The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress is one of the annual awards given by the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association.
| Year | Nominee | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Julianne Moore | Far from Heaven | Cathy Whitaker |
| 2003 | Naomi Watts | 21 Grams | Cristina Peck |
| Cate Blanchett | Veronica Guerin | Veronica Guerin | |
| Keisha Castle-Hughes | Whale Rider | Paikea Apirana | |
| Diane Keaton | Something's Gotta Give | Erica Barry | |
| Evan Rachel Wood | Thirteen | Tracy Louise Freeland | |
| 2004 | Imelda Staunton | Vera Drake | Vera Drake |
| 2005 | Reese Witherspoon | Walk the Line | June Carter Cash |
| Joan Allen | The Upside of Anger | Terry Wolfmeyer | |
| Felicity Huffman | Transamerica | Bree | |
| Keira Knightley | Pride & Prejudice | Elizabeth Bennet | |
| Charlize Theron | North Country | Josey Aimes | |
| 2006 | Helen Mirren | The Queen | Elizabeth II |
| 2007 | Julie Christie | Away from Her | Fiona Anderson |
| 2008 | Meryl Streep | Doubt | Sister Aloysius Beauvier |
| 2009 | Carey Mulligan | An Education | Jenny Miller |
| Sandra Bullock | The Blind Side | Leigh Anne Tuohy | |
| Maya Rudolph | Away We Go | Verona De Tessant | |
| Gabourey Sidibe | Precious | Claireece "Precious" Jones | |
| Meryl Streep | Julie & Julia | Julia Child |
| Year | Nominee | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Jennifer Lawrence | Winter's Bone | Ree Dolly |
| Annette Bening | The Kids Are All Right | Nic | |
| Anne Hathaway | Love and Other Drugs | Maggie Murdock | |
| Nicole Kidman | Rabbit Hole | Becca Corbett | |
| Natalie Portman | Black Swan | Nina Sayers | |
| 2011 | Michelle Williams | My Week with Marilyn | Marilyn Monroe |
| Viola Davis | The Help | Aibileen Clark | |
| Elizabeth Olsen | Martha Marcy May Marlene | Martha | |
| Meryl Streep | The Iron Lady | Margaret Thatcher | |
| Tilda Swinton | We Need to Talk About Kevin | Eva Khatchadourian |