Since 1927, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has awarded the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role 97 times, to 86 actors – as of 2024, when we are recording this. The collective winners of the Best Actor Oscar are a Who’s Who of Hollywood, legendary performers who have defined what acting and arguably even manhood look like on screen. After debating the Best Film and Best Actress Oscar winners in previous episodes, for this Patreon-sponsored episode, the Great Pop Culture Debate now turns its attention to where the boys are, as we debate the Best Oscar Winners for Best Actor.

Performances discussed: Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood, Marlon Brando in The Godfather, Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird, Sean Penn in Milk, Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer, Tom Hanks in Philadelphia, F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus, Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln, James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote, Robert De Niro in Raging Bull, Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field, Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Join host Eric Rezsnyak, Patreon sponsor Stephan Nikoloff, and GPCD panelists Karissa Kloss and Kevin Dillon as they discuss 16 of the most incredible performances in Oscars history.

Play along at home by finding the listener bracket here. Make a copy for yourself, fill it out, and see if your picks match up with ours!

For more exclusive content, including the warm-up in which we discuss additional Oscar-winning performances we were bummed didn’t make the bracket, and an extended version of the episode with 20+ more minutes of film conversation, become a Patreon supporter of the podcast today.

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Episode Credits

Host: Eric Rezsnyak

Panel: Karissa Kloss, Kevin Dillon

Patreon Sponsor: Stephan Nikoloff

Editor: Eric Rezsnyak

Theme Music: “Dance to My Tune” by Marc Torch

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