2011 Best Actor Nominees

Colin Firth, The King's Speech *WINNER

This British actor is no stranger to awards season—after being nominated for an Oscar® and a Golden Globe® in 2010 for his work in A Single Man, the Academy is recognizing Colin Firth for his performance as King George VI in The King's Speech, a historic drama that chronicles the king's impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped him along the way.

Firth first stole audiences' hearts as Mr. Darcy in the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. His star rose steadily when he went on to appear in several box office hits, including Bridget Jones' Diary and Love Actually. He even showed off his singing talents as one of Meryl Streep's love interests in the film adaptation of the musical Mamma Mia!.