Age: 39
Character: Mark Whitacre in The Informant
Film: A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Whitacre (Matt Damon) suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company's multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion.
But before all that can happen, the FBI needs evidence, so Whitacre eagerly agrees to wear a wire and carry a hidden tape recorder in his briefcase, imagining himself as a kind of de facto secret agent.
Unfortunately for the FBI, their lead witness hasn't been quite so forthcoming about helping himself to the corporate coffers.
Whitacre's ever-changing account frustrates the agents (Scott Bakula and Joel McHale) and threatens the case against ADM as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of Whitacre's active imagination.
Previous Golden Globe Wins: Damon has one previous Oscar win for best Screenplay for Good Will Hunting back in 1997.
Previous Golden Globe Nominations: He also two other nominations: Best Actor for The Talented Mr Ripley back in 1999 and Best Supporting Actor this year for Invictus.
Award/Nominations for role: For his performance he has been nominated for best Actor at the Chicago Film Critics Awards, Satellite Awards and the Detroit Film Critics Society Awards.
He has also been nominated at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, broadcast Film critics Association, Chicago Film Critics Association and the Satellite Awards.
Critics: “Matt Damon gives the best performance of his career so far.” - The Observer
“Powered by a convincing Matt Damon, The Informant! is a quick-on-its feet comedy that never outstays its welcome.” - Channel 4 Film
“Damon is great. His comic timing as Mark Whitacre, a biochemist turned inept corporate whistleblower, transforms what should have been a dull film into an entertaining one.” - Sun Online
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Take a look at the other nominees:
Tagged in Golden Globes Matt Damon