ABC/MCTIn Hollywood, the season of awards shows is upon us. Recently, the nominees for the crowning glory of award shows were announced. The Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 25.
Nominated for leading actor are stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio for his role in “Blood Diamond,” Will Smith for “The Pursuit of Happyness” and Forest Whitaker for his role in “The Last King of Scotland.”
In the category of Best Actress, high profile names are abound. The actresses nominated range in ages. Nominated are Dame Judi Dench for “Notes on a Scandal,” Helen Mirren for “The Queen,” Meryl Streep for “The Devil Wears Prada,” Kate Winslet for “Little Children,” and Penelope Cruz for “Volver.”
The category of Best Picture includes movies from every genre. “The Departed,” starring DiCaprio, is the violent tale of corruption in the Massachusetts state police force.
“Babel” is a collaboration of interwoven storylines that takes place across the globe. Lives are interconnected with several characters who face boundaries in communication.
Producers Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg’s war drama “Letters for Iwo Jima” is also nominated. The film takes the perspective of Japanese soldiers, examining letters detailing their feelings on an almost certain death.
“Little Miss Sunshine” is a brighter film nominated in this category, telling the story of a little girl longing to win the title Little Miss Sunshine in a children’s beauty pageant despite a dysfunctional family.
Finally in the category of Best Picture is “The Queen.” This picture reflects the feelings of Queen Elizabeth II in the days following the death of Princess Diana in 1997. It also focuses on the declining monarchy.
Ellen Degeneres is set to host awards this year. This will her first time hosting and her first time ever appearing in the telecast. According to the program’s producer, Laura Ziskin, “Ellen DeGeneres was born to host the Academy Awards. There is no more challenging hosting job in show business. It requires someone who can keep the show alive and fresh and moving, as well as someone who is a flat-out great entertainer. Ellen completely fits the bill. I can already tell she is going to set the bar very high for herself and therefore for all of us involved in putting on the show. Now all we need is a lot of great movies.”
