Skip to main content

The biggest night in Hollywood is here. Yes, it’s finally time for the 2024 Academy Awards. As the red carpet starts filling up with familiar faces and the ceremony gets underway, here’s a look at the five stars nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, from Oppenheimer’s Cillian Murphy to Rustin’s Colman Domingo. Hint: They’re all no more than 11 years apart. 

Best actor nominee Bradley Cooper is 49 years old

First up is Bradley Cooper, who is nominated for his portrayal of composer Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. The multihyphenate — he’s an actor, director, writer, and producer — is 49 years old. 

Born on Jan. 5, 1975, Cooper celebrated his birthday almost two months to the day before the 96th Academy Awards. He also takes the no. 3 spot on the list of the 2024 Oscar nominees with the highest net worth with an estimated fortune valued at $120 million. 

Cooper’s no stranger to being in the Oscars’ best actor category. He’s been up for the award three times. First for Silver Linings Playbook in 2012. Then 2014’s American Sniper, followed most recently by 2018’s A Star Is Born, which he also produced and directed. 

2024 Academy Award best actor nominee Colman Domingo is 54

Next is Domingo, who is 54 years old. The actor-producer-director is up for best actor at the Oscars following his performance in Rustin. The Netflix original film, which centers around civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, debuted in November 2023. 

While this is Domingo’s first Academy Award nomination it’s not his first-ever major award nomination. He also received nods in the best actor category for his Rustin performance at the BAFTA Awards, Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards (via IMDb). 

Domingo previously won a 2022 Emmy for a guest-starring role on Euphoria. (The nomination brought him to tears). 

Best actor nominee Paul Giamatti is 56 years old

The nominees in the Best Actor in a Leading Role category continue with Paul Giamatti. Born on June 6, 1967, the actor-producer-director is 56 years old. 

He is nominated for his performance in Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers. In it, Giamatti plays a grumpy high school teacher Paul Hunham stuck spending the holidays with students. 

This is Giamatti’s first Oscar nomination since 2005 when he received a nod in the supporting actor category for Cinderella Man. 

Academy Award best actor nominee Cillian Murphy is 47

​​Born on May 25, 1976, Murphy is 47 years old. He’s nominated for his performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which is predicted to be a big winner. The film has the most Oscar nominations at 13, with Poor Things and Killers of the Flower Moon following at 10. 

The Peaky Blinders alum has already won multiple awards for playing J. Robert Oppenheimer. Murphy’s already won in the best actor category not only at the SAG Awards but also at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs. 

However, it will be his first Academy Award win if he takes home the Oscar for best actor. 

Academy Award best actor nominee Jeffrey Wright is 58

Related

November 2021 Film Releases Include ‘House of Gucci,’ ‘The Harder They Fall’ and More

Last but not least is Jeffrey Wright. The actor-producer is 58 years old, meaning he is the oldest — by two years — in the best actor category. (The aforementioned Murphy is the youngest at 47).

Wright’s nominated for his performance in American Fiction as Thelonious ‘Monk’ Ellison, a frustrated novelist who jokingly writes a book only to see it become a success. 

The Westworld alum’s already received nominations and wins for American Fiction. However, if he takes home the Oscar, it will be his first Academy Award win. 

The Oscars air on ABC at 7 p.m. EST on March 10, 2024.

Best in Entertainment