Stars get left behind as race for Oscars begins
The great race for the Oscars officially began Tuesday morning with the announcement of the nominations for the 75th annual Academy Awards, which will be bestowed on March 23. Here’s a look at some of the people who got left at the starting gate.
Richard Gere
Although he took home a Golden Globe for his performance as an opportunistic lawyer who tap dances around the facts in “Chicago,” Gere wasn’t lucky enough to have Oscar smile upon him. The problem stems from his name being put in the best-actor category rather than best-supporting actor. (Studios select the categories in which performers should be placed.)
The best-actor section – filled with talents such as Jack Nicholson (“About Schmidt”), Daniel Day-Lewis (“Gangs of New York”), Nicolas Cage (“Adaptation”), Michael Caine (“The Quiet American”) and Adrian Brody (“The Pianist”) – is extremely competitive. Gere’s work isn’t on a par with those, though he easily could have landed in the supporting category, which is occupied by Chris Cooper (“Adaptation”), Ed Harris (“The Hours”), Paul Newman (“Road to Perdition”), John C. Reilly (“Chicago”) and Christopher Walken (“Catch Me If You Can”).
Meryl Streep
Industry observers around the globe expected Streep to receive nominations as best actress for “The Hours” and best supporting actress for “Adaptation.”She landed a nomination only in the secondary category and was squeezed out of the best-actress section by Salma Hayek (“Frida”), Nicole Kidman (“The Hours”), Diane Lane (“Unfaithful”), Julianne Moore (“Far From Heaven”) and Renee Zellweger (“Chicago”).
Streep’s co-star in “The Hours,” Julianne More, did manage a double nomination in the supporting (“The Hours”) and best-actress categories.
Certainly Streep remains Hollywood’s most respected actress, but the lack of the dual nomination represents a slight Tinsel Town slap.
Denzel Washington
For his directing debut, Washington poured his heart and soul into the fact-based “Antwone Fisher,” which was frozen out of the Oscar competition. That, of course, also means Derek Luke, who plays the title character, was left out in the cold with Washington. It’s a disappointing oversight.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Plenty of publicity swirled around the screen return of DiCaprio in two major December releases, Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York” and Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can.”
He was greatly overshadowed in “Gangs” by co-star Day-Lewis, but he created a charming con-artist character in “Catch,” which has turned into a major hit.
Academy voters, however, weren’t swayed by DiCaprio, whom many insiders consider more of a pretty-boy favorite than a heavyweight contender. They let him know it by snubbing him in spite of huge trade-paper ads and DiCaprio’s constant promotional appearances.
Cameron Diaz
Remaining firmly in the lightweight category is model-turned-actress Diaz. She took a steep pay cut and tied up months in her schedule to star as a tough pickpocket in “Gangs of New York,” which she thought would increase her artistic standing.It didn’t work.
Like DiCaprio, Diaz, who’s pocketing $20 million for the sequel “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” campaigned hard and long for an Oscar nomination as supporting actress. She was passed over for Kathy Bates (“About Schmidt”), Julianne Moore (“The Hours”), Queen Latifah (“Chicago”), Streep (“Adaptation”) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (“Chicago”).
Peter Jackson
The New Zealand filmmaker must be smiling due to the best picture nomination for “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” the middle installment in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy trilogy, but he was passed over by his fellow artists in the best-director category. Remember: In the Oscar process, actors nominate actors, directors nominate directors, etc., and all of the 5,000-plus members of the academy vote in the best-picture category. That means that directors felt Jackson had simply recreated a past success, while the entire academy body felt “The Two Towers” deserved a possible honor as the best film of 2002.
Dennis Quaid
Quaid displays a new side of his considerable talents as a husband/father struggling with his sexual identity in “Far From Heaven.” His memorable performance seemed perfect for academy voters, who love to honor a veteran actor who has long toiled in the industry and received little recognition.
Although Quaid made all the right moves in the role, academy voters unexpectedly ignored him.
Perhaps Quaid, Jackson, Diaz, DiCaprio, Washington, Streep and Gere can all get together, toast each other’s work and vow to catch Oscar’s eye next year.