Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress
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.
2024 Recipient: Sarah Snook
Dame Judi Dench has won this award five times, for in 1977, 1980, 1983, 1987, and 1996
Lindsay Duncan won this award twice in 1986 and 2002
Fiona Shaw won this award twice in 1989 and 1994
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Awards, but they were renamed in honour of the British actor of the same name in 1984.
Laurence Olivier Award, designed by the sculptor Harry Franchetti, depicting Olivier as Henry V at The Old Vic in 1937
Image: Mark Gatiss by Gage Skidmore 2
Image: Nicole Scherzinger 2012
Judi Dench has a record seven competitive Oliviers, and also won a Special Olivier in 2004
