'The Aviator' leads the way in Oscar race

'The Aviator', Martin Scorsese's Howard Hughes biopic, is a hot favourite at this year's Oscars, having received eleven nominations including nods for 'Best Picture', 'Best Director' and 'Best Actor' for its star, Leonardo DiCaprio.

Scorsese, however, who has never won an Academy Award despite directing classics such as 'Taxi Driver' and 'Raging Bull', will face tough oppostion from Clint Eastwood in the 'Best Director' category. Eastwood, who won the Golden Globe in the same category recently, is nominated again for his 'Million Dollar Baby'.

'Million Dollar Baby', a boxing movie in which Eastwood also stars as an ageing boxing trainer alongside former Oscar winner Hilary Swank as the female boxer he trains, is also nominated for 'Best Picture'. Eastwood and Swank have been nominated in the 'Best Actor' and 'Best Actress' categories, while co-star Morgan Freeman also picks up a nod for 'Best Supporting Actor'.

Jamie Foxx leads the nominations for 'Best Actor' for his performance of legendary musician Ray Charles in Taylor Hackford's biopic 'Ray', which is another 'Best Picture' nominee. Hackford has also received a nomination for 'Best Director'. Foxx, who won a Golden Globe for his performance, will also face competition from Johnny Depp ('Finding Neverland', which has also been nominated for 'Best Picture') and Don Cheadle ('Hotel Rwanda').

Foxx is also nominated in the 'Best Supporting Actor' category for his role in Michael Mann's thriller 'Collateral', joining Morgan Freeman, Alan Alda, who co-starred in 'The Aviator', and Thomas Haden Church from indie comedy 'Sideways'. Britain's Clive Owen, who has already collected a Golden Globe for his role in 'Closer', completes the list of nominees.

Owen's co-star in 'Closer' and fellow Golden Globe winner Natalie Portman leads the nominations for 'Best Supporting Actress', which also include 'Aviator' star, Cate Blanchett, Laura Linney ('Kinsey'), Virginia Madsen ('Sideways') and British actress Sophie Okonedo ('Hotel Rwanda').

British actresses are well represented in the 'Best Actress' category with both Kate Winslet and Imelda Staunton nominated for their work in 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' and 'Vera Drake', respectively. Hilary Swank, Annette Bening ('Being Julia') and Catalina Sandino Moreno ('Maria Full of Grace') are also nominated.

British director, Mike Leigh is also nominated for 'Best Director' for his much-acclaimed abortion drama, 'Vera Drake', although the film lost out on a nomination for 'Best Picture'.

However, 'Sideways', which has been a huge critical success and also won two Golden Globes, will have a shot at winning more awards again at the Academy Awards, with five nominations, including recognition for actors Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen, and director Alexander Payne, as well as nominations for 'Best Picture' and 'Best Adapted Screenplay'.

The 77th Academy Awards will take place in Hollywood on February 27.

(KmcA)