Quantcast

Brad Pitt Headed for a Snub?

Posted by Susan Thea Posnock On December - 8 - 2008
Too Sexy for His Shirt

Too Sexy for His Shirt

Dre Rivas at Film.com on Brad Pitt in Benjamin Button:

People, the word on the street is that The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is headed for some major awards. Nominations for Best Picture, Most Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects. etc. — all are on the horizon. It’s a bright and beautiful landscape, indeed. On the opposite end of the skyline, however, in the darkened corners of the earth, under stormy clouds and leaking ceilings, the poor and unfortunate Brad Pitt creeps, crawling about in a hidden attic, a stranger to the world. Will not a child show him the light?

What I’m saying is this: Brad Pitt can’t catch a break. Yeah, I know he’s like ridiculously good-looking. Yeah, I know he’s married to one of the hottest broads in Hollywood. Yeah, I know he makes a gazillion dollars and can afford the 800 kids. In many ways, the world’s his oyster. But is the guy taken seriously as an actor?

This is true.  Tom O’Neil over at The Envelope is always concluding that, when it comes to good looks, Oscar likes them female. The pretty boys always get the shaft and have for decades now.  Sure, a few of them slip in here and there, but for the most part, the character actors trump the Alpha males.

Maybe someday, Pitt will be taken more seriously but like so many, his beauty betrays him. Oh, I know.  He could gain fifty pounds and then it’s almost a guarantee.  Either that or direct a movie, an epic or a weepy.

Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner – they can get there as directors but not as actors.  Beatty, of course, has been nominated many times but has just never won.

  • Filed under: THE ACTORS
  • |
  • Tags: ,

  • | |

    111 Responses for "Brad Pitt Headed for a Snub?"

    1. m. December 8th, 2008 at 11:15 am 1

      Well Brad is a mediocre actor. He has never been fantastic in anything. He is at best servicable/OK/does not spoil the movie as in Seven or at worst mannered as in 12 Monkeys. He was good in one movie in my opinion : Fight Club.

      Nonetheless I can’t wait to see Ben Button. Mostly because of the trailer, Fincher & Blanchett.

    2. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 11:24 am 2

      Brad Pitt delivers in Benjamin Button (and I am someone who considers his nomination for 12 Monkeys to be a joke and his work in Burn After Reading forced at times). It would be a shame if he gets snubbed and the elderly, ex-pretty boy gets in.

    3. Hera December 8th, 2008 at 11:29 am 3

      Brad Pitt hasn’t had a Oscar nom since 12 Monkeys (which I think he deserved).If “Button becomes this years Oscar frontrunner it’s hard for me to imagine Pitt not being nominated.

    4. Andy December 8th, 2008 at 11:35 am 4

      The Best Actor race is such a tight one this year–with three, possibly four locks already–that if Pitt gets snubbed, I doubt it’ll be because no one takes him seriously. He would just be squeezed out by someone else.

      And for the record, “Most Original Screenplay”? First off, that’s not what the title of the award is (cemantics, maybe), and secondly, it’s not an original screenplay. Sorry, it just annoys me when a person writing for a site called Film.com can’t get the facts right. Okay, complaint over.

    5. jack December 8th, 2008 at 11:36 am 5

      pitt is a great actor,Pitt is the most underrated actor in the world.

    6. valerie December 8th, 2008 at 11:42 am 6

      Pitt is a fantastic actor, deserves to win the oscar for Tyler durden fight club and the 12 monkeys

    7. Marc December 8th, 2008 at 11:53 am 7

      pitt was perfect in Jesse James and burn after reading, 2 great performance, deserves the nomination

    8. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 11:58 am 8

      Andy, he’s also not married to Jolie.

    9. AI December 8th, 2008 at 11:59 am 9

      I can’t wait to see Ben Button,Fincher is great Director,Pitt is great actor,blanchett is great actress.Pitt is a very underrated actor

    10. Gentle Benj December 8th, 2008 at 12:03 pm 10

      Leaving aside Pitt, and I guess Beatty as well, I gotta point out that good looks are probably not the main reason that Gibson, Redford and Costner have never won an Oscar. More significant, I think, is the fact that their performances usually end up being more about the actor than the character.

      Now I’m off to stick pins under my fingernails until I can get the phrase “Oscar for Tyler Durdan” out of my head.

    11. Ken December 8th, 2008 at 12:04 pm 11

      Mediocre actor my ass… sorry, sorry

      But seriously, he’s far from mediocre. He was great in Jesse James and Burn After Reading. Dismissing Brad Pitt seems like the easy thing to do, but the reality is that he’s been on a roll lately as far as his choice of films are concerned (and his acting in said films). I can’t wait for Benjamin Button and I hope he eventually does get some recognition from the Academy. If not for Benjamin Button, then for something else in the near future.

      Seriously, what’s next? A Malick film AND a Tarantino film? Hot damn.

    12. Quinlan December 8th, 2008 at 12:14 pm 12

      pitt deserves to win an oscar

    13. Gentle Benj December 8th, 2008 at 12:23 pm 13

      BTW, I obviously meant “acting Oscar” above. Just so no one has to correct my dumb ass.

    14. Larry December 8th, 2008 at 12:42 pm 14

      At times, Brad Pitt’s acting is subtle, which is more to his detriment than his looks, IMHO. I thought Brad gave a great performance in “Babel,” too. The one time he overacted, he got nominated. This happened with Robert Redford, too. And if you’re lucky enough to get nominated for subtle work (Paul Newman comes to mind), you often lose for showier performances.

    15. Osbourne Cox December 8th, 2008 at 12:43 pm 15

      I haven’t seen Benjamin Button but even if Brad deserves a nod, he won’t get one. He gave a stellar performance in Assassination of Jesse James and only the Venice Film Fest made a point to recognize and award him Best Actor for it. No other precursors followed. Some have written it’s because he’s a weekly tabloid target and the academy wants no part of that kind of celebrity and to that I call BS. If the Academy can give an Oscar to a brilliant filmmaker who’s also a child rapist then it can award Brad Pitt, tabloid cover magnet.

      Peter Bart in a recent column commented on how Brad doesn’t play the schmooze game- you know run the party circuit, kiss ass and slap backs. He’s not George Clooney. Clooney really really wanted his oscar and worked it like a hooker on Sunset. That’s just not how Brad rolls.

    16. Rob Y December 8th, 2008 at 12:45 pm 16

      Brad Pitt reminds me of Cary Grant. Both are very dependable. Both are generally viewed as “Not a serious actor”. Both have been generally ignored by the Academy. Grant received two nominations for roles hardly considered his finest. Pitt one for the same.

      Pitt will probably get a lifetime achievement award in about 15 years.

    17. Euan December 8th, 2008 at 12:48 pm 17

      It’s not so much that he can’t get past his looks, he’s just not great.
      Marlon Brando was a pretty boy, yet it seems bizarre even considering them as similar.
      Daniel Day-Lewis is hardly average-looking, in fact he has always been extremely handsome, but again it is never an issue because he is primarily an actor; Brad Pitt has always been first and foremost about his looks (although, he should be commended for often exploiting that in interesting and thoughtful ways).

      I’m sure he will win an oscar as a producer at some point but he certainly doesn’t deserve much recognition for his acting.

    18. Hera December 8th, 2008 at 12:57 pm 18

      “I’m sure he will win an oscar as a producer at some point but he certainly doesn’t deserve much recognition for his acting.”

      Interesting you should mention this as Brad Pitt was a producer on The Departed. His company developed the project which was to have originally starred DiCaprio and Pitt. But Pitt was denied awards consideration for The Departed by both the PGA and AMPAS.

    19. Ryan Adams December 8th, 2008 at 12:58 pm 19

      “Brad Pitt has always been first and foremost about his looks”

      Is there anything less sexy than an 80-year-old newborn? Actresses win Oscars for uglifying themselves. Actors can’t?

    20. Yvette December 8th, 2008 at 1:11 pm 20

      He was great in Snatch and really funny!! Can’t think of any other role that I really liked.

    21. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 1:11 pm 21

      Michael Caine’s got two Oscars and he was pretty, back in the day. So was Sean Connery, who has one. And then there’s Brando, Brynner, Schell, Heston, Lancaster, Cooper, Olivier, Washington, Voight, Fonda, Newman, Irons, Washington, Brody, Young, Dunn, Clooney, Kline, Chakiris — all pretty at some point in their careers, in several cases even when they won the Oscar.

      And then there’s the prettiest of them all:
      Best Supporting Pretty Boy, a couple of years before the win.

    22. Casey F. December 8th, 2008 at 1:13 pm 22

      ill kill people if he gets snubbed again. imo he and christian bale are the actors of the generation. i love both of them and they both cant buy a nomination. brad should be able to buy anything, he bought a sizeable portion of new orleans

    23. David December 8th, 2008 at 1:21 pm 23

      Brad is a very subtle actor. Just look at his last four performances – all awards worthy: Babel, Jesse James (which I thought was his best work), Burn After Reading and now the remarkable Benjamin Button – I saw it at a screening last week and he is remarkable in his ability to be absolutely present in any moment.

    24. Ryan Adams December 8th, 2008 at 1:23 pm 24

      Oh yeah, Oscar abhors good-looking guys for Best Actor nominations. Scalds my retinas to look at any of these gargoyles:

      Daniel Day-Lewis
      Tom Cruise
      Warren Beatty
      Robert Downey, Jr.
      Denzel Washington
      Ralph Fiennes
      Woody Harrelson
      Matt Damon
      Russell Crowe
      Javier Bardem
      Will Smith
      Adrien Brody
      Johnny Depp
      Jude Law
      Jamie Foxx
      Leonardo DiCaprio
      Heath Ledger
      Ryan Gosling
      Will Smith
      George Clooney
      Viggo Mortensen

      Does it seem a lot of good-looking actresses win most of the Oscars? Maybe because it’s hard to find a working actress who’s not good-looking. Fernanda Montenegro can only do a couple of movies a year.

      Besides, if we’re talking Brad Pitt level of good-looking, there are only a couple of Best Actress winners in the past 40 years who come close. Marion Cotillard, Halle Berry and… that’s about it.

      Reese Witherspoon is prettier than Adrian Brody? Maybe if you’re not gay.
      8-)

    25. Rob Y December 8th, 2008 at 1:45 pm 25

      “Reese Witherspoon is prettier than Adrian Brody? Maybe if you’re not gay.” Um, Ryan, I am gay, and Reese is prettier than Brody.

    26. C December 8th, 2008 at 1:47 pm 26

      Brad Pitt is an excellent actor and picks excellent roles. What more can you ask for?

    27. Noah R. December 8th, 2008 at 1:48 pm 27

      It pisses me off the way Pitt is dismissed. Granted, many good-looking actors have had to earn the respect of the general public (e.g. DiCaprio, Depp, Ledger), but Pitt has proved his worth many times before and still he isn’t taken seriously. He is outstanding in Jesse James and is the best thing about Burn After Reading. I’m sure his performance in Benjamin Button will be great.

    28. Zach December 8th, 2008 at 1:49 pm 28

      Ive always considered Brad Pitt to be an underrated actor. Sure he is charming, but he has the talent.

    29. Chris December 8th, 2008 at 1:55 pm 29

      Jesus people, he’s okay but not great. Babel or Jesse James? It would be better if better actor played the role. Burn After Reading? very easy role. 12 monkeys? a joke. AMPAS nominated him because he looks like monkey.

    30. Zach December 8th, 2008 at 1:55 pm 30

      I think you’re all speaking too soon. Well, at least those of you who haven’t seen the movie yet. It’s seemingly a whimsical fantasy. The picture itself, probably the direction, and possibly the screenplay are what stand out to me as the most award-worthy if it’s as good as the hype. But even if Brad is very good and the movie is all about his character, in an already competitive year, not nominating him isn’t the same as snubbing him (as they will probably do to Angie — but whether she is even deserving is another story).

      My point is that a great movie does not mean a great performance. They can award the film Best Picture without even nominating Brad and Cate (who to me doesn’t seem to be giving her usual Academy performance here anyway!). Who knows, I’m starting to think Slumdog or Milk will take BP anyway. But look at Return of the King – sure, it was a technical marvel, but it didn’t need any acting nominations, despite spirited performances, to take the top prize. Look at Titanic. The sweep didn’t bring Leo to the ceremony as a nominee.

      And I love Cate as much as the next Oscarwatcher, but can somebody please tell me what seems so Oscar-worthy in her latest performance? The woman has been nominated so much that they’re not just gonna throw away a nod on her at this point. Forget Angie. Do we really think they’re gonna spurn both classy veteran Kristin Scott Thomas and indie upstart Sally Hawkins for Cate as well as the overrated princess Anne Hathaway? I don’t see both Hathaway and Blanchett making it into the race over a more auspicious breakthrough performance or a veteran’s return. Not Hathaway, Blanchett, and the talented but not-well-known Leo all together. Not with Meryl in what some say (heaven forbid) is a hammy performance. Say it ain’t so, Acad.

    31. Simone December 8th, 2008 at 1:56 pm 31

      Hey Paul, I didn’t realize that Christopher Walken was so pretty back in the day. And I’m not being facetious. He’s cool in my book. :)

    32. Chris December 8th, 2008 at 1:59 pm 32

      I just can’t stand people say he’s underrated actor. There are tons of actors who are better than Brad ****ing Pitt! If he was not pretty, people might not give a shit to him.

    33. Zach December 8th, 2008 at 2:00 pm 33

      Oh, and Ryan Adams, where have you been? For about half a decade recently, the Best Actress winners were all great beauties — Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, with Jennifer Connelly, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Rachel Weisz in supporting.

    34. T. Williams December 8th, 2008 at 2:02 pm 34

      Helen Mirren is the most beautiful oscar winner in recent history.

    35. Zach December 8th, 2008 at 2:05 pm 35

      Please.

    36. RichardA December 8th, 2008 at 2:08 pm 36

      No sympathy here.

    37. Gentle Benj December 8th, 2008 at 2:12 pm 37

      “he is remarkable in his ability to be absolutely present in any moment.”

      Give that man an Oscar! He was TOTALLY on the set for every one of his scenes!

      I know that’s not what you meant, but I still laughed.

    38. BP fan December 8th, 2008 at 2:12 pm 38

      As always, his haters speak up and denounce him over everything.
      He does not deserve an ounce of this, either professionally or personally. It is disgusting how people are trying to label him a bad actor because they have a wrong, contradictory view of his personal life. There is no use in bringing back the discussion of how, why, and who created a cycle of corruption, manipulation, and deception against him. That the entire perspective most people have of him now is rooted in a false acccusation. That it has escalated to its extreme point because of the recent spin about a false confession, his ex incited. I can’t believe some of the remarks people are making about his acting. Were the rest of you watching a different Brad Pitt than I was for the past decade or so? I know alot of you would not be making these negative comments dismissing him as an actor if you had not wrongfully turned on him personally. The problem with unfounded biases, is that it causes people to view everything wrongly and everything gets distorted. People have set higher standards for him and Angelina because they don’t want to be impressed. They can’t just be passable, they have to act their hearts out in every quality movie from now on. It has to be impeccable or sensational to receive praise and acclaim.

      I am very proud of Brad’s career and I think he will just grow stronger as an actor with time. He wasn’t a natural at the acting game, his talent took time to develop. He was a lost soul looking for excitement and adventure, which led him to Hollywood, a place where nice guys don’t belong. He has the ability to bring underwritten roles to life. His charisma, presence , and appeal often redefines the films he is in. I can’t imagine many of those films without him or I feel the movies wouldn’t have been as good.
      He makes many of his movies memorable and they will always have a place in film history. He doesn’t play himself or operate on a persona like many of his peers. He is flashy or subtle when the part calls for it.
      He manages to stand out without willfully trying to steal scenes. He does not follow the classical school of thought when it comes to acting. You can tell he mainly operates on instinct. He is the most underrated actor of our generation and is one of the best celebs we ever had.

      People fell in love with his personality and that all gets destroyed over a complex messy misportrayal a piece of gossip created. There have been plenty of pretty boys and pin-ups in Hollywood. They usually end up as flavors of the month but he managed such longevity and it was because of who he is. He has suffered from many false accusations, rumors, and was a tabloid target since he broke out into the A-list because of public interest and fascination with him. The media always tried to exploit that, they always had an agenda against him, a corrupt industry can’t stand having a good guy at the top for too long. He became too famous and popular for his own good. Too much beauty draws ugliness, envy, and spite from others. Those wrong images and spin never brought him down until 2005 because it was not just the media who was influencing the public this time..it was somebody he trusted and once loved..who he brought into the A-list who let people think those rumors were true to increase her power..and so she could always be the center of affection and attention at his expense. She would have faded into the B-list and be struggling to get film roles. That extreme adoration and prestige would have disintegrated by now. She would not be top at the top of the Hollywood hierarchy without him. She would be in the same position as most of her sitcom peers. Trying to cover up the fact there was nothing special, impressive, admirable, or respectable about her. Trying to cover up the fact that the world fell in love with a hollow fraud. He is a good man and did not deserve to be destroyed.
      He is the real deal and if people understood the truth, people would be loving him more and would be more enthusiastic about his career because of his extraordinary personal life.

      I was impressed with him or at least enjoyed him in Thelma & Louise, A River Runs Through It, Kalifornia, Cool World, Johnny Suede, True Romance, Seven, Seven Years in Tibet, The Mexican, 12 Monkeys, Snatch, Fight Club, Babel, Jesse James, Burn After Reading, and now with Benjamin Button. I thought he was adequate but could have been better in Sleepers, Interview with a Vampire, A Devil’s Own, Spy Game, Troy, and the other Ocean’s movies. Mr. and Mrs. Smith , Troy, and Ocean’s 12 & 13 were just weak or awful films and he couldn’t rise above that and I don’t think any other actor could have. His career has had its hit and misses. The only performance that I thought was bad was Meet Joe Black. Though it was the director who told him to use that tone of voice, he was playing the Angel of death, and he played wooden on purpose. I didn’t think he overracted in 12 Monkeys or Burn After Reading. He was the best thing about those two films. I didn’t even like Burn After Reading but I loved his performance in it. He made it watchable for me. I thought he hit the right note in 12 Monkeys, and was wonderfully manic because that is what the character required. When he is dynamic and intense, his haters claims he overacts. When he is understated, nuanced, and subtle, he haters claim he is wooden. They will never be appeased no matter how good the performance is. He deserved to be nominated for Fight Club, Kalifornia, Seven Years in Tibet, Babel, and Jesse James. I can’t believe people are picking on Fight Club and 12 Monkeys now. The media never gives him credit, they always throw him over for the more critically acclaimed actor. He was never a favorite with the pretentious critics and the snotty elite. They credited Edward Norton for Fight Club’s success. They gave more credit to the other supporting actresses for Babel than him. Edward was great in it but Brad made that movie what it is. Nobody could have played Tyler Durden better than him or captured the edgy essence of that film better than him. There were a lot of movies I know I wouldn’t have liked or would have forgotten about if Brad had not been in it. Brad has amused, angered, entranced, and moved me with some of his roles. He was sublime in Benjamin Button. It is also ridiculous how some are suggesting he coasted by on his looks. How many times did he play the hearrthrob card? Not that many, he tried to steer away from those kinds of parts. He often tried to play against his good looks but people were distracted by his sex appeal anyway. He has made some career mistakes. He turned down a lot of good roles. He rarely played it safe. His choices have always been interesting and usually challenging.

      People need to re-evaluate this icon’s career. People need to compare and contrast with some of his overrated peers. His peer group created a new style of cinema appeal and style of acting. They paved the way for the Matt Damon’s, DiCaprio’s, Colin Farrell’s, and
      Clooney’s, and etc. He is a good actor. The people who appreciate his career should speak up and should not be peer- pressured into thinking it is silly for people to think of him as a good actor. I always thought he was good and now he is evolving into a great actor.
      I have good feelings about his upcoming movies. The people who work with him often benefit. He will continue to impress and I think he will win an Oscar one day.

    39. Rob Y December 8th, 2008 at 2:13 pm 39

      I agree with you T. Williams. I love Helen Mirren.

      And to get back to Sasha’s original post, Warren Beatty did get an oscar for directing “Reds”.

    40. RichardA December 8th, 2008 at 2:16 pm 40

      Which is why I will not ever get an acting Oscar.

    41. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 2:17 pm 41

      Simone, I know that you want this year’s Best Actor to be another one of them pretty boys. ;-)

    42. Gentle Benj December 8th, 2008 at 2:18 pm 42

      Holy TL;DR, BP Fan! Do I hear wedding bells on the astral plane?

    43. David December 8th, 2008 at 2:22 pm 43

      gentle benj – yeah, guess i would have laughed too! but i was speaking actorspeak – you know some actors are there but nothing is going on in their eyes or faces – one of the acting greats – I forget who – said “your performance is in the eyes of the actor you are performing with…” it is indded more difficult to give a performance that isn’t a performance, if you know what I mean. brad totally carries the movie.

    44. BP fan December 8th, 2008 at 2:29 pm 44

      He is an actor and man of substance. Most of his movies have benefitted from his presence. He is woefully underrated. His circumstances are unique and can’t be compared to other actors and actresses. There are very few actors who could have pulled off those roles the same way he did. He played some of those roles better than anybody else could have. You can take that antagonistic attitude towards any actor you don’t like and just dismiss their great acting while claiming so and so could have done better. You just wrongly hate the guy.The people who are attacking his acting ability and blowing off roles he was was excellent in are just taking their unfounded bias too far. If he gets snubbed, it will be due to campaigning and all of the perverse personal politics that are going on. They managed to create a new spin that completely make it seems as if their misportrayal is rooted in fact when it is rooted in fiction. He also kicked ass in 12 Monkeys and people are now claiming it was bad because it got the Oscar nomination. Both he and Jolie deserve nods but they will have to overcome a monstrous bias
      to receive it in an overcompetitive award season.

    45. Simone December 8th, 2008 at 2:31 pm 45

      Whew, calm down BPfan. for the most part, I agree with you. But Brad is a big boy and rich boy and he can handle himself. I think it would be nice to see him nominated too. I think you need to understand that the love and respect for Brad Pitt is much better than the hate/envy of him.

    46. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 2:33 pm 46

      Assuming multiple identities only works if the identities are different from each other — and I’m not referring to Pitt’s acting prowess.

    47. Simone December 8th, 2008 at 2:36 pm 47

      Oh Paul!!!! Baby, I needed that. xoxo

      On my blog, I think I’ll use that image when I explain the pros of him earning a nomination, and the cons that will prevent him from earning it, namely:

      Unknown Irish/German guy
      Under 35
      Fucking hot!

    48. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 2:41 pm 48

      Simone, when I saw Angel last summer, I was blown away by his performance and screen presence. (And the only other film I’ve seen him in is 300, not knowing it was him.) I really hope the success of Hunger will help to get Angel a stateside release.

    49. TTitan December 8th, 2008 at 2:48 pm 49

      Way to go Awards Daily…….Put Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie’s name to ANYTHING and the hits will come….. And they claim these two “manipulate” the media…….

    50. Christina December 8th, 2008 at 2:48 pm 50

      The only thing that would keep him from an Oscar is the Evil Queen who brought him down. I know the poor guy told the truth and is not what people think he is. It is a shame because he is a sweetheart and an admirable guy. Anybody who thinks he is a bad actor is either lacking in taste or just pathetically campaigning against him. You are not going to convince me that he is a mediocre actor because I know with all of my heart that he is good. Hollywood never wanted to take him seriously, he is more than just a cool and good looking guy. Paul Outlaw, you are part of a perverse faction. You need to stop posing as a fan and leave the real fans alone.

    51. Simone December 8th, 2008 at 2:51 pm 51

      Me too Paul. I’m hopeful that as Hunger is screening in LA this week only, enough people will see it who actually vote for AMPAS and give Michael the kudos he deserves. At this point, I will be content with him receiving an Oscar nomination because it will put him on the map and prompt people to watch his work. The BA field is too crowded this year with production companies that have PR and promotion money to burn; unlike the backers for Michael.

      A nomination is my goal… what happens beyond that would be the cherry on top. :)

      Have you visited my blog yet, just click on my name.

    52. Seth December 8th, 2008 at 3:00 pm 52

      I really liked Pitt’s work in Jesse James. I haven’t seen the film yet, so it’s hard to say what will happen, but it seems like Penn, Rourke, Eastwood, and Langella are locks. DiCaprio is now almost seeming like a lock. So, that’s five right there. I’m surprised that Benicio del Toro isn’t in the top five because a year ago he seemed like the frontrunner. Then you have Pitt and Richard Jenkins. I don’t think Penn can get knocked off. Now that Eastwood won NBR he seems like a lock, and Langella seems too good to get knocked out. Rourke could get some flack for being such an asshole, but it’s such a great performance that it’s doubtful. So that leaves Pitt knocking out Leo. The battle of the pretty boys. Pitt is a less lauded actor than DiCaprio though, so it seems like Pitt will again be left out of the party unless somehow there’s a tie and there’s six nominees. Is that possible?

    53. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 3:05 pm 53

      Paul Outlaw, you are part of a perverse faction.

      Yes, but leave my personal life out of this discussion.

      I’m not the one writing post after post pretending to be or represent a legion of aggrieved fans and I happen to think Pitt should be nominated for Benjamin Button. So give it a rest, please.

    54. Christina December 8th, 2008 at 3:07 pm 54

      It does not matter who is representing the truth as long as its spoken. The hate/envy/misunderstanding of him considerably outweighs the love and respect for him. I wish that was not the case but that is what is true. Why people can go off on as much hate as they want but the people who are coming from the right side have to limit their words. It is really warped when the dissent comes from people who act like fans. Alleged fan, you are doing him and what is good a disservice. You are making it so much easier for the people who fully operate on that bias. He wouldn’t want to have fans like you who prevent the truth from coming out. Being rich isn’t everything. He will be unfairly robbed if he does not receive the nomination for this movie. He is a great actor and deserves an award. I think he would rather have his reputation and respect from the world back rather than an acting award. I am a part of a
      group. I am not a poser or pretender like you. Why don’t you just mock him like everybody else? What you are doing is the equivalent of that. You are wrongly representing yourself as a supporter.

    55. Ross December 8th, 2008 at 3:13 pm 55

      I’m no hater and don’t want people to use labels here. But to me Pitt is a mediocre actor. What he does in films, most of the time feels forced or overacted. Just look at 12 MONKEYS. Sorry, but he was awful in it. I didn’t believe him for a second. All the ticks, all the mimics. It was too much. Way too much.

      Then the performances, which followed – shallow. Unemotional.

      BABEL – Sorry, but compared to the other actors, he was like a total amateur. Kikuchi for example offered a beautiful, raw and honest performance. Pitt had a problem really (and I acknowledge that) – a really bad story arc and a character who wasn’t developed at all, but I just didn’t see somebody living on screen. The performance was again kind of ambitious, but shallow.

      JESSE JAMES – The same. Didn’t impress me.

      Sorry, but to me he’s no good actor.

      I’ve never seen the potential.

      Angelina, on the other hand, has potential, but she went for the stardom.

    56. Alfredo December 8th, 2008 at 3:18 pm 56

      Am I too late to join this party?

      Brad Pitt is indeed a extremely underrated Actor. I think as he gets older his roles will get better as they have been already. Babel, Jesse James and Burn After Reading were all fantastic performances. His beauty coupled with his super Celebrity status do get in the way of critics taking him seriously as an Actor. Paul Newman was victim to this early in his career. Newman was so beautiful when he was young that it was almost impossible to take him seriously. Before you jump down my throat, please remember that Newman had his critics at the start of his career and was mostly regarded as a “mediocre” actor at best. It wasn’t til he aged a little more that he began to gain respect and still he couldn’t win an Oscar until the 1980s for a role that some felt was a make-up award. I’m rambling now but the point I’m trying to make is that one day Brad will be recognized to be a great actor. Too bad it won’t be until he’s a GILF.

    57. Christina December 8th, 2008 at 3:24 pm 57

      Your support for him is superficial and useless. What you think of him
      as a man is more fundamental that what you think of him as an actor.
      I don’t get people like you. We have enough on our hands by people who hate and insult him directly and openly. Then we have people like you who make us feel so low for trying to discuss what is real and right. You probably believe that accusation or think it does not matter when that is what the misportrayal is all about. I am tired of seeing you act like such a fan and then pick on that small group of people who truly care. We are practicing a utilitarian approach to build support for the knowledge that people need to accept. I know most people never will. Good for you, I guess you feel good about what you are doing. Those so-called compliments from you will amount to nothing. Insults will be encouraged and any discussion of truth will be prevented.

    58. Gentle Benj December 8th, 2008 at 3:29 pm 58

      Won’t someone PLEASE think of the MEGASTARS?!

    59. Mark P December 8th, 2008 at 3:35 pm 59

      I’m pretty sure Pitt still gets nominated. Penn, Langella are locks. Eastwood is probably a lock and Rourke is probably a lock unless too many snobs think “I can’t nominate Mickey freakin’ Rourke” and leave him off the ballot.

      That leaves a fifth spot open, and if Benjamin Button ends up taking as many nominations as people think it will, it would be hard to imagine the big-name star not getting caught up in the wake. The only thing stopping Pitt could be Leo, or a shock nominee like Downey Jr. for Iron Man or Richard Jenkins.

      Really, Pitt already got his honour this year — the Bradley-Pittsburgh game in last March’s NCAA basketball tournament that was short-formed as ‘BRAD-PITT’ on the scorebox at the top of every TV screen in America.

    60. Christina December 8th, 2008 at 3:41 pm 60

      Ross, you are a hater. Quit acting like you are not. Calling him shallow and unemotional was like sticking a dagger into my heart.
      How low, degrading, and cruel can you get? I can’t deal with liars.

      He is a great actor. He emotes just fine in his films. You can feel it in his eyes, facial expressions, movements, and etc. I love the way he delivers his dialogue. He actually gets into character and always draws me into the movie. He made me cry in Babel, I felt the pain of a father and husband in anguish. There was nothing shallow about it. I felt it was raw, honest, powerful, and touching. I thought it was realistic and he did a great job in delivering that character arc whenever there was not a lot of backstory or dialogue. You chose to be cold towards his performance. I thought he was greatly nuanced in Jesse James. His ticks and movements in 12 Monkeys made the character quirky and compelling. You refuse to be impressed. There is nothing contrived about his acting. Contrived, immature, hammy,
      hollow, and mediocre describes the acting style of his ex.

    61. Simone December 8th, 2008 at 3:42 pm 61

      Alfredo, I think you’re on to something. Even when I look at old Paul Newman movies, I admit, I did not hear the words that was coming out of that man’s mouth, as I was just focused on his beauty. it was like a curse for him, but, oh well. I reckon you’re right about Brad having all that static at the present, so if he gets a nomination at the least, that’s saying something.

      So do you think Ralph Fiennes is suffering from the same prejudice? He’s been nominated, what, 3 times?

      But what about George Clooney? Or is he just very good looking in oppose to ‘Pretty Boy’?

      Translate GILF please. Danke!

    62. Gentle Benj December 8th, 2008 at 3:43 pm 62

      Richard Jenkins strikes me as exactly the sort of nominee that doesn’t show up at the Critics’ Choice or the Globes, but sneaks on in at the Oscars. And Pitt seems like just the opposite. I know the comparison is over the top, but consider Angelina Jolie’s awards journey last year. Nominated by BFCA, HFPA and SAG, but when it came to the Oscars, BAM! Laura Linney.

      LOL at the basketball thing.

      “Calling him shallow and unemotional was like sticking a dagger into my heart.”

      *Munches popcorn* This is getting good! I dunno about Pitt’s ability to emote, but you, ma’am, are delivering a tour de force!

    63. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 3:46 pm 63

      We are Borg. Resistance is futile. You must comply.

      (Or is that Coneheads?)

    64. Alfredo December 8th, 2008 at 3:49 pm 64

      Simone,

      Ralph Fiennes and George Clooney are both Handsome men unlike Pitt and Newman who are BEAUTIFUL men. Atleast that’s how I make the distinction in my head. So it’s easier for people not to be distracted by Fiennes and Clooney’s looks because they are rugged handsome men. The way men are supposed to be. Pitt and Newman are/were just so beautiful it makes/made me want to slap my mama.

      Oh and GILF = Grandfather I’d Like to F.u.c.k.!

    65. Gentle Benj December 8th, 2008 at 3:53 pm 65

      Alfredo: “Hey, look! Cool Hand Luke is on TV. And Meet Joe Black on another channel.”

      Alfredo’s Mama: *runs into the other room, shielding her face*

    66. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 3:54 pm 66

      Alfredo, tell that to the George-Clooney’s-Looks-Distract-Me-More-Than-Brad-Pitt’s Society.

    67. Simone December 8th, 2008 at 3:56 pm 67

      Oh Alfredo, you nastay bastard! LOL! I’m sitting here in all my midwestern innocence thinking of what GILF means and you spit that out in my face. Thanks for the laugh! LOL!

      Ok, I think I see what you’re saying, Ralph/George, real man handsome. Brad and Paul, pretty ass lucky bastards.

      Ok. :)

    68. Simone December 8th, 2008 at 3:58 pm 68

      Oh, one more thing Alfredo, since you have an impressive male hot-o-meter, does my Michael Fassbender fall in the goodlooking or pretty category, in your opinion? Just testin’.

    69. Christina December 8th, 2008 at 4:00 pm 69

      You are the conehead. You are trying to force me and others into complying with something that is not right. You are belittling us for going against the grain. You are no better than the people who insult him without mercy. If people see something that is negatively affecting our world and making it a worse place, it is their duty to fight against it by informing them about what is really happening. Then another asshole twists around what the bias created. She got snubbed for A Mighty Heart because that force won over that year. It might win over again this year. It is sick you find all of this so amusing. Act like scum. I find you revolting.

    70. mike December 8th, 2008 at 4:00 pm 70

      Let´s face it! brad pitt started his career by being good-looking! but I don´t really think that´s the reason why he never won the award and has been snubbed some many times! Seven, Fight Club, Babel(Eddie Murphy? -> sorry, but i couldn´t take him serious), Jesse James and probably Benjamin Button! He gave so many memorable peformances! I can´t really think of a reason but i just don´t believe it is because he´s too pretty for the oscars! i mean leonardo dicaprio, george clooney, jude law & johnny depp… are recent examples for being handsome and getting nominated more than once…

    71. Gentle Benj December 8th, 2008 at 4:09 pm 71

      I just went to CVS and got a bunch of tin foil. Everyone tell me your hat size.

    72. k December 8th, 2008 at 4:12 pm 72

      I’m still waiting for someone to blame Jennifer Aniston.

    73. SaltireFlower December 8th, 2008 at 4:18 pm 73

      LOL K!

      I don’t know what it is about the Pitt/Jolie/Aniston story that brings out the madness in people. It’s been what, four years since this started? If this is how people react after all that time Pitt might really be snubbed.

      I thought he was brilliant in Jesse James and though I haven’t seen Benjamin Button yet, he’s been doing pretty solid work recently, so I doubt he’ll disappoint me.

    74. Ryan Adams December 8th, 2008 at 4:26 pm 74

      “Do we really think they’re gonna spurn both classy veteran Kristin Scott Thomas and indie upstart Sally Hawkins for Cate”

      I dunno, but I hope Jason Lee and wife Beth Riesgraf are reading this so they can add a new baby name to their list:
      “Pilot Inspektor, meet your new baby sister Indie Upstartte!”

      Excellent comment, Zach. Sorry to yuck it all up.

    75. Robert December 8th, 2008 at 4:28 pm 75

      Hey, BPfan/Christina is back again! Last week she was posting this same People Hate Brad and Angelina Because Jennifer Aniston Rules a Corrupt Media drivel under the names Talia/Lucy.

      Kind of interesting that she(he?) always posts under multiple names.

      Yes, Paul Outlaw. We are borg! (lol)

    76. Joao Mattos December 8th, 2008 at 4:28 pm 76

      Ryan, #24 makes me LOL. Poor Fernanda.

      I belong to the people “in the middle”. Pitt is underrated for his comic acting (wildly funny in “Burn After Reading”, still thinks his best ever is “Johnny Suede”), and already gave good dramatic acting. But don’t think he is not – still not, maybe – a truly great actor. Put “Jesse James” aside. For what perfomances/roles she should be acclaimed? “Troy”? “Smith”? “Spy Game”? “The Devil´s One”? “Seven Years From Tibet”? And the ones in the “Ocean’s” series? Should be acclaimed? I prefer him in “Seven” than in “Fight Club”, but in 95 all the nominees for Best Actor aren’t quite good?

      I think he didn’t gave us his best yet.

      I think he needs more great roles.

      And, of course, there is plenty of actors and actress who will never win an statue or gets a real fair number of nominations that this people deserve; too much people working, few nods and Oscar to distribute.

    77. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm 77

      @ k

      Wade through comments 38, 50 and 60…if you dare.

    78. Mike December 8th, 2008 at 4:39 pm 78

      Brad Pitt is a great actor

    79. Julianna December 8th, 2008 at 4:44 pm 79

      Okay there’s a lot of comments here so I will open up with the statement that I read, like, 5 other comments. Sorry.

      Personally I’m not so sure if people don’t know how talented Brad Pitt is. There are certainly more cursed actors out there who have it a lot harder than Pitt does, respect-wise.

      In fact I always had the perception that he was a respected, established actor, whose talent was just acknowledged along with his looks.

    80. Julianna December 8th, 2008 at 4:49 pm 80

      Oh and yes I agree with above statement that not everyone thinks Brad Pitt is the hottest candy in town. I personally happen to think that Ralph Fiennes is much more attractive. I’ve never found Pitt that attractive, maybe that’s where my view comes from. I tend to prefer men who look like they could live next door, so to speak.

      And let’s please not play the Angelina card, okay? I really look up to her, but I’m tired of playing the “disadvantaged” and “love triangle” cards. Surely there is more to all three of them.

    81. Christina December 8th, 2008 at 5:08 pm 81

      It was not drivel, it was the truth. It is the people who are trying to combat the madness most of the world is engaged in against him who are being mocked as horrible and crazy. All of you pretend not to be part of it. People are reacting as strongly as they can after all of this time. It is twisted, how people like K who I know are on Team Aniston and badmouth him as much as they can are turning it around and act like any mention of a bias is absurd. They dominate the world and then corrupt everybody into deeper ignorance and denial. Then on award sites like these, they play innocent and act like they are outside of all of this. They post obsessively, write articles, have t.v. specials on it, and keep all of the craziness thriving constantly. It has been going for over 4 years and people like you are making it worse.
      Then they misportray us as the demented ones. You are perfectly aware of what role she plays in all of this and what is going on. All willfully part of a cover up and participating in corruption while some have the perversity to pose as fans. I bet less than 2% of the people on this board are not involved in this and are real fans of not just Brad, but of what is true, good, and right. All of you will one day pay the price for this sickness. You have turned into trash because of this woman and this never-ending misportrayal. You are the ones who spreading the nastiness and madness against him and behave as if we are the ones who operating on it when we are going against it.
      It is people like you who might get him snubbed, not people like me.
      Damn you people. Your main tactics are just to lie, contradict, and deny. You flip everything around. I hope all of you end up in the same place as your beloved whore because you are all serving something that is so foul and poisionous. A collection of human crap is what you are. Curse everything about you. I know people close to him, and they would spit on people like you. Actually, they are too nice for that. They are feeling what we are feeling. Why has the world become like this where trying to even remotely pointing out what is happening brings about such twisted and delusional trashing? We are more sane than all of you, so stop acting like we are the ones who mental help. GO TO HELL.

    82. Mr5 December 8th, 2008 at 5:09 pm 82

      Brad Pitt – Marylin Monroe
      underrated because sex symbol No. 1!

    83. Mr5 December 8th, 2008 at 5:09 pm 83

      Monroe 0 noms 0 oscar…

    84. k December 8th, 2008 at 5:12 pm 84

      Yeah… okay then.

    85. Vicky December 8th, 2008 at 5:23 pm 85

      Buy Tickets to Marley and Me. Believe all the junk you read. Buy tabloids. Lick Jennifer’s ass. Then humiliate and abuse the people who talk sense and truth in the most mean-spirited and psychotic way you can. Worship the devil. Just ride on whatever spin the media creates. Judge everything by what the media claims. That is what kind of people you are.

    86. Marc December 8th, 2008 at 5:25 pm 86

      rourke
      di caprio
      pitt
      penn
      langella

    87. Paul Outlaw December 8th, 2008 at 5:30 pm 87

      RE: #81

      Um, I’ll have what she’s having.

    88. Mr5 December 8th, 2008 at 5:31 pm 88

      Rourke,Langella,Pitt,del Toro,Penn

    89. Ryan Adams December 8th, 2008 at 5:35 pm 89

      re: #81

      I wish she’d hurry up and doze off so we can put her in the pod.

    90. Ryan Adams December 8th, 2008 at 5:38 pm 90

      @ Mr5
      That 5some would make my day.

      I’d be almost as happy with
      Rourke
      Langella
      diCaprio
      del Toro
      Penn

    91. Mr5 December 8th, 2008 at 5:51 pm 91

      Rourke winner!

    92. Marc December 8th, 2008 at 5:54 pm 92

      thanks BP fan

    93. Marc December 8th, 2008 at 6:06 pm 93

      Pitt win Oscar for tree of life to Malick

    94. Mimi December 8th, 2008 at 6:08 pm 94

      Brad Pitt is not that good an actor. He is mediocre. Tom Cruise is a mch better actor and he still doesn’t have an Oscar.

      I doubt Brad Pitt would be employed as an actor if he weren’t OK looking. I don’t see him working into old age like Nicholson or Pacino.

    95. Mr5 December 8th, 2008 at 6:10 pm 95

      oscar pitt??
      ingluorius basterds director quentin tarantino!!!

    96. SaltireFlower December 8th, 2008 at 6:11 pm 96

      Vicky: you lost me at “worship the devil”. WTF are you on about?

    97. Mr5 December 8th, 2008 at 6:12 pm 97

      Cruise is a mediocre actor

      cruise career =THE END

    98. jack December 8th, 2008 at 6:16 pm 98

      Cruise winner razzie award for valkyrie!!

    99. Mr5 December 8th, 2008 at 6:28 pm 99

      hahahaha

    100. Mr5 December 8th, 2008 at 6:31 pm 100

      valkirie 26 dec- ben button – 25 dec
      tom vs brad

    101. Marc December 8th, 2008 at 6:33 pm 101

      Fincher vs Singer

      Seven vs The Usual Suspects!

    102. Alfredo December 8th, 2008 at 7:05 pm 102

      Simone, Fassbender def does not fall under the pretty category. I’d put him in the Viggo Mortensen category. You know, handsome but not too handsome where I think he’s not human.

    103. lac December 8th, 2008 at 7:10 pm 103

      I think Will Smith is a so so actor but he is two Oscar noms. Will Smith is always playing Will Smith in every movie. I have not seen Seven Pounds but based on the trailer I really don’t see much difference than how he acted in Pursuit of Happiness. So based on that there must be another reason(other than so so acting ability) that Brad has only received one Oscar nom.

    104. Simone December 8th, 2008 at 8:22 pm 104

      Fair enough Alfredo, I also put Fassy in the handsome category too. Cheers. :)

    105. Sasha Stone December 8th, 2008 at 9:04 pm 105

      “Won’t someone PLEASE think of the MEGASTARS?!”

      LOL. I disagree that Pitt isn’t a good actor – I think he is so great, so pitch-perfect in Burn After Reading, absolutely amazing in Benjamin Button and was really scary good in Jesse James….

    106. Mary B. December 8th, 2008 at 10:33 pm 106

      Alfredo nails it. I also remember how Paul Newman needed to age before he was really taken seriously. In all fairness he wasn’t that great early on and he did get better as he aged with some exceptions of course.

      I thought Pitt’s was the better performance in Jesse James. He was wonderful in that and I was surprised because of the press over praising in my opinion Casey over Pitt. I know Affleck seemed to get more of the accolades but it was Pitt’s performance that grabbed me while Affleck’s seemed too forced.

      The list way up thread of all the men alleged to be good looking – not many of them received their Oscars for roles where they were good looking. Bardem, Fiennes, Day-Lewis, Crowe, Clooney, all were pretty unattractive in their Oscar acknowledged roles. Less so with the noms. So here’s hoping Pitt that if he’s worthy he is acknowledged this year.

    107. The Natural December 8th, 2008 at 11:11 pm 107

      ***Bardem, Fiennes, Day-Lewis, Crowe, Clooney***

      Except Fiennes has never won…

    108. Ross December 9th, 2008 at 1:52 am 108

      Cristina,

      There are a lot of actors I dislike because of their public personas, but who impress me from time to time – including Jolie, who was great in A Mighty Wind and this year kind of a surprised me (though it was an uneven performance) in the otherwise awful Changeling.

      But while I may be a hater (which I’m not), you’re acting like a fanboy. I just said my opinion and you have no right to call somebody a hater because of that. I’m actually a theatre direction student and I work a lot with acting and actors and performance and to me Brad Pitt doesn’t deliver.

    109. Julianna December 9th, 2008 at 9:40 am 109

      Wow, gee, thanks Christina. I was expressing that I’m a fan of Angelina but you seem to only want to read the things that piss you off, and then you rant like a maniac and call everyone on here the same names. Not a very smart tactic. Didn’t your mother ever teach you that throwing a temper tantrum doesn’t work?

      I don’t feel it’s anyone’s place to judge Brad Pitt’s divorce, wether you are “team” Aniston or “team” Jolie, because… SURPRISE! YOU WEREN’T THERE! YOU DON’T KNOW THEM! I happen to prefer Angelina WAY over Jennifer Aniston myself. Angelina was a great inspiration to me as her outspokenness inspired the courage to come out of the closet in me. I will forever hold Angelina higher in esteme than any other famous woman.

      However, the way you say things sounds very disturbed to me. “Dominate the world and then corrupt everybody into deeper ignorance and denial.” That sounds a little too intense for me. I’m not against you, I think Brad is an awesome actor and AGAIN I admire Angelina a lot, I have no particular emotion concerning Jennifer Aniston. But darling you’re going in too deep. I know that it’s frustrating, believe me. I happen to know an actor personally who gets a lot of shit thrown his way, that is completely undeserved. I know what it’s like to want to shove the truth down people’s throats. But going all “EVERYONE HERE SUCKS I HOPE YOU ROT IN HELL” isn’t the way to make a point. I suggest you take that up with the people you know who know Brad. I’m sure they’ll agree on that point.

    110. Alison Flynn December 9th, 2008 at 11:24 am 110

      Damn, I’m really late to this party. Looks like I missed all the fun.

    111. eka December 9th, 2008 at 5:54 pm 111

      I think Brad is a good actor who’s chosen a variety of great roles throughout his career – most recently Babel, Jesses James, Benjamin Button and the upcoming Tree of Life – now I haven’t seen BB but if the movie is nominated for everything under the sun but for best actor then I will be seriously pissed and will not watch the Oscars – unless of course, Mr. and Mrs. Pitt grace the Oscars with their presence for whatever reason.


    Leave a reply


    • Contender Tracker

      Best Picture
      Up in the Air
      Nine
      The Hurt Locker
      An Education
      Precious: Based on the Novel
      Push by Sapphire

      A Serious Man
      Inglourious Basterds
      Up

      Julie & Julia
      Star Trek
      District 9
      Bright Star
      Where the Wild Things Are
      A Single Man

      Best Actor
      Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
      Colin Firth, A Single Man
      George Clooney, Up in the Air
      Matt Damon, The Informant!
      Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
      Viggo Mortensen, The Road
      Ben Foster, The Messenger
      Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man
      Michael Sheen, The Damned United

      Best Actress
      Gabby Sidibe, Precious
      Carey Mulligan, An Education
      Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
      Abbie Cornish, Bright Star
      Helen Mirren, The Last Station
      Michelle Monaghan, Trucker

      Best Supporting Actor
      Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
      Alfred Molina, An Education
      Stanley Tucci, Julie & Julia
      Peter Sarsgaard, An Education
      Robert Duvall, Crazy Heart
      Peter Capaldi, In the Loop
      Zach Galifianakis, The Hangover
      Anthony Mackie, The Hurt Locker
      Brian Geraghty, The Hurt Locker

      Best Supporting Actress
      Mo'Nique,Precious
      Anna Kendrick,Up in the Air
      Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
      Julianne Moore, A Single Man
      Melanie Laurent, Inglourious Basterds
      Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
      Samantha Morton, The Messenger
      Emma Thompson, An Education
      Cara Seymour, An Education

      Best Director
      Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
      Lee Daniels, Precious
      Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
      Lone Scherfig, An Education
      Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
      Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
      Neill Blomkamp, District 9
      Spike Jonze, Where the Wild Things Are
      Tom Ford, A Single Man
      Jane Campion, Bright Star

      Best Original Screenplay
      Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
      Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
      Jane Campion, Bright Star
      Quentin Tarantino,Inglourious Basterds
      Michael Haneke,White Ribbon
      Bob Peterson, Pete Docter,Up
      Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber, 500 Days of Summer

      Best Adapted Screenplay
      Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
      Nick Hornby, An Education
      Spike Jonze, Dave Eggars, Where the Wild Things Are
      Peter Morgan, The Damned United
      Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
      Scott Burns, The Informant!
      Tom Ford, A Single Man

      Best Editing

      Chris Innis, Bob Murawski, The Hurt Locker
      Sally Menke, Inglourious Basterds
      Dana E. Glauberman,, Up in the Air
      Joel and Ethan Coen,, A Serious Man

      Best Cinematography
      Greig Fraser,Bright Star
      Robert Richardson,Inglourious Basterds
      Roger Deakins, A Serious Man
      Christian Berger, White Ribbon
      Bruno Delbonnel,Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      Barry Ackroyd, The Hurt Locker

      Best Art Direction

      Where the Wild Things Are
      Julie & Julia
      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      Bright Star
      Inglourious Basterds
      White Ribbon
      District 9
      A Serious Man

      Best Sound Mixing

      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      District 9
      Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
      The Hurt Locker
      Star Trek

      Best Sound Editing

      District 9
      Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
      Star Trek
      Up

      Best Costume Design
      Janet Patterson, Bright Star
      Jany Temime,Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
      Anna B. Sheppard,Inglourious Basterds
      Mary Zophre, A Serious Man
      Colleen Atwood, Public Enemies
      Consolata Boyle,Cheri

      Best Original Score
      Carter Burwell, Karen O,Where the Wild Things Are
      Carter Burwell,A Serious Man
      Michael Giacchino,Up
      Alexandre Desplat, Cheri
      Elliot Goldenthal, Public Enemies

      Best Foreign Language Film (submissions)

      Letters from Father Jacob, Finland
      White Wedding, South Africa
      A Prophet, France
      Dawson, Isla 10, Chile
      Nobody to Watch Over Me, Japan
      Prince of Tears, Hong Kong
      No puedo vivir sin ti, Taiwan
      Kelin, Kazakhstan
      Mother, Korea
      The White Ribbon, Germany
      Silent Army, The Netherlands


      Best Documentary Feature

      The Beaches of Agnes
      Burma VJ
      The Cove
      Every Little Step
      Facing Ali
      Food, Inc.
      Garbage Dreams
      Living in Emergency
      The Most Dangerous Man in America
      Mugabe and the White African
      Sergio
      Soundtrack for a Revolution
      Under Our Skin
      Valentino
      Which Way Home


      Best Animated Feature
      Up
      The Princess and the Frog
      Coraline
      The Fantastic Mr. Fox
      A Christmas Carol
      Mary and Max
      Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
      Ponyo


      Best Visual Effects
      Star Trek
      District 9
      A Christmas Carol
      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      Transformers


      Best Makeup

      Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
      District 9

      Best Song

      Best Live Action Short

      Best Animated Short

      Best Documentary Short

      China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
      The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
      The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
      Lt. Watada
      Music by Prudence
      Rabbit a la Berlin
      Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak
      Woman Rebel

    • Ampas Breakdown

      Actors-1,222
      Producers-462
      Executives-436
      Sound-411
      Writers-388
      Art Directors-373
      Directors-375
      Public Relations-370
      Members at Large-254
      Shorts/Feature Ani-335
      Visual Effects-272
      Music-233
      Editors-227
      Cinematographers-197
      Documentary-145
      Makeup-115
      Total Voting Members -approx 6,000
    • Tuesday, December 1, 2009: Official Screen Credits forms due

      Monday, December 28, 2009: Nominations ballots mailed

      Saturday, January 23, 2010: Nominations polls close 5 p.m. PT

      Tuesday, February 2, 2010: Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PT, Samuel Goldwyn Theater

      Wednesday, February 10, 2010: Final ballots mailed

      Monday, February 15, 2010: Nominees Luncheon

      Saturday, February 20, 2010: Scientific and Technical Achievement Awards presentation

      Tuesday, March 2, 2010: Final polls close 5 p.m. PT

      Sunday, March 7, 2010: 82nd Annual Academy Awards presentation