| 100% | JAIMIE | 6 | ___ Alexander who played the mysterious, tattooed lead in "Blindspot" |
| 53% | SPACEK | 6 | Sissy who played the lead in 1976's "Carrie" |
| 53% | OLDMAN | 6 | Gary who plays the lead character in Slow Horses |
| 52% | DEMI | 4 | ___ Moore, actress who played the lead in "G. I. Jane" |
| 51% | RYAN | 4 | Meg —, actress who played the female lead in 2001 comedy Kate & Leopold |
| 51% | NANCE | 5 | Jack —, actor who played the lead role in David Lynch's Eraserhead |
| 51% | ELLIEKEMPER | 11 | Actress who plays the lead role in 12-/24-Across: 2 wds. |
| 50% | HUSSEY | 6 | Olivia —, actress who played the female lead in 1968 drama Romeo and Juliet |
| 50% | JENNA | 5 | & 15A Actress who played the female lead in US television sitcom Dharma & Greg |
| 50% | GRABOL | 6 | Danish Sofie who played lead role in The Killing |
| 50% | JANICE | 6 | Muppet who plays lead guitar in The Electric Mayhem |
| 50% | VOSK | 4 | Jessica who played the lead role, Elphaba, in "Wicked" on Broadway in 2018-19 |
| 50% | GLYNISBARBER | 12 | Actress who played the female lead in 1980s ITV cop series Dempsey and Makepeace |
| 50% | MATURE | 6 | Victor —, actor who played the male lead in 1949 film drama Samson and Delilah |
| 50% | COLTRANE | 8 | Robbie —, late actor who played the lead role in 1990s ITV drama series Cracker |
| 50% | FELIX | 5 | Kammerer who plays the lead in 2022's "All Quiet on the Western Front" |
| 49% | CORT | 4 | Bud —, actor who played the male lead in 1971 comedy-drama film Harold and Maude |
| 49% | LIVTYLER | 8 | "Armageddon" actress who played the lead singer's girlfriend Faye in 34-Across: 2 wds. |
| 49% | ARTERTON | 8 | Gemma —, actress who played the female lead in 2013 action film Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters |
| 49% | TIMOTHEE | 8 | With 35-Across, "Little Women" actor who plays the lead character Paul Atreides in "Dune" |
| 49% | ELISABETHMOSS | 13 | American actress who plays the lead role of Offred in the series in 18a: 2 wds. |
| 48% | MELGIBSON | 9 | Actor who played the lead character, "Mad" Max Rockatansky in the 1979 film "Mad Max": 2 wds. |
| 48% | SETH | 4 | & 9D Actor-comedian who played the male lead in 2008 romcom Zack and Miri Make a Porno |
| 48% | THAD | 4 | Jazz trumpeter Jones who played in and later led the Count Basie Orchestra |
| 47% | KRISTEN | 7 | Actress Bell of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," who plays Eleanor, the lead character in 15a |
| 47% | BRYANCRANSTON | 13 | American actor who played the lead in "Breaking Bad" and also starred in "Malcolm in the Middle": 2 wds. |
| 46% | LEXBARKER | 9 | Actor who played the male lead in action films Tarzan and the She-Devil and Tarzan and the Slave Girl |
| 46% | TIMOTHEE | 8 | (4/6) "___ Chalamet, who played Paul Atreides in 'Dune,' will reprise the lead role alongside Zendaya" |
| 46% | ANTHONYRAMOS | 12 | "A Star Is Born" actor who plays Usnavi, the lead character in 18-Across: 2 wds. |