TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Ahead of the 98th Academy Awards, it is worth noting that the Best Actress Oscar category is about more than simply recognizing outstanding performances. Over the years, the award has also marked important milestones in film history, including when Halle Berry became the first woman of color to win for Monster’s Ball, and when Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Michelle Yeoh was crowned the first Asian winner of the category in 2023.
Emma Stone, among the latest winners, returns to this year’s nominees with the sci-fi comedy Bugonia. She joins fellow contenders, including Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, and Jessie Buckley for Hamnet.
Who will ultimately take home the gold remains the intriguing question. But just days before the ceremony, let’s take a look back at the five most recent Best Actress Oscar winners, citing USA Today.
Best Actress Oscar Winners of the Last 5 Years
1. Mikey Madison for Anora | 2025
The success of Anora was beautifully underscored by Mikey Madison taking home the Best Actress Oscar. Madison received strong critical acclaim for portraying Ani, an exotic dancer and sex worker whose life becomes entangled after eloping with the son of a Russian oligarch. Her victory contributed to the film’s major sweep at the 2025 Academy Awards, where it also secured Best Picture and Best Director for Sean Baker.
2. Emma Stone for Poor Things | 2024
As of the 2026 Oscars, Emma Stone has a total of three Best Actress nominations, winning two of them. Stone claimed the prize for her role as Bella Baxter in the period fantasy comedy Poor Things. With this victory, Emma Stone joined the elite ranks of multi-time Best Actress Oscar winners such as Meryl Streep, Jane Fonda, and Jodie Foster.
3. Michelle Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All at Once | 2023
Michelle Yeoh made history at the 2023 Academy Awards with her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. She became the first Asian woman to win Best Actress and the first actor of color to claim the prize in more than 20 years. In her acceptance speech, Yeoh remarked that the moment would serve as a beacon of hope for those who see themselves in her story.
4. Jessica Chastain for The Eyes of Tammy Faye | 2022
It was a case of “third time lucky” for Jessica Chastain at the Oscars. In portraying Tammy Faye Bakker, she committed wholeheartedly to the film’s striking transformation, defined by extravagant makeup, eye-catching wardrobe, and the emotional demands of the biopic The Eyes of Tammy Faye. The actress later credited the film as a deeply meaningful milestone in her career.
5. Frances McDormand for Nomadland | 2021
Veteran actress Frances McDormand claimed her third Best Actress Oscar for her understated performance in Nomadland. Portraying Fern, a retiree who embarks on a journey across the American West after losing everything in the Great Recession, McDormand delivered a deeply introspective and naturalistic performance. The win left her just one Oscar away from matching Katharine Hepburn, the only actress to have won four.
From breakthrough milestones to career-defining performances, the Best Actress Oscar category continues to reflect both the evolution of storytelling and the growing diversity within the film industry. As anticipation builds for the 98th Academy Awards, global audiences are once again curious to see which performance will capture the spotlight and join this remarkable list of winners.
Read: Ranking Top 10 Oscar Best Actor Winners in the 21st Century
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