1998
• Screen Actors Guild Awards, Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for Mandela and de Klerk

1997
• Emmy (Primetime), Outstanding Lead Actor for a Miniseries or Special for Mandela and de Klerk

1992
• Golden Globe, Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for Separate but Equal

1991
• Emmy (Primetime), Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for Separate but Equal

1968
• British Academy of Film & Television Arts, Foreign Actor for In the Heat of the Night
• Golden Globe, Best Performance By an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama for In the Heat of the Night
• Festival de Cine de San Sebastián, Best Actor for For Love of Ivy

1967
• British Academy of Film & Television Arts, Foreign Actor for A Patch of Blue

1966
• Golden Globe, Best Performance By an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama for A Patch of Blue

1965
• British Academy of Film & Television Arts, Foreign Actor for Lilies of the Field

1964
• Golden Globe, Best Performance By an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama for Lilies of the Field
• Academy Award, Actor for Lilies of the Field

1962
• British Academy of Film & Television Arts, Foreign Actor for A Raisin in the Sun
• Golden Globe, Best Performance By an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama for A Raisin in the Sun

1960
• Golden Globe, Best Performance By an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Porgy and Bess

1959
• British Academy of Film & Television Arts, Foreign Actor for The Defiant Ones
• Golden Globe, Best Performance By an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama for The Defiant Ones
• Academy Award, Actor for The Defiant Ones

1958
• British Academy of Film & Television Arts, Foreign Actor for Edge of the City