Golden Globes 2009: Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon & Doubt lead nominations
Story by Jack Foley
THE Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon and Meryl Streep’s Doubt lead the field at this year’s Golden Globe nominations with five awards each.
But it was British talent that stole most of the headlines with nods for a wide range of UK talent, including Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Dame Judi Dench and filmmakers Danny Boyle, Stephen Daldry and Winslet’s husband Sam Mendes all in the running for awards in the numerous categories.
Winslet earned many of the plaudits for nabbing a best actress nomination for her performance in Revolutionary Road, which reunites her with Titanic co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as a supporting actress nod for provocative World War II drama The Reader.
Her Reader co-star Ralph Fiennes – who has had a busy year – also received two nominations, as supporting actor in The Duchess and best actor in a mini-series or made for TV film (for Bernard and Doris).
Dames Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins have also both been recognised for their work in BBC TV series Cranford, while Irish stars Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell are pitted against each other in the best supporting actor (musical or comedy) category for their hitman film, In Bruges.
Kristin Scott Thomas is recognised in the dramatic actress category for her role in the French-language film I’ve Loved You So Long; and Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go Lucky was shortlisted in the best comedy or musical category, with another nod going to its star Sally Hawkins.
Emma Thompson is included in the same category, as is Sir Peter Hall’s daughter, Rebecca, for her role in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
US nominees
Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood are among the actors up for two awards… with Streep in the running for best actress in two categories – best dramatic actress for Doubt and best actress in a musical or comedy for Mamma Mia!
Eastwood, meanwhile, is up for prizes for two of his films – but not, as anticipated, for acting or directing, rather for his Changeling score and for co-writing the title song for Gran Torino.
The best dramatic actor category, meanwhile, is an all-American affair with Leonardo DiCaprio facing off against the likes of Mickey Rourke and Brad Pitt for his performance in Revolutionary Road. Rourke is strongly tipped to triumph for his performance in The Wrestler, while Pitt is up for Benjamin Button.
The nominations list is completed by Frank Langella and Sean Penn for their work in Frost/Nixon and Milk respectively.
The best dramatic film category will be contested between The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Revolutionary Road and Danny Boyle’s Mumbai-set drama Slumdog Millionaire.
The best director, meanwhile, will be contested by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), Stephen Daldry (The Reader), David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) and Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road).
And the best dramatic actress, meanwhile, pits Anne Hathaway (for Rachel Getting Married) against Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Kristin Scott Thomas (I’ve Loved You So Long), Meryl Streep (Doubt) and Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road).
The 2009 Golden Globe Awards, which honour both film and television and divide its main film awards between dramas and musicals or comedies, will be held in Los Angeles on January 11, 2009.
Check out the main nominations