Related
Sebastian Stan has just gotten nominated in the Best Actor category at theOscars 2025for hisperformance as Donald Trump inThe Apprentice , but he is far from the only histrion to get a nomination for depict a chairwoman of the United States . Actors have been limn president for almost as long as film has been around , with intimately every chair get some kind of iconic portrayal in at least one film . The Academy Awards are often rooter of these presidential performances , and here are all nine thespian who got nominated at the Oscars for playing a prexy .
The 2025 Oscars are right around the corner , and theBest Actor and Best Supporting Actor categoriesare packed full of gifted performers . Ralph Fiennes , Timothée Chalamet , Colman Domingo , Adrien Brody , and Sebastian Stan were all nominated for Best Actor , while Yuriy Borisov , Guy Pearce , Edward Norton , Kieran Culkin , and Jeremy Strong were nominated for Best Supporting Actor . While these 10 actor make for all kinds of interesting reference , one of the most noteworthy roles is Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump , with him getting nominated for his role in the controversial biopicThe Apprentice .
9Raymond Massey As Abraham Lincoln
Abe Lincoln In Illinois
The first actor to ever be nominated for an Oscar for playing a President come at the 13th Academy Awards , with Raymond Massey having played Abraham Lincoln in 1940’sAbe Lincoln in Illinois . The film is a biopic that research Abe Lincoln ’s life lead up to him being elected as chairman , with it begin out as a Broadway romp . Interestingly , Raymond Massey play Abe Lincoln in the stagecoach edition as well , with him recapitulate his role for the 1940 film adjustment .
The Oscars 2025 are apace approaching , and with nominations now officially announced , we ’re predicting the winner of all 23 categories .
Raymond Massey ’s nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role was historic , with it being the first of the nine presidential Oscar nominations . Abe Lincoln in Illinoiswas also nominated for another Oscar , beingBest Cinematography , Black - and - White . However , Raymond Massey did n’t end up taking home the gold that dark , with him losing to James Stewart ’s carrying into action as Macaulay " Mike " Connor inThe Philadelphia Story . Massey was also nominated alongside Charlie Chaplin forThe Great Dictator , Henry Fonda forThe Grapes of Wrath , and Laurence Olivier forRebecca .
8Alexander Knox As Woodrow Wilson
Wilson
It would n’t be long until another worker wasnominated at the Oscars for playing a president , with it happening just four years after . Andrew Knox was nominated at the 17th Academy Awards for portraying President Woodrow Wilson in 1944’sWilson . The film attempts to paint a full photo of Woodrow Wilson ’s time in political sympathies , follow him from his time as the governor of New Jersey to his role in World War I. AlthoughWilsonwasn’t a box power hit , it received vital acclaim , with it still being beloved to this day .
Best Actor was far fromWilson ’s only nominating speech . Wilsonended up winning five Oscars , those being Best Art Direction - Interior Decoration , Color , Best Cinematography , Color , Best Film Editing , Best Sound , Recording , and Best piece of writing , Original Screenplay . Wilsonwas also nominated forBest Picture , Best Director , Best Music , grading of a striking or Comedy Picture , and Best Effects , Special Effects . Bing Crosby won Best Actor for his execution as Father Chuck O’Malley inGoing My Way , with the other nominees being Charles Boyer inGaslight , Barry Fitzgerald inGoing My Way , and Cary Grant inNone but the Lonely Heart .
7James Whitmore As Harry S. Truman
Give ‘em Hell, Harry!
It would be a while before another actor was nominated for an Oscar for portray a President , with it not happening again until the 48th Academy Awards . James Whitmore received a Best Actor nomination for play Harry S. Truman in the 1975 filmGive ‘em Hell , Harry ! , which was adjust from the play of the same name . Give ‘em Hell , Harrywas a one - man show , with it being the third film to have its intact cast appoint for an Oscar afterWho ’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?andSleuth .
At the 48th Academy Awards , James Whitmore ’s Best Actor nomination was the only one thatGive ‘em Hell , Harry!received . Unfortunately , Whitmore lose , with Jack Nicholson winning Best Actor for his carrying out as Randle Patrick McMurphy inOne Flew Over the Cuckoo ’s Nest . Whitmore was also nominated alongside Walter Matthau forThe Sunshine Boys , Al Pacino forDog Day Afternoon , and Maximilian Schell forThe Man in the Glass Booth .
6Anthony Hopkins As Richard Nixon
Nixon
It would again be a few decades before the fourth presidential performance was nominate at the Oscars , with Anthony Hopkins being nominated at the 68th Academy Awards for his performance as Richard Nixon inNixon . William Oliver Stone ’s fabled 1995 photographic film is unlike some of its Oscars predecessors , as it take a much more vital look at the nominal chairman . Nixonchronicles various important points in Nixon ’s life , admit the Watergate outrage .
On top of its Best Actor nomination , Nixonalso received nomination forBest tolerate Actress , Best Original Screenplay , and Best Original Score . Although Anthony Hopkins had previously won an Oscar for his operation inSilence of the Lambs , he did not win forNixon . Instead , Nicolas Cage won for his functioning as Ben Sanderson inLeaving Las Vegas . Hopkins was nominated alongside Richard Dreyfuss forMr . Holland ’s Opus , Sean Penn forDead Man Walking , and Massimo Troisi forIl Postino : The Postman .
5Anthony Hopkins As John Quincy Adams
Amistad
Anthony Hopkins is the only role player who has been nominate for playing a president twice , with him acquire a nomination only a few years subsequently at the 70th Academy Awards . Hopkins was name for portraying John Quincy Adams in Steven Spielberg ’s 1997 historical dramaAmistad , which explored the fallout of a hard worker revolt that took place on the titular ship .
The 10 Best Picture nominees for the 2025 Oscars are now confirm . Here ’s each movie ranked in tiers base on their possibility of advance .
AlthoughAmistaddidn’t win any laurels , it was nominated forBest Supporting Actor , Best Cinematography , Best Costume Design , and Best Original Dramatic Score . Anthony Hopkins did not win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor , with Robin Williams come through it for his role as Sean Maguire inGood Will Hunting . Hopkins was nominated alongside Robert Forster forJackie Brown , Greg Kinnear forAs Good as It Gets , and Burt Reynolds forBoogie Nights .
4Frank Langella As Richard Nixon
Frost/Nixon
Frank Langella ’s Oscar nomination was another interesting milestone , with his performance as Richard Nixon making Nixon the first president to have two Oscar nominations for disjoined performances . Frank Langella was put up for Best Actor at the 81st Academy Awards , with him playing the titular president in 2008’sFrost / Nixon . The moving picture tells the story of David Frost ’s interview with the President in the wake of the Watergate scandal , with it being directed by Ron Howard .
Frost / Nixonwas also nominated forBest Picture , Best Director , Best Adapted Screenplay , and Best Film Editing , with it winning none . Instead , Sean Penn won Best Actor for his carrying into action as Harvey Milk inMilk . Langella was also nominated alongside Richard Jenkins inThe Visitor , Brad Pitt inThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button , and Mickey Rourke inThe Wrestler .
3Daniel Day-Lewis As Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln
After decades of presidential Oscar nominations , Daniel Day - Lewis specify a criminal record by being the first ( and as of the writing of this article , only ) actor to in reality succeed an Oscar for play a president . Daniel Day - Lewis was another repeat president , with him being nominate at the 85th Academy Awards for playingAbraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg ’s 2012 filmLincoln . The Steven Spielberg biopic tells the story of Lincoln ’s attempt to stop the Civil War .
At the Oscars , Daniel Day - Lewis make headway Best Actor for his performance as Abraham Lincoln , withLincolnalso winning Best Production Design . On top of that , Lincolnwas also put up forBest Picture , Best Director , Best Supporting Actor , Best Supporting Actress , Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Cinematography , Best Costume Design , Best Film Editing , Best Original Score , and Best Sound Mixing . Daniel Day - Lewis was nominated alongside Bradley Cooper forSilver Linings Playbook , Hugh Jackman forLes Misérables , Joaquin Phoenix forThe Master , and Denzel Washington forFlight .
2Sam Rockwell As George W. Bush
Vice
The nominees for Best Picture at the 97th Academy Awards are all well - made films , but some of them stand out as real highlight of 2024 ’s film slate .
Vicewon Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 91st Academy Awards , with it also being nominated forBest Picture , Best Director , Best Actor , Best Supporting Actress , Best Original Screenplay , and Best Film Editing . Rockwell did n’t win Best Supporting Actor , with the Oscar instead going to Mahershala Ali for his execution as Don Shirley inGreen Book . Rockwell was also nominated alongside Adam Driver forBlacKkKlansman , Sam Elliot forA Star is Born , and Richard E. Grant forCan You Ever Forgive Me ? .
1Sebastian Stan As Donald Trump
The Apprentice
As of the piece of writing of this article , the most recent thespian to get put up for an Oscar for portraying a President of the United States is Sebastian Stan . Sebastian Stan was nominated at the 97th Academy Awards for his performance asDonald Trump in 2024’sThe Apprentice . The picture tell the story of Donald Trump ’s starting time in the patronage world , with it focusing on his spirit X before he became president .
Alongside Best Actor , The Apprenticealso get a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Jeremy Strong ’s performance as Roy Cohn . Stan was nominated alongside Adrien Brody forThe Brutalist , Timothée Chalamet forA Complete Unknown , Colman Domingo forSing Sing , and Ralph Fiennes forConclave . The 97th Academy Awards will be held on March 2 , 2025 , so tune in to see if Sebastian Stan becomes the second actor to gain ground an award for playing a president at theOscars .
Your Rating
Your comment has not been saved
Cast
The Oscars , first held in 1929 , is an yearly American award ceremonial honoring accomplishment in the motion picture industry . Winners across multiple categories receive a statuette officially appoint the Academy Award of Merit , commonly known as the Oscar .
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon
The Oscars, first held in 1929, is an annual American awards ceremony honoring achievements in the film industry. Winners across multiple categories receive a statuette officially named the Academy Award of Merit, commonly known as the Oscar.
The Oscars, first held in 1929, is an annual American awards ceremony honoring achievements in the film industry. Winners across multiple categories receive a statuette officially named the Academy Award of Merit, commonly known as the Oscar.
