AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama

The AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama is an accolade given by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television."[1] The award is handed out at the annual AACTA Awards, which rewards achievements in Australian feature film, television, documentaries and short films.[2] From 1986 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards).[3] When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current prize being a continuum of the AFI Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama.[3]

AACTA Award for
Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama
CountryAustralia
Presented byAustralian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)
First awarded1986
Currently held byLachy Hulme, Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War (2013)
Websitehttp://www.aacta.org

The award was first presented in 1986, as two separate categories for performances in a miniseries and tele feature. These were then merged in 1990 to become Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Telefeature or Mini Series, and by 1991, the award was renamed Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama. In 2000, the Best Performance in a Telefeature or Mini Series accolade was re-introduced as a separate prize from the drama award. All of these were then combined in 2002, under the title Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama, and two years later, in 2004, was renamed Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama or Comedy. A separate comedy award was established in 2006, and the name reverted to Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama.[4]

The AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama is given for performances in television drama series, miniseries, telefeature, children's animation or children's drama series.[5] Candidates for this award must be human and male, and cannot be nominated for best guest or supporting actor in a television drama in the same year, for the same production.[5]

Winners and nominees

edit

In the following table, the years listed correspond to the year that the television programme aired on Australian television; the ceremonies are usually held the following year.[A] The actor whose name is emphasised in boldface and highlighted in yellow have won the award. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. When sorted chronologically, the table always lists the winning actor first and then the other nominees.[6] There was no nomination announcement for television categories leading up to the 1986 awards, and therefore only the winners are known.[7]

All sources used in this article make no mention of the episode or series that the actor was nominated for prior to 1991, and therefore have "N/A" template in the "Episode/Series" column. After 1991, the winners and nominees with the "N/A" template in the "Episode/Series" column are television films or miniseries. Those winners and nominees which have the "N/A" template and crosses (†) in the "Episode/Series" column, are TV series, but all reliable sources do not indicate which episode or series the actor was nominated for.

Contents
AFI Awards (1986–2010)
AACTA Awards (2011–present)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Mini Series (1986–1989)

edit
Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network
1986
(28th)
Simon Chilvers The Dunera Boys Col. Berry ABC
1987
(29th)
Nicholas Eadie Vietnam Phil Goddard Network Ten
Martyn Sanderson The Harp in the South Hughie Darcy Network Ten
Vichea Ten In Between Saret SBS
John Wood The Challenge Alan Bond Nine Network
1988
(30th)
Ed Devereaux True Believers Ben Chifley ABC
Simon Chilvers True Believers H. V. Evatt ABC
Shane Connor Poor Man's Orange Charlie Rothe Network Ten
Keith Michell Captain James Cook Captain James Cook ABC
1989
(31st)
Peter Kowitz Bodysurfer David Lang ABC
Patrick Bergin Act of Betrayal Michael McGurk ABC
John Jarratt Fields of Fire III Jacko Nine Network
John Polson Barlow & Chambers: A Long Way From Home Kevin Barlow Nine Network

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Telefeature (1986–1989)

edit
Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network
1986
(28th)
Peter Kowitz The Long Way Home Graham ABC
1987
(29th)
Steve Jacobs A Single Life Richard Bennett ABC
Shane Connor Army Wives Grant Network Ten
Ernie Dingo Tudawali Robert Tudawali SBS
Brendan Higgins Hunger Michael Radulesco ABC
1988
(30th)
Ernie Dingo A Waltz Through the Hills Frank Smith Nine Network
Nicholas Eadie Fragments of War: The Story of Damien Parer Damien Parer Network Ten
John Hargreaves The Lizard King ABC
Nick Tate Olive Anthony Wheeler ABC
1989
(31st)
Bill Hunter Police State Graeme Parker ABC
Bob Baines Malpractice Doug Davis ABC
Gary Sweet Police Rescue Sgt. Steve 'Mickey' McClintock ABC
Max Phipps Police State Terry Lewis ABC

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, in a Mini-Series or Telefeature (1990)

edit
Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network
1990
(32nd)
Frankie J. Holden Police Crop: The Winchester Conspiracy Det. Con. Max Chapman ABC
Terry Gill Police Crop: The Winchester Conspiracy Det. Sgt. Bill Cullen ABC
Rhys McConnochie Come In Spinner Angus McFarland ABC
Franco Nero The Magistrate Paolo Pizzi ABC

Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama (1991–2002)

edit
Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network
1991
(33rd)
Gary Sweet Police Rescue Sgt. Steve "Mickey" McClintock Series 1, Episode 1: "Mates" ABC
Steve Bastoni Police Rescue Yiannis Angelopoulos Series 1, Episode 2: "Angel After Hours" ABC
Nico Lathouris Police Rescue Nicos Angelopoulos Series 1, Episode 2: "Angel After Hours" ABC
Cameron Nugent More Winners CW ABC
1992
(34th)
Gary Sweet Police Rescue Sgt. Steve "Mickey" McClintock Series 2, Episode 2: "Off the Track" ABC
Alan Fletcher Embassy Michael Clayton Series 3, Episode 12: "Hostage" ABC
Marshall Napier Police Rescue Sgt. Fred "Frog" Catteau Series 2, Episode 5: "Judgement Day" ABC
Sean Scully Phoenix Ian "Goose" Cochrane Series 1, Episode 10: "Blessed Are the Peacemakers" ABC
1993
(35th)
Peter Phelps G.P. Sam Hill Series 5, Episode 20: "Exposed" ABC
Jeremy Callaghan Police Rescue Const. Brian Morley Series 3, Episode 10: "Whirlwind" ABC
John Howard Joh's Jury Hedley ABC
Malcolm Kennard Joh's Jury Luke ABC
1994
(36th)
Aaron Blabey The Damnation of Harvey McHugh Harvey McHugh Episode 1: "Spray Misty for Me" ABC
Hugh Baldwin Heartbreak High Graham Brown Series 1, Episode 14 Network Ten
Bradley Byquar Heartland Ricky Dyer Episode 4 ABC
Ernie Dingo Heartland Vincent Burunga Episode 7 ABC
Peter Kowitz G.P. Neil Hatton Series 6, Episode 8: "Innocent Bystander" ABC
1995
(37th)
Colin Friels Halifax f.p. Kevin Tait Series 1, Episode 5: "Hard Corps" Nine Network
Steven Vidler Halifax f.p. Steve Kingsley Series 1, Episode 5: "Hard Corps" Nine Network
Steve Bisley Halifax f.p. Jonah Cole Series 1, Episode 3: "The Feeding" Nine Network
Grant Piro Janus Cassidy Series 1, Episode 4: "A Rare Crushing Reversal" ABC
Richard Roxburgh Halifax f.p. Sergeant Paul Santos Series 1, Episode 6: "Lies of the Mind" Nine Network
1996
(38th)
Tony Martin Blue Murder Arthur "Neddy" Smith ABC
Steve Bastoni Police Rescue Yiannis Angelopoulos Series 5, Episode 8: "Tomorrow Never Knows" ABC
Marton Csokas G.P. Mr Paul Deacon Series 8, Episode 8: "Ceremony of Innocence" ABC
Richard Roxburgh Blue Murder Roger Rogerson ABC
1997
(39th)
David Wenham Simone de Beauvoir's Babies Ian ABC
Marcus Graham Good Guys, Bad Guys Elvis Maginnis Nine Network
Geoff Morrell Fallen Angels Jack Landers Series 1, Episode 15: "Pig in Shit" ABC
Jeremy Sims Kangaroo Palace Jack Gill Seven Network
1998
(40th)
Stephen Dillane Kings in Grass Castles Patsy Seven Network
Shane Connor Halifax f.p. Ray Series 3, Episode 3: "Afraid of the Dark" Nine Network
Tony Martin Wildside Detective Bill McCoy — † ABC
David Wenham SeaChange Daniel Della Bosca Series 1, Episode 9: "Balls and Friggin' Good Luck" ABC
1999
(41st)
Jeremy Sims Aftershocks John Constable SBS
John Howard SeaChange Bob Jelly Series 2, Episode 13: "Law and Order" ABC
Samuel Johnson Wildside Troy Cunningham Series 2, Episode 19 ABC
David Tredinnick Halifax f.p. David Neilson Series 4, Episode 2: "Swimming with Sharks" Nine Network
2000
(42nd)
Geoff Morrell Grass Roots Col Dunkley Series 1, Episode 8: "The Whole Year" ABC
Tom Long SeaChange Angus Kabiri Series 3, Episode 2: "How Much Greener Was My Neighbour's Valley" ABC
Geoff Morrell Grass Roots Col Dunkley Series 1, Episode 7: "Late July, Friday 4pm to 10.30pm" ABC
Rhys Muldoon Grass Roots Greg Dominelli Series 1, Episode 7: "Late July, Friday 4pm to 10.30pm" ABC
2001
(43rd)
Samuel Johnson The Secret Life of Us Evan Wylde — † Network Ten
Nicholas Bell The Games Nicholas — † ABC
John Howard SeaChange Bob Jelly — † ABC
William McInnes SeaChange Max Connors — † ABC
2002
(44th)
Joel Edgerton The Secret Life of Us Will McGill — † Network Ten
Shane Bourne MDA Bill "Happy" Henderson — † ABC
Tom Long Young Lions Det Snr Constable Guy "Guido" Martin — † Nine Network
Peter O'Brien White Collar Blue Detective Joe Hill — † Network Ten

Best Performance by an Actor in a Telefeature or Mini Series (2000–2001)

edit
Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network
2000
(42nd)
Andy Anderson Halifax f.p. Laurie Downes Series 5, Episode 1: "A Person of Interest" Nine Network
Simon Baker Secret Men's Business Andy Greville ABC
Nicholas Eadie Halifax f.p. Simon Laser Series 5, Episode 3: "A Hate Worse Than Death" Nine Network
Joel Edgerton The Secret Life of Us Will McGill Series 1 Network Ten
2001
(43rd)
David Field My Husband, My Killer Bill Vandenberg Network Ten
Simon Lyndon My Brother Jack Jack Meredith Network Ten
William McInnes My Brother Jack Mr Meredith Network Ten
Geoff Morrell Changi Dr Rowdy Lawson ABC

Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama or Comedy (2003–2004)

edit
Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network
2003
(45th)
Shane Bourne MDA Bill "Happy" Henderson Series 2 ABC
Ray Barrett After the Deluge Old Cliff Kirby Network Ten
Geoff Morrell Grass Roots Col Dunkley Series 2 ABC
Glenn Robbins Kath & Kim Kel Knight Series 2 ABC
2004
(46th)
Abe Forsythe Marking Time Hal Fleming ABC
Geoff Morrell Marking Time Geoff Fleming ABC
Sam Neill Jessica Richard Runche Network Ten
David Wenham The Brush-Off Murray Whelan Seven Network

Best Lead Actor in Television (2005)

edit
Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network
2005
(47th)
Shane Bourne MDA Bill "Happy" Henderson Series 3 ABC
Chris Lilley We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year Daniel Sims, Ja'mie King, Pat Mullins, Phil Olivetti and Ricky Wong ABC
Alex O'Loughlin The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant Will Bryant Network Ten
Daniel Wyllie Love My Way Charlie Jackson Series 1 Fox8

Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama (2006–current)

edit
Year Actor Program Character(s) Episode/Series Network
2006
(48th)
David Wenham Answered by Fire Mark Waldman ABC
Charles Passi RAN Remote Area Nurse Russ Gaibui SBS
Richard Roxburgh The Silence Richard Treloar ABC
Daniel Wyllie Love My Way Charlie Jackson Series 2 W
2007
(49th)
Stephen Curry The King Graham Kennedy TV1
Khan Chittenden Dangerous Dean Fox8
Daniel Frederiksen Bastard Boys Greg Combet ABC
Ben Mendelsohn Love My Way Lewis Feingold Series 3 Showcase
2008
(50th)
Gyton Grantley Underbelly Carl Williams Nine Network
Don Hany East West 101 Detective Zane Malik Series 1 SBS One
William McInnes East West 101 Detective Sergeant Ray Crowley Series 1 SBS One
Callan Mulvey Rush Brendan "Josh" Joshua Series 1 Network Ten
2009
(51st)
Roy Billing Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities Robert Trimbole Nine Network
Don Hany East West 101 Detective Zane Malik Series 2 SBS One
Robert Menzies 3 Acts of Murder Arthur Upfield ABC
Dougray Scott False Witness Ian Porter UKTV
2010
(52nd)
Richard Roxburgh Hawke Bob Hawke Network Ten
Garry McDonald A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne Tony Byrne Network Ten
Corey McKernan[C] Lockie Leonard Phillip Leonard Nine Network
Aaron Pedersen The Circuit Drew Ellis Series 2 SBS
AACTA Awards
2011
(1st)
Alex Dimitriades The Slap Harry ABC1
Rob Carlton Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo Kerry Packer ABC1
Don Hany East West 101 Detective Zane Malik Season 3, Episode 1: "The Hero's Standard" SBS One
Jonathan LaPaglia The Slap Hector ABC1
2012
(2nd)
Richard Roxburgh Rake Cleaver Greene Series 2 ABC1
Jimi Bani Mabo Eddie Mabo ABC1
Anthony Hayes Devil's Dust Bernie Banton ABC1
Lachy Hulme Howzat! Kerry Packer's War Kerry Packer Nine Network
2013
(3rd)
Lachy Hulme Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War Frank Packer Nine Network
Ernie Dingo Redfern Now Ernie Johnson Series 2, Episode 6: "Dogs of War" ABC1
Remy Hii Better Man Van Tuong Nguyen SBS
Meyne Wyatt Redfern Now Justin Series 2, Episode 3: "Babe in Arms" ABC1
2014
(4th)
Ashley Zukerman The Code ABC
Luke Arnold INXS: Never Tear Us Apart Seven Network
Richard Roxburgh Rake Series 3 ABC
Dan Spielman The Code ABC
2015
(5th)
Joel Jackson Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door Seven Network
Wayne Blair Redfern Now ABC
Joel Jackson Deadline Gallipoli FOXTEL
Oliver Jackson-Cohen The Secret River ABC
2016
(6th)
Samuel Johnson Molly Seven Network
Matt Nable Barracuda ABC
Richard Roxburgh Rake ABC
Ashley Zukerman The Code ABC
2017
(7th)
Hugo Weaving Seven Types of Ambiguity ABC
David Dencik Top of the Lake: China Girl Foxtel/BBC First
Sean Keenan Wake in Fright Network Ten
Richard Roxburgh Blue Murder: Killer Cop Seven Network
2018
(8th)
Damon Herriman Riot ABC
Aaron Pedersen Mystery Road ABC
Richard Roxburgh Rake ABC1
Scott Ryan Mr Inbetween FX
Hazem Shammas Safe Harbour SBS
2019
(9th)
Scott Ryan Mr Inbetween Ray Shoesmith FX
Patrick Brammall Glitch Sgt. James Hayes ABC
Bryan Brown Bloom Ray Reed Stan
Ewen Leslie The Cry Alistair Robertson ABC
Sam Reid Lambs of God Father Ignatius Foxtel
2020
(10th)
Fayssal Bazzi Stateless Ameer ABC
Bryan Brown Bloom Ray Reed Stan
Jai Courtney Stateless Cam Sandford ABC
Ewen Leslie Operation Buffalo Major Leo Carmichael ABC
Aaron Pedersen Mystery Road Jay Swan ABC
2021
(11th)
Scott Ryan[8] Mr Inbetween Ray Shoesmith Fox Showcase
Rudi Dharmalingam Wakefield Nikhil 'Nik' Katira ABC
Guy Pearce Jack Irish Jack Irish ABC
Sam Reid The Newsreader Dale Jennings ABC
Richard Roxburgh Fires Duncan Simpson ABC
2022
(12th)
Mark Coles Smith[9] Mystery Road Jay Swan Season 3 ABC
Jamie Dornan The Tourist The Man/Elliott Stanley Stan
James Majoos Heartbreak High Darren Rivers Netflix
Sam Neill The Twelve Brett Colby Fox Showcase
Hugo Weaving Love Me Glen Mathieson BINGE, Foxtel

See also

edit

Notes

edit
A^ : From 1958–2010, the awards were held during the year of the films release. However, the 1974–75 awards was held in 1975 for films released in 1974 and 1975, and the first AACTA Awards was held in 2012 for films released in 2011.[10][11]
B^ : All sources used in this article do not mention the name of John Hargreaves' character in The Lizard King.
C^ : The official AACTA website lists Corey McKernan's nomination in 2010 for The Legend of Enyo. However, there are no sources which indicates McKernan's involvement with the aforementioned series, and the original nominations list from the AFI website has him short listed for his performance in Lockie Leonard.[12]

References

edit
  1. ^ "AACTA – The Academy". Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). Archived from the original on 2012-06-24. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  2. ^ "AACTA – The Academy – The Awards". Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  3. ^ a b "AACTA – The Academy – Background". Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). Retrieved 8 September 2013.[dead link]
  4. ^ "Television categories 1986 - 2009". AFI Award Winners. Australian Film Institute. 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-03-07. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
  5. ^ a b "Part2: Rule 8.10 (b) – Special Conditions for Television Programs; Award Specific Rules" (PDF). 2013 AACTA Awards Rule Book. Australian Film Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-29. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  6. ^ "AFI/AACTA Award, Winners and Nominees". Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). Retrieved 8 January 2014. (User must click on the appropriate decades to access the winners and nominees of each year.)
  7. ^ "AFI/AACTA Award, Winners and Nominees - 1986". Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  8. ^ "Full winners announced for the 2021 AACTA Awards". TV Blackbox. 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
  9. ^ "See All the AACTA Awards 2022 Winners". The Australian. 6 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  10. ^ "AACTA – Past Winners – 1970–1979 – 1974–1975". Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  11. ^ Bodey, Michael (8 November 2011). "Industry academy announces new awards". The Australian. News Limited (News Corporation). Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  12. ^ "2010 Samsung Mobile AFI Awards Nominees & Winners". Australian Film Institute (AFI). Archived from the original on 2013-12-16. Retrieved 14 February 2014.