1997 - Frances McDormand

'Fargo' was a critical and commercial success, having been nominated for the prestigious nominated for the Palme D'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Frances McDormand was hailed for her performance as Marge Gunderson, a pregnant Minnesota police chief investigating a triple homicide that takes place after a desperate car salesman (William H. Macy) hires two criminals (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife in order to extort a hefty ransom from her wealthy father (Harve Presnell).

The other nominees were Brenda Blethyn ('Secrets and Lies'), Diane Keaton ('Marvin's Room'), Kristen Scott Thomas ('The English Patient') and Emily Watson ('Breaking the Waves').