PE-RFECT Nine

Third Oscar nomination for Penelope Cruz

SPAIN’S MOST INTERNATIONALLY renowned actress, Penelope Cruz, has received her third career Oscar nomination: best supporting actress for Nine.

Pe, as she is affectionately known in Spain, was first nominated in 2007 for best actress for Pedro Almodóvar’s Volver. She missed out that time (though current boyfriend Javier Bardem did break through as the first Spanish actor to win an Oscar, as supporting actor for No Country For Old Men) but last year triumphed for her supporting actress role in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

The only other Spaniards to have won Oscars in the main categories are: Alejandro Amenábar, 2005 best foreign-language film (Mar Adentro / The Sea Inside); Pedro Almodóvar, 2003 best original screenplay (Hable Con Ella / Talk To Her) and 1999 best foreign-language film (Todo Sobre Mi Madre / All About My Mother); Fernando Trueba, 1993 best foreign-language film (Belle Epoque); José Luis Garci, 1982 best foreign-language film (Volver A Empezar / Begin The Beguine).

As for the Australians this year, Abbie Cornish missed out in spite of being considered the best chance of a nomination for her performance in Jane Campion’s period drama Bright Star; but Janet Patterson was nominated for best costume design, also for Bright Star, and Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey were nominated for live action short film for Miracle Fish. It was the first time in more than a decade that no Australian actor had been included in the nomination list.

Bright Star and The Road, directed by Australia’s John Hillcoat, were also overlooked for best picture in spite of the Academy expanding the nominations in this top category from five to 10.

The Academy Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday 7 March.

George Clooney nominated for Up In The Air

MAIN NOMINATIONS

BEST PICTURE: Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire, A Serious Man, Up, Up in the Air.

ACTOR: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart; George Clooney, Up in the Air; Colin Firth, A Single Man; Morgan Freeman, Invictus; Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker.

ACTRESS: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side; Helen Mirren, The Last Station; Carey Mulligan, An Education; Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire; Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia.

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Matt Damon, Invictus; Woody Harrelson, The Messenger; Christopher Plummer, The Last Station; Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones; Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Penelope Cruz, Nine; Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air; Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart; Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air; Mo’Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire.

DIRECTING: James Cameron, Avatar; Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker; Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds; Lee Daniels, Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire; Jason Reitman, Up in the Air.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Ajami, Israel; El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Argentina; The Milk of Sorrow, Peru; Un Prophete, France; The White Ribbon, Germany.