What better legacy can an actor leave behind than making Jack Nicholson look like a Boy Scout?
How about a Critics Choice Awards nomination, a Golden Globe nomination, and -- hopefully -- an Oscar nomination?
The Golden Globes nominees were announced this morning, and some of the usual suspects were on board: Tom Cruise as Best Supporting Actor in Tropic Thunder; Brad Pitt as Best Actor in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Angelina Jolie as Best Supporting Actress in The Changeling.
Of course, Heath Ledger picked up a nod as Best Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight. He was the only one to be nominated for anything from the film.
I don't normally get involved in active campaigning for celebrity awards, but THIS is different: Heath WAS the Joker. He made Jack Nicholson look like a Boy Scout. He played it to the hilt. And he died for the role. That's not hyperbole -- that role messed his head up so bad, that...well, we know what happened. If he doesn't get EVERY single award for it, I will personally fly to California to recount the votes myself.
Here's the full list of nominees:
1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
1. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures
2. FROST/NIXON
Imagine Entertainment, Working Title, Studio Canal; Universal Pictures
3. THE READER
Mirage Enterprises; The Weinstein Company
4. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
An Evamere Entertainment BBC Films Neal Street Production; DreamWorks Pictures in Association with BBC Films and Paramount Vantage
5. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.; Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.
2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
1. ANNE HATHAWAY – RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
2. ANGELINA JOLIE – CHANGELING
3. MERYL STREEP – DOUBT
4. KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS – I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
5. KATE WINSLET – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
1. LEONARDO DICAPRIO – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
2. FRANK LANGELLA – FROST/NIXON
3. SEAN PENN – MILK
4. BRAD PITT – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
5. MICKEY ROURKE – THE WRESTLER
4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
1. BURN AFTER READING
Working Title/Releasing Company; Focus Features in association with Studio Canal
2. HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Summit Entertainment, Film4, Ingenious Film Partners, Miramax Films; Miramax Films
3. IN BRUGES
Blueprint Pictures; Focus Features
4. MAMMA MIA!
Relativity Media, Playtone, Littlestar; Universal Pictures
5. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Mediapro; The Weinstein Company
5.BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
1. REBECCA HALL – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
2. SALLY HAWKINS – HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
3. FRANCES MCDORMAND – BURN AFTER READING
4. MERYL STREEP – MAMMA MIA!
5. EMMA THOMPSON – LAST CHANCE HARVEY
6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
1. JAVIER BARDEM – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
2. COLIN FARRELL – IN BRUGES
3. JAMES FRANCO – PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
4. BRENDAN GLEESON – IN BRUGES
5. DUSTIN HOFFMAN – LAST CHANCE HARVEY
7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
1. BOLT
Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
2. KUNG FU PANDA
DreamWorks Animation SKG; Paramount Pictures
3. WALL-E
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
1. THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (GERMANY)
(DER BAADER MEINHOF KOMPLEX)
Constantin Film Produktion GmbH; Summit Entertainment, LLC
2. EVERLASTING MOMENTS (SWEDEN/DENMARK)
(MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA Ă–GONBLICK)
Final Cut Productions Aps; IFC Films
3. GOMORRAH (ITALY)
(GOMORRA)
Fandango; IFC Films
4. I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (FRANCE)
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
UGC YM/UGC Images/France 3 Cinema/Integral Film; Sony Pictures Classics
5. WALTZ WITH BASHIR (ISRAEL)
Bridgit Folman Film Gang/Les Films D'Ici/Razor Films/Arte France/ITVS International; Sony Pictures Classics
9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
1. AMY ADAMS – DOUBT
2. PENELOPE CRUZ – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
3. VIOLA DAVIS –DOUBT
4. MARISA TOMEI – THE WRESTLER
5. KATE WINSLET – THE READER
10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
1. TOM CRUISE – TROPIC THUNDER
2. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. –TROPIC THUNDER
3. RALPH FIENNES – THE DUCHESS
4. PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – DOUBT
5. HEATH LEDGER – THE DARK KNIGHT
11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
1. DANNY BOYLE – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
2. STEPHEN DALDRY – THE READER
3. DAVID FINCHER – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
4. RON HOWARD – FROST/NIXON
5. SAM MENDES – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
1. SIMON BEAUFOY – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
2. DAVID HARE – THE READER
3. PETER MORGAN – FROST/NIXON
4. ERIC ROTH – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
5. JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY – DOUBT
13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
1. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT –THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
2. CLINT EASTWOOD – CHANGELING
3. JAMES NEWTON HOWARD – DEFIANCE
4. A. R. RAHMAN – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
5. HANS ZIMMER – FROST/NIXON
14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
1. “DOWN TO EARTH” — WALL-E
Music by: Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman
Lyrics by: Peter Gabriel
2. “GRAN TORINO” — GRAN TORINO
Music by: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
Lyrics by: Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
3. “I THOUGHT I LOST YOU” — BOLT
Music & Lyrics by: Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele
4. “ONCE IN A LIFETIME” — CADILLAC RECORDS
Music & Lyrics by: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street
5. “THE WRESTLER” — THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by: Bruce Springsteen
15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
1. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
Showtime/John Goldwyn Productions/The Colleton Company/Clyde Phillips Productions
2. HOUSE (FOX)
Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions
3. IN TREATMENT (HBO)
Sheleg, Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
4. MAD MEN (AMC)
Lionsgate Television
5. TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Your Face Goes Here Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
1. SALLY FIELD – BROTHERS AND SISTERS
2. MARISKA HARGITAY –LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
3. JANUARY JONES – MAD MEN
4. ANNA PAQUIN – TRUE BLOOD
5. KYRA SEDGWICK – THE CLOSER
17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
1. GABRIEL BYRNE – IN TREATMENT
2. MICHAEL C. HALL – DEXTER
3. JON HAMM – MAD MEN
4. HUGH LAURIE – HOUSE
5. JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS – THE TUDORS
18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
1. 30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little Stranger Inc.
2. CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
Showtime Presents in association with Aggressive Mediocrity, And Then...
3. ENTOURAGE (HBO)
Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
4. THE OFFICE (NBC)
Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC, Universal Media Studios
5. WEEDS (SHOWTIME)
Lionsgate Television
19.BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL
1. CHRISTINA APPLEGATE – SAMANTHA WHO?
2. AMERICA FERRERA – UGLY BETTY
3. TINA FEY – 30 ROCK
4. DEBRA MESSING – THE STARTER WIFE
5. MARY-LOUISE PARKER – WEEDS
20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
1. ALEC BALDWIN – 30 ROCK
2. STEVE CARELL – THE OFFICE
3. KEVIN CONNOLLY – ENTOURAGE
4. DAVID DUCHOVNY – CALIFORNICATION
5. TONY SHALHOUB – MONK
21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
1. A RAISIN IN THE SUN (ABC)
Sony Pictures Television
2. BERNARD AND DORIS (HBO
Trigger Street Independent Productions in association with Little Bird and Chicago Films and HBO Films
3. CRANFORD (PBS)
A Co-Production of BBC and WGBH Boston.
4. JOHN ADAMS (HBO)
Playtone in association with HBO Films
5. RECOUNT (HBO)
Spring Creek/Mirage Productions in association with Trigger Street Productions, Everyman Pictures and HBO Films
22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
1. JUDI DENCH – CRANFORD
2. CATHERINE KEENER – AN AMERICAN CRIME
3. LAURA LINNEY – JOHN ADAMS
4. SHIRLEY MACLAINE – COCO CHANEL
5. SUSAN SARANDON – BERNARD AND DORIS
23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
1. RALPH FIENNES – BERNARD AND DORIS
2. PAUL GIAMATTI – JOHN ADAMS
3. KEVIN SPACEY – RECOUNT
4. KIEFER SUTHERLAND – 24: REDEMPTION
5. TOM WILKINSON – RECOUNT
24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
1. EILEEN ATKINS – CRANFORD
2. LAURA DERN – RECOUNT
3. MELISSA GEORGE – IN TREATMENT
4. RACHEL GRIFFITHS – BROTHERS AND SISTERS
5. DIANNE WIEST – IN TREATMENT
25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
1. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS – HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
2. DENIS LEARY – RECOUNT
3. JEREMY PIVEN – ENTOURAGE
4. BLAIR UNDERWOOD – IN TREATMENT
5. TOM WILKINSON – JOHN ADAMS