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Best Actor Oscars of the 2000's
2000 Best Actor
Russell Crowe for "Gladiator"
 2000 Gladiator   Action / Adventure / Drama R, 150 Minutes Director: Ridley Scott Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Richard Harris, David Schofield, John Shrapnel, Tomas Arana Set in 180 A.D., this action film uses real historical events and people as background for its tale of greed and corruption versus loyalty and truth. After Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) murders his father, the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), he forces trusted general Narcissus Maximus (Russell Crowe) into exile. Rescued by slaves, Maximus is sold as a gladiator and ends up fighting in the Colosseum under the alias of "The Spaniard." The film won five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Actor (Crowe), Costume Design, Sound, and Visual Effects. It also received seven other nominations, including Best Director.
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2001 Best Actor
Denzel Washington for "Training Day"
2001 Training Day Drama R, 120 Minutes Director: Antoine Fuqua Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Snoop Dogg, Macy Gray, Eva Mendes, Charlotte Ayanna, Harris Yulin, Raymond J. Barry Training day holds more than a few tense moments for rookie LAPD cop Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) as he struggles his first day on the job. Heading up Hoyt's training is department head Detective Sergeant Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) who has his own share of demons with which to contend. Intense. Denzel Washington won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Ethan Hawke received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
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2002 Best Actor
Adrien Brody for "The Pianist"
2002 The Pianist  Drama / Musical R, 148 Minutes Director: Roman Polanski Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Maureen Lipman, Emilia Fox, Ed Stoppard, Julia Rayner, Jessica Kate Meyer, Ruth Platt, Michal Zebrowski After conquering Poland, Nazis place celebrated Jewish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody) and his family in a Warsaw ghetto from which he escapes the planned deportation to a concentration camp. But there is no relief for Szpilman who is forced to endure not only Nazi brutality but disease and starvation as well on Warsaw's streets. A good film depicting the power inherent in man's inhumanity to man. The film won three Oscars, including Best Director and Best Actor (Brody), and received four other nominations, including Best Picture.
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2003 Best Actor
Sean Penn for "Mystic River"
2003 Mystic River Drama / Mystery R, 137 Minutes Director: Clint Eastwood Starring: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, Kevin Chapman, Adam Nelson, Emmy Rossum, Cameron Bowen Three childhood friends–Jimmy (Sean Penn), Dave (Tim Robbins), and Sean (Kevin Bacon)–reunite after Jimmy's 19-year-old daughter, Katie (Emmy Rossum), is found murdered. Sean is a policeman assigned to the case and finds clues pointing to Dave who had been abused as a boy. He must also deal with Jimmy's rage. Great acting in this one. Sean Penn won an Oscar for Best Actor, and Tim Robbins won for Best Supporting Actor. The film also received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden), and Director.
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2004 Best Actor
Jamie Foxx for "Ray"
2004 Ray Drama / Musical PG-13, 152 Minutes Director: Taylor Hackford Starring: Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King, Clifton Powell, Harry Lennix, Bokeem Woodbine, Aunjanue Ellis, Sharon Warren, C.J. Sanders, Curtis Armstrong Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for his portrayal of soul singer Ray Charles, which begins with Ray's (C.J. Sanders) early life in Georgia when he went blind at age seven, but his mother encouraged him to go on with his life and develop his talent. He becomes a successful musician and rises in the music world. But, his weakness for women and drugs intervenes–until Ray rises above his personal demons and finds his place as a beloved performer. The film received one other Academy Award and was nominated for four others, including Best Picture and Director.
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2005 Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman for "Capote"
2005 Capote Drama R, 110 Minutes Director: Bennett Miller Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Clifton Collins Jr., Chris Cooper, Bruce Greenwood, Bob Balaban, Amy Ryan, Mark Pellegrino, Allie Mickelson, Marshall Bell In 1959, Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and his good friend, author Harper Lee (Catherine Keener), traveled to Holcomb, Kansas, to get background information for Capote's book, "In Cold Blood." This is the story of that journey and of the relationship Capote formed with one of the killers, Perry Smith (Clifton Collins Jr.). Hoffman won an Academy Award for Best Actor. The film received four other nominations, including Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener).
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2006 Best Actor
Forest Whitaker for "The Last King of Scotland"
2006 The Last King of Scotland Drama R, 121 Minutes Director: Kevin Macdonald Starring: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Simon McBurney, David Oyelowo, Abby Mikiibi Nkaaga, Adam Kotz, Sam Okello, Stephen Rwangyezi While on a medical mission to Uganda, young Dr. Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) is chosen by new President Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) to serve as his personal physician. Amin is impressed with Garrigan's medical abilities and also with his Scottish heritage. Garrigan enjoys his new position and apparently is oblivious to the tortures and murders of those opposed to Amin–until he is clued in by British Agent Nigel Stone (Simon McBurney). Garrigan now sees the error of his ways and tries to escape from Uganda alive. Forest Whitaker received an Academy Award Best Actor.
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2007 Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis for "There Will Be Blood"
2007 There Will Be Blood Drama R, 158 Minutes Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciaran Hinds, Dillon Freasier, Sydney McCallister, David Warshofsky, Colton Woodward, Colleen Foy, Russell Harvard Prospector Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) works in California at the turn of the 20th century and later adopts a young boy, H.W. (Dillon Freasier), whose father was killed in the oil fields. A few years pass, and H.W. joins Daniel in a plot to swindle the Sunday family out of its land in order to begin their oil empire. Meanwhile, Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) begins the Church of the Third Revelation and, as its charismatic preacher, introduces values of humanity, which oppose the lack of values in oil drilling. Thus, the stage is set for a life-long conflict between Eli and his preaching vs. Daniel and his oil drilling. Academy Awards were received for Best Actor (Day-Louis) and Cinematography; seven other nominations were also received including Best Picture and Director.
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