European Film Award for Best Actress

The European Film Award for Best Actress is an award given out at the annual European Film Awards to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film industry.

The awards are presented by the European Film Academy (EFA) and was first presented in 1988 to Spanish actress Carmen Maura for her role as Pepa in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Huppert, Carmen Maura, Charlotte Rampling, and Sandra Hüller are the only actresses who have received this award more than once, with two wins each.

Penélope Cruz is the most nominated actress in the category with five nominations.

Carmen Maura won twice for her roles in Mujeres al borde de un Ataque de Nervios (1988) and ¡Ay Carmela! (1990).
Juliette Binoche won twice for her roles in Les Amants du Pont-Neuf (1991) and The English Patient (1996).
Emily Watson won for her role in Breaking the Waves (1996).
Cecilia Roth won for her role in Todo Sobre Mi Madre (1999).
Björk won for her role in Dancer in the Dark (2000).
Photo of Isabelle Huppert at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.
Isabelle Huppert won twice for her roles in La Pianiste (2001) and 8 Femmes (2002).
Charlotte Rampling won twice for her roles in Swimming Pool (2003) and 45 Years (2015).
Julia Jentsch won for her role in Sophie Scholl – Die Letzten Tage (2005).
Photo of Penélope Cruz in 2018.
Penélope Cruz won for her role in Volver (2006)
Photo of Helen Mirren at the 2014 British Independent Film Awards
Helen Mirren won for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (2006)
Kristin Scott Thomas Cabourg 2013.jpg
Kristin Scott Thomas won for her role in I've Loved You So Long (2008)
Photo of Kate Winslet at the 2011 Venice Film Festival
Kate Winslet won for her performance in The Reader (2008)
Sylvie Testud won for her role in Lourdes (2009).
Photo of Tilda Swinton in 2013.
Tilda Swinton won for her role in We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011).
Photo of Emmanuelle Riva at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival
Emmanuelle Riva won for her role in Amour (2012)
Photo of Marion Cotillard at the 2017 Cabourg Film Festival.
Marion Cotillard won for her role in Deux Jours, Une Nuit (2014)
Sandra Hüller won twice for her roles in Toni Erdmann (2016) and Anatomy of a Fall (2023).
Alexandra Borbély won for her role in Testről és Lélekről (2017).
Joanna Kulig won for her role in Zimna wojna (2018).
Olivia Colman won for her role in The Favourite (2018).
Paula Beer won for her role in Undine (2020).
Vicky Krieps won for her role in Corsage (2022).
Karla Sofía Gascón won for her role in Emilia Pérez (2024).