'Gladiator' has topped the Oscars shortlist with a total of 12 nominations including best picture, best actor for Russell Crowe and best director for Ridley Scott. Ang Lee's Chinese language film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' is nominated in 10 categories. 'Gladiator', 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', 'Erin Brockovich', 'Chocolat' and 'Traffic' have all been nominated in the Best Picture category.
Tom Hanks is nominated for his almost solo performance in 'Cast Away', he is up against Russell Crowe for 'Gladiator', Geoffrey Rush for 'Quills', Ed Harris for 'Pollock' and Javier Bardem for 'Before Night Falls'. The Best Actress nominees are Joan Allen in 'The Contender', Julia Roberts for her performance in 'Erin Brockovich', Juliette Binoche for her role in 'Chocolat', Laura Linney for 'You Can Count on Me' and Ellen Burstyn for 'Requiem for a Dream'. The nominees for Best Director are Stephen Daldry for 'Billy Elliot', Ang Lee for 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', Ridley Scott for 'Gladiator' and Steven Soderbergh for 'Traffic' and 'Erin Brockovich'.
The nominees for Best Supporting Actor are Jeff Bridges ('The Contender'), Benicio del Toro ('Traffic'), Willem Dafoe ('Shadow of the Vampire'), Albert Finney ('Erin Brockovich') and Joaquin Phoenix ('Gladiator'). Julie Walters ('Billy Elliot'), Frances McDormand ('Almost Famous'), Kate Hudson ('Almost Famous'), Marcia Gay Harden ('Pollock') and Judy Dench ('Chocolat') have made the shortlist for Best Supporting Actress.
'Gladiator' is also nominated for Music (Score), Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Sound, Visual Effects, Writing (Original) and Film Editing. 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' is also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, Music (Score), Music (Song), Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Writing (Adapted) and Film Editing.
Irishwoman Michelle Burke has been nominated for her work as a make up artist on the movie, 'The Cell'. Ms Burke has won two Oscars already and this is her sixth nomination. Hopes were high that the young Dublin actor Colin Farrell would be nominated for his role in 'Tigerland', but he did not make the shortlist. The Oscars ceremony will take place on 25 March, hosted by comic actor Steve Martin.
