- Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Ryan Gosling – Lars and the Real Girl - Tom Hanks – Charlie Wilson’s War - Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Savages - John C. Reilly – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is famed for choosing the obscure roles that no other actor seems to have the confidence to pick. And Sweeney Todd is no different.The successful partnership of Depp and director Tm Burton continues as they both venture into new territory: the musical.Depp stars as Benjamin Barker, a man unjustly imprisoned for fifteen years on the other side of the world who escapes back to London with a vow of revenge.Adopting the guise of Sweeney Todd Baker returns to his old barber shop above Mrs Lovett’s pie making premises and sets his sights on Judge Turpin who stole his wife and baby daughter.

The monochrome palette is Burton’s trademark accompanied by Depp’s, untrained lets not forget, vocals Sweeney Todd is a work of art.

Johnny Depp could now be off our screen until 2009 as his nest projects Public Enemies and Shantram are in the pre-production stage.

Ryan Gosling

In 2006, at the age of twenty five, Ryan Gosling secured his first Academy Award nomination for his role in Half Nelson.

Now eighteen months later a Golden Globe nomination has come his way for his most recent role Lars and the Real Girl.

Lars Lindstrom is a shy young man who brings home the woman of his dreams. The only problem is she is a sex doll off the internet.

But unlike everyone else who thinks he’s nuts Lars has found a deep and meaningful relationship.

Having worked with Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts and Anthony Hopkins as well as having a string of lead roles Gosling is quickly becoming very talented and highly sought after actor.

Tom Hanks

Charlie Wilson’s War marks the return of Tom Hanks whose 1994 Oscar win for Forest Gump seems a long time ago.

But it’s 2002’s Road to Perdition when he last turned in a truly memorable performance, and it pains me to say this.

However Charlie Wilson’s War sees a return to form for the double Oscar winner and audience favourite.

He graces the screen with other Oscar winners Julie Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman and nominee Amy Adams.

Charlie Wilson’s War is the true story of how a playboy congressman, a renegade CIA agent and a beautiful Houston socialite join forces to lead the largest and most successful covert operation in history.

Their efforts contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union and the end to the Cold War.

It’s perhaps not the meatiest role that you normally associate with award nominations it’s a fine performance as director Nichols delivers a sophisticated drama.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Phillip Seymour Hoffman, after the success of Capote in 2006, is flying with three great performances.

The Devil Knows Your Dead, The Savages and Charlie Wilson’s War have all come in quick succession and if he only gets nominated for one of these films it’s hard to pick which role deserves it the most.

The last thing Wendy and Jon Savage ever wanted to do was look back on their difficult family history.

Having escaped from under the thumb of their domineering father they are now wrapped up in their own lives: Wendy is a struggling playwright and Jon is a neurotic professor.

But when their father’s dementia worsens they must once again live under the same roof.

Hoffman and co-star Laura Linney put in fine performances both showing the ugliest sides of their characters whilst remaining sympathetic.

After perhaps languishing in the shadows of some other actors it’s great at last to see Hoffman receiving recognition that he deserves and roles that allow him to display his talent.

John C. Reilly

The musical biopics have become somewhat of a tradition during the award season, Walk the Line and Ray being the most recent to achieve success.

Together Judd Apatow and director Jake Kasdan have put together Walk Hard, a spoof on the growing number of the biopics in cinemas.

As a young child Dewey Cox is traumatised when, by accident, he slices the more talented brother in half with a machete during a mock battle.

For the rest of his life the boy’s father wallows in grief claiming that the wrong son died.

But Dewey is determined to be successful he learns the guitar and wins a talent contest at the age of fourteen.

He gets record deal, marries his sweetheart before embarking on an affair with his backing singer – all this is beginning to sound a bit familiar.

Reilly is perhaps the least known actor in the category but produces a seemingly impossible range of vocal styles but does it well.

It’s great to see this actor get a showcase role like this.

Tip to win the award for Best Actor In a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy – Johnny Depp FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw