Academy Award for Best Actress

The Academy Award for Best Actress is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. The winners are chosen by the Academy membership as a whole. Following the Academy's practice, the films below are listed by release year: for example, the Oscar for "Best Actress in 1999" was announced during the award ceremony held in 2000. Winners are listed first, followed by the other nominees.

1920s

• 1928 Janet Gaynor - Seventh Heaven Street Angel and Sunrise
• Louise Dresser - A Ship Comes In
• Gloria Swanson - Sadie Thompson
• 1929 Mary Pickford - Coquette
• Ruth Chatterton - Madame X
• Betty Compson - The Barker
• Jeanne Eagels - The Letter
• Corinne Griffith - The Divine Lady
• Bessie Love - The Broadway Melody