Best Actor 2016

My top choices in the order I would place them on my Academy ballot if I were allowed to vote. In other words, this is my top five, but I acknowledge that this list is already influenced by awards buzz, and the actors who I think would theoretically benefit the most from my vote are at the top.

HA JUNG-WOO, The Handmaiden (아가씨)

 

VIGGO MORTENSEN, Captain Fantastic

ANDREW GARFIELD, Hacksaw Ridge

DENZEL WASHINGTON, Fences

CASEY AFFLECK, Manchester by the Sea

Also loved:
Cliff Curtis, The Dark Horse
Joel Edgerton, Loving
Colin Farrell, The Lobster
Ralph Fiennes, A Bigger Splash
Ben Foster, The Program
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Jake Gyllenhaal, Nocturnal Animals
Shahab Hosseini, The Salesman (فروشنده)

Apologies to:
Gael García Bernal (Neruda), Dave Johns (I, Daniel Blake), and Shia LaBeouf (Man Down), whose films I have not yet seen but will see soon.

Related:
My Best Actor picks from past years (2004-2016)
My Best Actress picks from 2016 (TBA)
My Best Supporting Actress picks from 2016
My Best Supporting Actor picks from 2016