The Bodil Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role () is one of the merit categories presented annually by the Danish Film Critics Association at the Bodil Awards. Created in 1948, it is one of the oldest film awards in Europe, and it honours the best performance by an actor in a leading role in a Danish produced film. The jury can decide not to hand out the award. This has happened five times, in 1952, 1970, 1976, 1985, and in 1986.

Honorees

1940s

1948: Poul Reichhardt won for his role as the soldier Robert Olsen in Jenny and the Soldier 1949: Mogens Wieth won for his role in Kampen mod uretten

Bodil Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role

1950s

1950: Erik Mørk won for his role in Susanne

1951: Ib Schønberg won for his role in Café Paradis

1952: Not awarded

1953: Per Buckhøj won for his role in Adam and Eve

1954: won for his role in Hendes store aften

1955: Emil Hass Christensen won for his role in Ordet

1956: Ove Sprogøe won for his role in På tro og love

1957: Peter Malberg won for his role in Be Dear to Me

1958: Gunnar Lauring won for his role in Krudt og klunker

1959: Preben Lerdorff Rye won for his role in

1960s

1960: Kjeld Petersen won for his role in Vi er allesammen tossede

1961: Henning Moritzen won for his role in Forelsket i København

1962: John Price won for his role in Duellen

1963: Jarl Kulle won for his role in Den kære familie

1964: won for his role in Sekstet

1965: Morten Grunwald won for his role in

1966: John Price won for his role in Neighbours

1967: Per Oscarsson won for his role in Hunger

1968: Jesper Langberg won for his role in

1969: Jesper Klein won for his role in Ballad of Carl-Henning

1970s

1970: Not awarded

1971: Paul Scofield won for his role in King Lear

1972: Ove Sprogøe won for his role in The Missing Clerk

1973: Ole Ernst won for his role in

1974: Dirch Passer won for his role in Me and the Mafia

1975: Ove Sprogøe won for his role in The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang

1976: Not awarded

1977: Jens Okking won for his role in Strømer

1978: Frits Helmuth won for his role in

1979: Jesper Christensen won for his role in

1980s

1980: won for his role in Johnny Larsen

1981: Buster Larsen won for his role in Jeppe på bjerget

1982: Otto Brandenburg won for his role in

1983: Ole Ernst won for his role in Der er et yndigt land

1984: won for his role in

1985: Not awarded

1986: Not awarded

1987: Michael Falch won for his role in

1988: Max von Sydow won for his role in Pelle the Conqueror

1989: Ole Lemmeke won for his role in

1990s

1990: Frits Helmuth won for his role in Waltzing Regitze

1991: Tommy Kenter won for his role in Dance of the Polar Bears

1992: Ole Lemmeke won for his role in

1993: Søren Østergaard won for his role in Pain of Love

1994: Frits Helmuth won for his role in Stolen Spring

1995: Ernst-Hugo Järegård won for his role as Stig Helmer in The Kingdom

1996: Ulf Pilgaard won for his role in

1997: Max von Sydow won for his role in Hamsun

1998: Holger Juul Hansen won for his role as Einar Moesgaard in Riget II

1999: Ulrich Thomsen won for his role in The Celebration

2000s

2000: won for his role as Lars Erik in Bornholms stemme

2001: Jesper Christensen won for his role as Kaj in The Bench

Jakob Cedergren was nominated for his role as Nick in Submarino

Bodil Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role