Academy Awards 2010: The Nominees
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Oscars 2010: The Nominees
An In-Depth Look at This Year's Acting and Directing Oscar Nominees
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges is up for an Oscar for his portrayal of washed-up country singer "Bad Blake" in the film "Crazy Heart." This is his fifth Oscar nomination, his most recent being in 2000 for his work in the film "The Contender."
A Love Song for Jeff Bridges
Country Singers Have an Edge at the Oscats
Best Actor: George Clooney
George Clooney is up for an Oscar for his portrayal of emotionally detached Ryan Bingham, who travels around the country firing people, in Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air." This is his fifth Oscar nomination. Clooney won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2005 for the film "Syriana."
Best Actor: Colin Firth
Colin Firth is nominated for his turn as a gay man who must hide his grief over the death of his lover in the film "A Single Man." This is the British actor's first Oscar nomination.
Best Actor: Morgan Freeman
Freeman is nominated for his portrayal of South African president Nelson Mandela in the film "Invictus." This is Freeman's fifth Academy Award nomination. He won a Best Supporting Actor award in 2004 for his role in "Million Dollar Baby."
Best Actor: Jeremy Renner
Renner is nominated for his portrayal of Staff Sergeant William James, a bomb defuser in Iraq who thrives on the risk and danger of his job, in Kathryn Bigelow's film "The Hurt Locker." This is Renner's first Oscar nomination.
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock earned her first Oscar nomination for her turn as real-life Memphis mother Leigh Anne Tuohy, who takes in a homeless teenager, in "The Blind Side."
Best Actress: Helen Mirren
Mirren, the Best Actress Oscar-winner for 2006's "The Queen" is nominated again, playing Leo Tolstoy's wife in "The Last Station." This is her fourth nomination.
Best Actress: Carey Mulligan
This actress earned her first Oscar nomination for playing a young schoolgirl in 1960s Britain who gets caught up in an affair with an older man in "An Education."
Best Actress: Gabourey Sidibe
Sidibe made her acting debut playing a pregnant, abused Harlem teen in Lee Daniels' "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire." Her work earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination.
Best Actress: Meryl Streep
Streep earned her 16th Oscar nomination playing chef Julia Child during her time in 1950s Paris in "Julie & Julia." She won the Best Supporing Actress Oscar in 1979 for "Kramer vs. Kramer" and the Best Actress award in 1982 for "Sophie's Choice."
Supporting Actor: Matt Damon
Damon is nominated for his portrayal of Francois Pienaar, the captain of the South African rugby team that becomes a unifying force for a divided nation, in Clint Eastwood's film "Invictus." This is Damon's third Academy Award nomination. He won in 1997 for Best Screenplay for "Good Will Hunting."
Supporting Actor: Woody Harrelson
Harrelson is nominated for his portrayal of Captain Tony Stone, a military officer struggling to maintain his sobriety as he delivers news of soldiers' deaths to their families in the film "The Messenger." This is Harrelson's second Oscar nomination.
Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer
Plummer is nominated for his portrayal of Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian writer who finds himself torn in his final years between his wife and his devoted admirers in the film "The Last Station." This is Plummer's first Oscar nomination.
Supporting Actor: Stanley Tucci
Tucci is nominated for his eerie turn as George Harvey, a serial killer who murders his 14-year-old neighbor in Peter Jackson's film "The Lovely Bones." This is Tucci's first Academy Award nomination.
Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz
Waltz is nominated for his portrayal of Col. Hans Landa, a sinister Nazi officer with a talent for seeking out people in hiding, in Quentin Tarantino's film "Inglourious Basterds." This is the Austrian actor's first Academy Award nomination.
Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz
Cruz earned her third Oscar nomination for her work in the movie musical "Nine," playing Carla, the sultry mistress of an Italian movie director. She won the Best Supporting Actress award for 2008's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and was nominated for Best Actress in 2006's "Volver."
Supporting Actress: Vera Farmiga
Farmiga earned her first Oscar nomination playing Alex, a businesswoman who begins a relationship with another frequent flyer, in Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air."
Supporting Actress: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Gyllenhaal portrayed Jean Craddock, a journalist who interviews and finds love with a down-and-out country star, in "Crazy Heart." This is her first Oscar nomination.
Supporting Actress: Anna Kendrick
Kendrick earned a nomination for her portrayal of Natalie Keener, an ambitious young woman who fires people for a living, in Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air." This is her first Oscar nomination.
Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique
Mo'nique earned a Supporting Actress nomination playing Mary Jones, a jealous, abusive mother, in Lee Daniels' "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire." This is her first Oscar nomination.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Bigelow is only the fourth woman in Oscar history to be nominated for a Directing Oscar - and, if she wins, she'll be the first to take home the statuette. She's nominated for her film "The Hurt Locker," which centers around an army unit of bomb diffusers in Iraq. This is her first nomination.
For Best Picture: "The Hurt Locker"
Video: Bigelow on "60 Minutes"
Director: James Cameron
Cameron is nominated for his sci-fi blockbuster "Avatar," about a human who travels to a faraway planet and befriends its inhabitants. He is already an Oscar-winner for 1997's "Titanic."
Director: Lee Daniels
Daniels directed the powerful story of an abused, illiterate Harlem teen in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire." This is his first Oscar nominations.
Director: Jason Reitman
Reitman is nominated for his film about an emotionally detached businessman who travels the country firing people in "Up in the Air." He was also nominated for directing 2007's "Juno."
For Best Picture: "Up in the Air"
Reitman Follows in Father's Footsteps
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Tarantino earned an Oscar nomination and re-wrote history in "Inglourious Basterds," a World War II film about a group of Nazi-killing American soldiers who plot to kill Hitler. He was also nominated for Best Director for his 1994 film "Pulp Fiction."
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