The Shocking Split: Who Won Best Actor At The 2025 Oscars, Golden Globes, And SAG Awards?

The 2025 film awards season delivered one of the most compelling and unpredictable Best Actor races in recent memory. As of today, December 18, 2025, the dust has settled on the major ceremonies, but the results reveal a dramatic split, with a seasoned veteran claiming the coveted Academy Award while a young star pulled off a shocking upset at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. This divergence has sparked intense debate among critics and fans, redefining what it means to be the "Best Actor" of the year. The headline result from the 97th Academy Awards saw Adrien Brody claim his second career Oscar for his towering performance in the epic period drama, *The Brutalist*. However, the narrative was complicated by Timothée Chalamet's surprise victory at the SAG Awards for his transformative portrayal of a music legend, setting up a thrilling, non-consensus year for the industry's highest acting honor.

Adrien Brody: The Brutalist and His Second Oscar Win

The 97th Academy Awards ceremony on March 2, 2025, culminated in a monumental victory for Adrien Brody, who secured the Best Actor Oscar for his role as László Tóth in *The Brutalist*. This win marks a powerful return to the Oscar stage for Brody, who previously won the award 22 years prior for his iconic performance in *The Pianist*.

Brody's Biography and Career Profile

• Full Name: Adrien Nicholas Brody
• Born: April 14, 1973, in Queens, New York, U.S.
• Age (at time of 2025 Oscar win): 51
• Previous Oscar Win: Best Actor for *The Pianist* (2003)
• Key Collaborators: Wes Anderson (*The Darjeeling Limited*, *The French Dispatch*), Roman Polanski (*The Pianist*), Brady Corbet (*The Brutalist*)
• Notable Films (Entities): *The Pianist*, *The Thin Red Line*, *Summer of Sam*, *King Kong*, *Succession* (TV Series)
• Major 2025 Awards Wins: Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Actor, Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama, BAFTA Award for Leading Actor

The Performance That Secured the Triple Crown

Brody's win was a triumph of critical consensus across the major international awards, securing the 'Triple Crown' of the Oscars, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs. His portrayal of László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect and severely traumatized Holocaust survivor, was widely hailed as the performance of his career. *The Brutalist*, an epic period drama directed by Brady Corbet, follows Tóth as he emigrates to the United States in the aftermath of World War II to rebuild his life and career. The film, which has a nearly four-hour run time, is an intense character study exploring themes of trauma, ambition, and the soul of America. Brody's commitment to the role of the visionary architect, who clashes with a powerful industry captain, was lauded for its complexity and emotional depth, particularly his nuanced depiction of a Holocaust survivor's internal struggle.

The Upset: Timothée Chalamet Shakes Up the Race at the SAG Awards

While Adrien Brody dominated the international awards circuit, the domestic race saw a significant curveball thrown by Timothée Chalamet at the 31st Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. Chalamet won the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role award for his work in the biopic *A Complete Unknown*, a victory that was immediately labeled a major "upset" that "shook up the Oscar race".

Timothée Chalamet's Historic SAG Victory

Chalamet’s win for his portrayal of the legendary musician Bob Dylan was his first major acting award and a historic moment, as he became one of the youngest Best Actor winners in SAG Awards history. *A Complete Unknown* details the early, formative years of Bob Dylan's career, from his beginnings in the folk music scene to the pivotal, controversial moment he "went electric". The film was praised for Chalamet's convincing channeling of the storied musician and songwriter, with the actor reportedly performing his own vocals. The SAG Award is voted on by a large body of working actors, suggesting an overwhelming appreciation from his peers for the transformative nature of his performance as the cultural icon.

The Final List of 2025 Best Actor Winners

The split between the SAG Awards and the Oscars/BAFTA/Globes is a rare occurrence, highlighting a year of exceptionally strong and diverse performances. While the Academy Award is generally considered the ultimate prize, the SAG Award's peer-voted nature carries immense weight within the industry. Here is a summary of the most recent major Best Actor winners for the 2025 awards season:

• Academy Awards (Oscars) Winner: Adrien Brody for *The Brutalist*
• Golden Globe Awards (Motion Picture Drama) Winner: Adrien Brody for *The Brutalist*
• BAFTA Awards (Leading Actor) Winner: Adrien Brody for *The Brutalist*
• Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards Winner: Timothée Chalamet for *A Complete Unknown*

The 2025 Best Actor Race: A Study in Contrasts

The two winning performances could not be more different, offering a fascinating contrast in acting styles and material. Adrien Brody’s László Tóth in *The Brutalist* is a portrayal of stoic, internal suffering and fierce artistic integrity. It is an old-school, epic performance, demanding a deep dive into the historical and psychological weight of a Holocaust survivor. This type of dramatic, transformative role often appeals to the international voting bodies of the Oscars, BAFTAs, and Globes, which value scope and gravitas. Conversely, Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan in *A Complete Unknown* is a performance rooted in musicality, youthful energy, and the challenging task of embodying a living, globally-recognized icon. His success at the SAG Awards suggests that the acting community was particularly impressed by the difficulty of capturing Dylan's specific cadence and musical spirit, a feat of mimicry and emotional depth that resonated strongly with his fellow actors. The fact that the SAG winner did not go on to win the Oscar is a strong reminder that the awards season is a complex, multi-faceted race. The Adrien Brody vs. Timothée Chalamet debate will be a defining feature of the 2025 cinematic year, solidifying both performances as essential viewing for film enthusiasts. The split decision ensures that both actors and their respective films—*The Brutalist* and *A Complete Unknown*—will be remembered as the dual highlights of a truly competitive Best Actor season.