Jan. 22 2009
There were precious few surprises today as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Slumdog Millionaire dominated the nominations for the 81st Academy Awards.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button received 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor (Brad Pitt), while Slumdog Millionaire received 10 nominations.
Heath Ledger was honored posthumously for his supporting performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight. If he were to win, Ledger would beome only the second actor- joining Peter Finch- to win an Oscar posthumously.
Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire has already won the Critics Choice Award and the Golden Globe for Best Drama, Best Director, Best Original Score and Best Screenplay.
"I'm ecstatic," was the response of Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle. "Thank you to the Academy from the cast and crew here in Mumbai where the film was made and where it's being premiered tonight. It feels like you've given us a billion nominations!"
In the acting categories, Sean Penn, Frank Langella and Mickey Rourke are expected to battle it out for Best Actor, while the Best Actress nod is up in the air, with Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie and Kate Winslet, surprisingly nominated for The Reader, in a very tight race.
Perhaps the most surprised nominee was Richard Jenkins, who was nominated for his starring role in The Visitor.
"I was in my living room having a cup of coffee, and my son's father-in-law called me," Jenkins said. "He said, 'Way to go.' And I said, 'What?' He said, 'You not watch it?' I said, 'Really?' I was truly floored."
The Academy Awards ceremony will take place at Los Angeles’ Kodak Theater on February 22 and will be hosted by Hugh Jackman.
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Milk
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway- Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie- Changling
Meryl Streep- Doubt
Melissa Leo- Frozen River
Kate Winslet- The Reader
BEST ACTOR
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn – Milk
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Richard Jenkins- The Visitor
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams – Doubt
Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Taraji P. Henson- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin- Milk
Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Michael Shannon- Revolutionary Road
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
WALL-E
BEST FOREIGN FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The Class (France)
Departures (Japan)
Revanche (Austria)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant- Milk
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Courtney Hunt- Frozen River
Mike Leigh- Happy-Go-Lucky
Mike Leigh- Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonough- In Bruges
Dustin Lance Black- Milk
Andrew Stanton- WALL-E
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
John Patrick Shanley- Doubt
Eric Roth, Robin Swicord- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Peter Morgan- Frost/Nixon
David Hare- The Reader
Simon Beaufoy- Slumdog Millionaire
Peter Morgan- Frost/Nixon
David Hare- The Reader
Simon Beaufoy- Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexandre Desplat- The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Danny Elfman- Milk
Danny Elfman- Milk
James Newton Howard- Defiance
A.R. Rahman- Slumdog Millionaire
A.R. Rahman- Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newton- WALL-E
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Down to Earth- WALL-E
Jai Ho- Slumdog Millionaire
O Saya- Slumdog Millionaire
