The announcements from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences were made at 5.30am in Los Angeles in order to catch the morning television news programs on the east coast which are three hours ahead of the film capital. Former nominee Sigourney Weaver read out the names to press and publicists.
The name of Johnny Depp, nominated for the first time for his splendidly idiosyncratic portrayal in Pirates of the Caribbean was greeted with cheers. Tom Cruise (The Last Samurai) had been seen as a likelier contender but was ignored in what will be seen as contest between Sean Penn (Mystic River) and Bill Murray (Lost in Translation), both of whom picked up Golden Globes on Sunday.
There were surprises, too, in the foreign-language categories althoughBarbarian Invasions, the Canadian film that deals light-heartedly with approaching death, was named and will be a favorite.
FBI screens screeners
The surprises will shift attention from the news that some of the "screeners" sent out to members of the academy have since become the property of pirates who have no connection with the Caribbean. The FBI has made one arrest and an investigation is under way into how a dozen films should have ended up for sale as DVDs so swiftly when academy members had to sign forms saying they would guard them closely.
The winners will be announced on Feb. 29 in Los Angeles when comedian and actor Billy Crystal will once again be the master of ceremonies.
Last year's event was most notable for taking place in the shadow of war and for the angry attack on George Bush made by documentary maker Michael Moore after he won his Oscar. Of the nominees this year, probably the most outspoken on such issues as the war in Iraq is Sean Penn but he dislikes such events and did not show up to collect his Golden Globe on Sunday, a stance which may count against him when academy members cast their final votes.
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