, William Hurt and Lee Marvin in GORKY PARK, Timothy Hutton in DANIEL, Jeremy Irons and Ben Kingsley in BETRAYAL, Burt Lancaster in LOCAL HERO, Anthony Perkins in PSYCHO II.
1984
F. Murray Abraham, AMADEUS *winner*
Victor Banerjee, A PASSAGE TO INDIA
Albert Finney, UNDER THE VOLCANO
Haing S. Ngor, THE KILLING FIELDS
Harry Dean Stanton, PARIS, TEXAS
Honorable Mentions: Nicolas Cage and Matthew Modine in BIRDY, Tom Hulce in AMADEUS, John Hurt in NINETEEN-EIGHTY-FOUR, Erland Josephson in AFTER THE REHEARSAL, Eddie Murphy in BEVERLY HILLS COP.
Ineligible: Victor Banerjee and Soumitra Chatterjee in THE HOME AND THE WORLD, John Hurt and Michael York in SUCCESS IS THE BEST REVENGE.
On the Watchlist: Jeff Bridges in STARMAN, Willem Dafoe in THE LOVELESS, Gene Hackman in EUREKA, Philip Baker Hall in SECRET HONOR, Anthony Hopkins in THE BOUNTY, John Hurt in CHAMPIONS, Timothy Hutton and John Lone in ICEMAN, Steve Martin ALL OF ME, Joe Morton in THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET.
1985
Raul Julia, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN *winner*
James Mason, THE SHOOTING PARTY
Marcello Mastroianni, HENRY IV
Tatsuya Nakadai, RAN
Eric Stolz, MASK
Honorable Mentions: Tim Curry in CLUE, Jeff Daniels in THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO, James Garner in MURPHY'S ROMANCE, Michael J. Fox in BACK TO THE FUTURE, William Hurt in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, Judd Nelson in THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
Ineligible: Jeffrey Combs in RE-ANIMATOR.
On the Watchlist: Klaus Maria Brandauer in COLONEL REDL, Albert Brooks in LOST IN AMERICA, Louis Ducreux in A SUNDAY IN THE COUNTRY, John Hurt and Terence Stamp in THE HIT, Alfredo Landa and Francisco Rabal in THE HOLY INNOCENTS, Paul Reubens in PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE.
1986
Daniel Day-Lewis, MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE *winner*
Jeff Goldblum, THE FLY
Bob Hoskins, MONA LISA
Erland Josephson, THE SACRIFICE
Gary Oldman, SID AND NANCY
Honorable Mentions: Michael Caine in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS, Jeff Daniels in SOMETHING WILD, Harrison Ford in THE MOSQUITO COAST, James Woods in SALVADOR.
Ineligible: Denis Lavant in MAUVAIS SANG.
On the Watchlist: Roberto Benigni in DOWN BY LAW, Michel Blanc and Gérard Depardieu in MÉNAGE, Tom Hanks in THE MONEY PIT, Harvey Keitel in CAMORRA, Victor Love in NATIVE SON, Marcello Mastroianni in GINGER AND FRED, Aleksey Petrenko in AGONY.
1987
Christian Bale, EMPIRE OF THE SUN
Aleksei Kravchenko, COME AND SEE
Gaspard Manesse, AU REVOIR LES ENFANTS *winner*
Jack Nicholson, IRONWEED
James Wilby, MAURICE
Honorable Mentions: Albert Brooks and William Hurt in BROADCAST NEWS, Michael Douglas in WALL STREET, John Lone in THE LAST EMPEROR, Steve Martin in ROXANNE, Marcello Mastroianni in DARK EYES.
Ineligible: Bruce Campbell in EVIL DEAD II, Bruno Ganz in WINGS OF DESIRE, Ken Ogata in ZEGEN.
On the Watchlist: John Candy and Steve Martin in PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES, Gérard Depardieu and Yves Montand in JEAN DE FLORETTE, Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann in WITHNAIL AND I, Ed Harris in WALKER, Avtandil Makharadze in REPENTANCE.
1988
Willem Dafoe, THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST
Tom Hanks, BIG
Jeremy Irons, DEAD RINGERS *winner*
Forest Whitaker, BIRD
Bruce Willis, DIE HARD
Honorable Mentions: Daniel Day-Lewis in THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING, Bob Hoskins in WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?, Max von Sydow in PELLE THE CONQUEROR.
Ineligible: Morio Kazama in THE DISCARNATES, Jacques Perrin in CINEMA PARADISO.
On the Watchlist: Eric Bogosian in TALK RADIO, Harvey Fierstein in TORCH SONG TRILOGY, Charles Grodin and Robert De Niro in MIDNIGHT RUN, Ben Kingsley in PASCALI'S ISLAND and TESTIMONY, Edward James Olmos in STAND AND DELIVER, River Phoenix in RUNNING ON EMPTY, Sidney Poitier in SHOOT TO KILL.
1989
Kenneth Branagh, HENRY V
Nicolas Cage, VAMPIRE'S KISS *winner*
Daniel Day-Lewis, MY LEFT FOOT
Gérard Depardieu, UNDER THE SUN OF SATAN
Martin Landau, CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS
Honorable Mentions: Jeff Bridges in THE FABULOUS BAER BOYS, Ed Harris in THE ABYSS, Donald Sutherland in A DRY WHITE SEASON, Billy Zane in DEAD CALM.
Ineligible: Klaus Maria Brandauer, Soumitra Chatterjee in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, Tony Leung in A CITY OF SADNESS.
On the Watchlist: John Candy in UNCLE BUCK, Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn in CASUALTIES OF WAR, Tom Hanks in THE 'BURBS, John Hurt in SCANDAL, Raul Julia in ROMERO, Thomas Mogotlane in MAPANTSULA.
Please share your own Best Actor lineups from the 1980s! Is there any overlap with mine?
Reader Comments (14)
1980: Robert de Niro-Raging Bull/John Hurt-The Elephant Man (tie)
1981: James Caan-Thief
1982: Jack Lemmon-Missing
1983: Al Pacino-Scarface
1984: Harry Dean Stanton-Paris, Texas
1985: Jonathan Pryce-Brazil/Tatsuya Nakadai-Ran (tie)
1986: Erland Josephson-The Sacrfice
1987: Bruno Ganz-Wings of Desire
1988: Eddie Murphy-Coming to America
1989: John Candy-Uncle Buck
80: robert de niro - raging bull
81: harrison ford - raiders of the lost ark
82: dustin hoffman - tootsie
83: robert de niro - the king of comedy
84: f murray abraham - amadeus
85: paul reubens - pee-wee's big adventure
86: bob hoskins - mona lisa
87: christian bale - empire of the sun
88: divine - hairspray
89: daniel day-lewis - my left foot
While I find little disagreement with most selections, I have very different choices for 1986
Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller's Day Off *winner*
Woody Allen in Hannah and Her Sisters
River Phoenix in Stand By Me
Julian Sands in A Room with a View
Claudio,I seem to agree more with your actor lists than your actress ones,really good choices.
Can iask you,how come you see Mason as Lead in The Shooting Party,is it the ending that belongs to him.
On your watch list,Hopkins is tremendous in The Bounty and Jack Lemmon is insufferable in Tribute,basically going full Lemmon.
Phoenix excellent in ROE,Fierstein is so real in Torch Song Trilogy,one of the first mainstream gay themed films I saw as a teen,a sneaky rent when I was alone for the weekend,Broderick adorable.
Conti fine in Reuben Reuben and Farnsworth very touching,The Grey Fox is a great lost gem.
Lisa Eichorn steals Cutter's Way,Heard is a bit actorly.
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My own ballots,winner is first
1980
John Hurt The Elephant Man
Robert De Niro Raging Bull
Donald Sutherland Ordinary People
Robert Duvall The Great Santini
Ray Sharkey The Idolmaker
6th Tommy Lee Jones in Coal Miner's Daughter
1981
Burt Lancaster Atlantic City
Henry Fonda On Golden Pond
James Caan Thief
Paul Newman Absence Of Malice
Richard Dreyfuss Whose Life Is It Anyway
6th Treat Williams Prince Of The City
1982
Paul Newman The Verdict
Jack Lemmon Missing
Albert Finney Shoot The Moon
Dustin Hoffman Tootsie
Ben Kingsley Gandhi
6th Bob Hoskins The Long Good Friday
1983
Robert De Niro The King Of Comedy
Robert Duvall Tender Mercies
Richard Farnsworth The Grey Fox
Eric Roberts Star 80
Michael Caine Educating Rita
6th Christopher Walken The Dead Zone
1984
F Murray Abraham Amadeus
Anthony Hopkins The Bounty
Harry Dean Stanton Paris Texas
Victor Bannerjee A Passage To India
Albert Finney Under The Volcano
6th Tom Hulce Amadeus
1985
William Hurt Kiss Of the Spiderwoman
Raul Julia Kiss Of the Spider Woman
James Garner Murphy's Romance
Gene Hackman Twice In A lifetime
Tatsuya Nakadai Ran
6th Jeff Daniels The Purple Rose Of Cairo
1986
Bob Hoskins Mona Lisa
Paul Newman The Color Of Money
Jeff Goldblum The Fly
Harriosn Ford The Mosquito Coast
James Woods Salvador
6th Matthew Broderick Ferris Bueller's Day Off
1987
Jack Nicholson Ironweed
Richard E Grant Withnail and I
John Lone The Last Emperor
James Woods Best Seller
Michael Douglas Fatal Attraction
6th Gary Oldman Price Up Your Ears
1988
Jeremy Irons Dead Ringers
Gene Hackman Mississippi Burning
Harvey Fierstein Torch Song Trilogy
Dustin Hoffman Rain Man
Forest Whitaker Bird
6th John Malkovich Dangerous Liasons
1989
Daniel Day Lewis My Left Foot
Tom Cruise Born On The 4th Of July
Robert De Niro Jacknife
Jeff Bridges The Fabulous Baker Boys
Morgan Freeman Driving Miss Daisy
6th James Spader Sex lies And Videotape
1980
Robert De Niro – Raging Bull *
John Hurt - The Elephant Man
Timothy Hutton - Ordinary People
Jack Nicholson - The Shining
Donald Sutherland - Ordinary People
1981
Warren Beatty – Reds
Harrison Ford – Raiders of the Lost Ark
Henry Fonda - On golden Pond
Burt Lancaster - Atlantic City *
Dudley Moore – Arthur
1982
Albert Finney – Shoot the Moon
Dustin Hoffman – Tootsie *
Bob Hoskins – Long Good Friday
Jack Lemmon – Missing
Paul Newman – The Verdict
1983
Michael Caine - Educating Rita
Tom Conti – Reuben, Reuben
Tom Courteney - The Dresser
Albert Finney - The Dresser *
Eric Roberts – Star 80
1984
F.Murray Abraham – Amadeus
Albert Finney - Under the Volcano *
Tom Hulce – Amadeus
Jack Lemmon – Mass Appeal
Harry Dean Stanton – Paris, Texas
Sam Waterstone - The Killing Fields
1985
Marcelo Mastroianni - Henry IV
William Hurt - Kiss of the Spider Woman *
Raul Julia – Kiss of the Spider Woman
Jack Nicholson - Prizzi’s Honor
Robert Redford - Out of Africa
1986
Bob Hoskins - Mona Lisa *
William Hurt - Children of a Lesser God
Jeremy Irons – The Mission
Paul Newman – The Color of Money
Gary Oldman – Sid and Nancy
1987
Richard E. Grant – Withnail and I *
John Malkovich – The Glass Menagerie
Jack Nicholson – Ironweed
Gary Oldman – Prick Up Your Ears
Robin Williams – Good Morning, Vietnam
1988
Dustin Hoffman – Rain Man
William Hurt – The Accidental Tourist
Jeremy Irons – Dead Ringers
John Malkovich – Dangerous Liaisons *
Max Von Sydow – Pelle the Conqueror
Daniel Day Lewis – The Unbearable Lightness of Being
1989
Kenneth Branagh – Henry V
Tom Cruise - Born on the 4th of July
Jeff Bridges - The Fabulous Baker Boys
Daniel Day Lewis – My Left Foot *
Robin Williams – Dead Poets Society
a few excited comments about your "On the Watchlists" mentions.
1980 William Hurt in ALTERED STATES
I don't think i've ever seen the entirety of this movie but I must have scene parts of it on cable or something because I do have a couple memories of it. William Hurt was on fire in the 80s from the jump -- maybe we shoudl watch it together and discuss!
1981 Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn in MY DINNER WITH ANDRE
I also have never seen this one and feel guilty about it.
1984 Jeff Bridges in STARMAN, John Lone in ICEMAN, Steve Martin ALL OF ME, Joe Morton in THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET.
WOW You're going to enjoy your remainder of 1984. Jeff Bridges' nomination in STARMAN is one of the happiest of atypical surprise Oscar choices from the acting branch. They have gone sci-fi like what, two or three times in history? John Lone & Joe Morton are very good (if i recall correctly... though with IceMan sometimes I think i've seen it and sometimes i don't. The faultiness of young memory). And I firmly believe that Steve Martin in ALL OF ME should have been in the line-up and those acting wins from NYFCC and the NSFC look great in retrospect.
1985 Paul Reubens in PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE.
This is one of the greatest and most singular comedies and that's not just due to Tim Burton (though it's easily in his top three achievements wtih Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood)
1987 Gérard Depardieu and Yves Montand in JEAN DE FLORETTE
Yves Montand is incredible in the Jean De Florette / Manon of the Spring two-parter... but you don't really get how incredible until MANON OF THE SPRING. I think if this was one four hour movie people would be more obsessed with it in cinephile circles and if it was one four hour movie maybe Depardieu could have been a supporting player (since the industry and critics were into him in the 80s)
1988 River Phoenix in RUNNING ON EMPTY
I didn't know you hadn't seen this. If the Film Bitch Awards had existed in 1988 RUNNING ON EMPTY (and not just for River Phoenix) would have been all over the place... with three acting nominations. Phoenix is just about the only lead actor that year that rivals Jeremy Irons' work in DEAD RINGERS! River's screen mother Christine Lahti is also superb and in my mind, Steven Hill (playing Lahti's father) gives one of the greatest one-scene performances in the history of cinema. He would easily take my gold for Best Limited Performance but in the context of the Oscars I would definitely have nominated in Best Supporting Actor.
1989 John Hurt in SCANDAL
I *think* I remember him being great in this but I've only seen this once. The takeaway though is definitely Bridget Fonda. She is "on" in this in the way that actors are only ever "on" when they're young and hungry and *also* have seemingly pre-destined huge careers ahead. But then she didn't (ARGH)
Come on Nat,your nominees?
Mr Ripley --- I am doing a piece on my nominees for 1987 very soon. But can't do the whole decade justice as I feel i haven't seen enough from the earlier years of the 1980s.
This article is interesting with alternative Oscar choices for best actor in the 1980s, showing the diversity and talent of actors during this period. cookie clicker
1987 is a good year to pick.
When you're doing 1987, don't forget Terry O'Quinn for The Stepfather. He elevates what could have been a routine B-slasher film into something a lot more disturbing. He actually even placed 3rd in the NSFC balloting.
Amy -- alas i haven't seen it. I dont know that I even knew of its existence (since I avoided horror until the 2000s when I finally succumbed due to so many critics hyping up various films within the genre)