| 2023 |
| | | | | | | | | | Jodie Comer — Prima Facie |
| 2017 |
| | | | | | | | | | Laurie Metcalf — A Doll's House, Part 2 |
| 2016 |
| | | | | | | | | | Jessica Lange |
| 2015 |
| | | | | | | | Alex Sharp | | Helen Mirren — The Audience |
| 2014 |
| | | | | | | | Bryan Cranston | | Audra McDonald |
| 2013 |
| | | | | | | | Tracy Letts | | Cicely Tyson — The Trip to Bountiful |
| 2012 |
| | | | | | | | James Corden | | Nina Arianda |
| 2011 |
| | | | | | | | Mark Rylance | | Frances McDormand |
| 2010 |
| | | | | | | | | | Viola Davis |
| 2009 |
| | | | | | | | Geoffrey Rush — Exit the King | | Marcia Gay Harden — God of Carnage |
| 2008 |
| | | | | | | | | | Deanna Dunagan |
| 2007 |
| | | | | | | | | | Julie White |
| 2006 |
| | | | | | | | Richard Griffiths | | Cynthia Nixon |
| 2005 |
| | | | | | | | Bill Irwin | | Cherry Jones |
| 2004 |
| | | | | | | | Jefferson Mays | | Phylicia Rashad |
| 2003 |
| | | | | | | | Brian Dennehy | | Vanessa Redgrave — Long Day's Journey into Night |
| 2002 |
| | | | | | | | Alan Bates | | Lindsay Duncan |
| 2001 |
| | | | | | | | Richard Easton | | Mary-Louise Parker — Proof |
| 2000 |
| | | | | | | | Stephen Dillane — The Real Thing | | Jennifer Ehle |
| 1999 |
| | | | | | | | Brian Dennehy | | Judi Dench |
| 1998 |
| | | | | | | | Anthony LaPaglia | | Marie Mullen |
| 1997 |
| | | | | | | | Christopher Plummer | | Janet McTeer |
| 1996 |
| | | | | | | | George Grizzard | | Zoe Caldwell |
| 1995 |
| | | | | | | | Ralph Fiennes — Hamlet | | Cherry Jones |
| 1994 |
| | | | | | | | Stephen Spinella | | Diana Rigg |
| 1993 |
| | | | | | | | Ron Leibman | | Madeline Kahn |
| 1992 |
| | | | | | | | Judd Hirsch | | Glenn Close |
| 1991 |
| | | | | | | | Nigel Hawthorne | | Mercedes Ruehl — Lost in Yonkers |
| 1990 |
| | | | | | | | Robert Morse | | |
| 1989 |
| | | | | | | | Philip Bosco | | Pauline Collins |
| 1988 |
| | | | | | | | Ron Silver | | Joan Allen |
| 1987 |
| | | | | | | | James Earl Jones | | Linda Lavin |
| 1986 |
| | | | | | | | Judd Hirsch | | Lily Tomlin — The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe |
| 1985 |
| | | | | | | | Derek Jacobi — Much Ado About Nothing | | Stockard Channing |
| 1984 |
| | | | | | | | Jeremy Irons | | Glenn Close |
| 1983 |
| | | | | | | | Harvey Fierstein | | Jessica Tandy — Foxfire |
| 1982 |
| | | | | | | | Roger Rees | | Zoe Caldwell |
| 1981 |
| | | | | | | | Ian McKellen — Amadeus | | Jane Lapotaire |
| 1980 |
| | | | | | | | John Rubinstein | | Phyllis Frelich |
| 1979 |
| | | | | | | | Tom Conti | | |
| 1978 |
| | | | | | | | Barnard Hughes | | Jessica Tandy — The Gin Game |
| 1977 |
| | | | | | | | Al Pacino — The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel | | Julie Harris |
| 1976 |
| | | | | | | | John Wood | | Irene Worth |
| 1975 |
| | | | | | | | John Kani — Sizwe Banzi Is Dead
Winston Ntshona | | Ellen Burstyn |
| 1974 |
| | | | | | | | Michael Moriarty | | Colleen Dewhurst |
| 1973 |
| | | | | | | | Alan Bates | | Julie Harris |
| 1972 |
| | | | | | | | Cliff Gorman | | Sada Thompson |
| 1971 |
| | | | | | | | Brian Bedford | | Maureen Stapleton |
| 1970 |
| | | | | | | | Fritz Weaver | | Tammy Grimes |
| 1969 |
| | | | | | | | James Earl Jones | | Julie Harris |
| 1968 |
| | | | | | | | Martin Balsam | | Zoe Caldwell |
| 1967 |
| | | | | | | | Paul Rogers | | Beryl Reid |
| 1966 |
| | | | | | | | Hal Holbrook | | Rosemary Harris |
| 1965 |
| | | | | | | | Walter Matthau | | Irene Worth |
| 1964 |
| | | | | | | | Alec Guinness | | Sandy Dennis |
| 1963 |
| | | | | | | | Arthur Hill | | Uta Hagen |
| 1962 |
| | | | | | | | Paul Scofield — A Man for All Seasons | | Margaret Leighton |
| 1961 |
| | | | | | | | Zero Mostel — Rhinoceros | | Joan Plowright |
| 1960 |
| | | | | | | | Melvyn Douglas | | Anne Bancroft |
| 1959 |
| | | | | | | | Jason Robards | | Gertrude Berg |
| 1958 |
| | | | | | | | Ralph Bellamy | | Helen Hayes |
| 1957 |
| | | | | | | | Fredric March | | Margaret Leighton |
| 1956 |
| | | | | | | | Paul Muni | | Julie Harris |
| 1955 |
| | | | | | | | Alfred Lunt | | Nancy Kelly |
| 1954 |
| | | | | | | | David Wayne | | Audrey Hepburn — Ondine, ou La naïade |
| 1953 |
| | | | | | | | Tom Ewell | | Shirley Booth |
| 1952 |
| | | | | | | | José Ferrer | | Julie Harris |
| 1951 |
| | | | | | | | Claude Rains | | Uta Hagen |
| 1950 |
| | | | | | | | Sidney Blackmer | | Shirley Booth |
| 1949 |
| | | | | | | | Rex Harrison | | Martita Hunt |
| 1948 |
| | | | | | | | Basil Rathbone
Henry Fonda
Paul Kelly | | Jessica Tandy — A Streetcar Named Desire
Judith Anderson — Medea
Katharine Cornell |
| 1947 |
| | | | | | | | Fredric March
José Ferrer | | Helen Hayes
Ingrid Bergman |