The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Play is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, and renamed in 1984 in honour of English actor and director Laurence Olivier. This award was introduced in 1985, as Actress of the Year, then retitled to its current name for the 1993 ceremony. Prior to this award, from 1976 to 1984 (and again in 1988), there was a pair of awards given each year for this general category, one for Actress of the Year in a New Play and the other for Actress of the Year in a Revival.

Winners and nominees

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Multiple awards and nominations for Best Actress

Note: The below awards and nominations include individuals awarded and nominated under the now-defunct categories Actress of the Year in a New Play and Actress of the Year in a Revival as well as the current combined Best Actress category.

Awards

Nominations

• Hayley Atwell • Eve Best • Yvonne Bryceland • Pauline Collins • Patsy Ferran • Susan Fleetwood • Tamsin Greig • Victoria Hamilton • Rosemary Harris • Kathryn Hunter • Nicole Kidman • Jane Lapotaire • Rosemary Leach • Geraldine McEwan • Sophie Okonedo • Billie Piper • Kelly Reilly • Alison Steadman • Janet Suzman • Dorothy Tutin • Margaret Tyzack • Julie Walters • Lia Williams • Ruth Wilson