More common are the plethora of Best Actor Oscars representing personal milestones.

Other victories have signified history for the winner: For his lead role in 1963's 'Lilies of the Field,' Sidney Poitier broke racial barriers, becoming the first Black actor to take home this top honor at the Oscars. Maximilian Schell's win in 1962's Oscars for 'Judgment at Nuremberg' served as a reminder of the profound wound left on the world in the aftermath of World War II, and Sean Penn's win for 'Milk' in 2009's ceremonies highlighted the continuing struggle for civil rights in the LGBTQ+ community. Over the years, the winners of the Best Actor award have been symbols of the times-with each recipient marking that particular era of moviemaking. Unless otherwise specified, dates reference the year the movie came out-not the year of the award ceremony, which happens the year after. To commemorate actors who have gained this accolade while readying for this year's winner, Stacker found the Best Actor winner every year since 1928, the earliest year the Academy started to consider potential Oscar winners, using the Oscars website.

To be nominated for a performance-let alone win the golden statue-is a stunning testament to an actor's amazing work ethic and significant impact on audiences and critics. In Hollywood, few honors are more coveted than the Best Actor and Best Actress awards at the Oscars.

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