The Soloist is 2009, so yeah, absolutely. After Ledger, it's probably the most discussed performance of the year.

What about Aaron Eckhart? Witu the the categoy so weak, you might as well give TDK two.

I wish....but this will only happen if BP really sweeps the noms. And hell, if Eckhart and Ledger are both getting in, then so is Bale!

Well... Best Actor is significantly more crowded than this category.

I said the same thing about supporting actress, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone from Gran Torino got a nod here, if it's a BP player. MR and MDB both had 2 wins and 3 noms, Clint is reliable at pulling out performances.

I wonder if WB would push Heath into the Lead Actor slot. He'd probably still win anyway.

Warner Bros is keeping him in supporting. http://www.incontention.com/?p=2417

If they're gonna go for a second blockbuster performance in the category, it'll be Downey in Tropic Thunder. And THAT is still unlikely.

This category is definitely weak, but they'll find a way to fill it with some random stuff that we don't really see coming (Hounsau in Blood Diamond? Really?). I could easily see Milk getting two noms here (Brolin and Franco).

http://oscar-watch.ew.com/

EW Magazine has confirmed that Ledger will in fact be nominated for BEST SUPPORTING Actor and not BEST ACTOR.. How do you all feel about this?? Should he be nominated BEST ACTOR since he was the best part of TDK??

No. He wasn't the lead actor in the film. It's the proper category.

Considering how weak the category is, if I were WB, I'd be bullish and push him to Lead and campaign either Eckhart or Oldman for Supporting Actor.

Stranger things have happened. Did you know Oldman hasn't been nominated yet? Just saying.

He didn't have a lot of screentime really. It was truly an ensemble film.

Ledger was the best, but also the loudest, so it would make sense for him to be the main one considered. The fact that he's a bigger name (even before his death, I'd argue that he was bigger with the Academy than the largely never-nominated cast)and has sentiment working in his favor only boosts that status.

I'd love to somehow see Eckhart and Oldman emerge as contenders for nominations. They both deserve it about as much as Ledger.

Bale gets no respect.

He was the second best part of TDK.

Heath Ledger, TDK
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Josh Brolin, Milk
Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky
David Kross, The Reader

Think the "it's Tropic Thunder" thing will stop Downey. Borat was 1000x more acclaimed and Cohen still missed... not to mention he didn't have the blackface issue against him. The category also doesn't seem quite as empty with Ledger/Brolin/Hoffman looking like slam dunks and Marsan probably being deserving.

Enrahah!

I must say I was kinda surprised by the character's conclusion (or the lack thereof? depending on the PoV). But the final scene is just so amazing. Needs to be the Oscar clip.

Schreiber's getting pretty good word for Defiance, the movie, not. Zwick always ends up with Supporting Actor nominations and the competition is terrible this year, so he shouldn't be counted out I guess.

I'm only confident in Ledger, Hoffman, and Milk getting one. Marsan and Downey are more "dream picks". Sheen's done. I think Fiennes/the kid from the Reader are in the conversation too, though.

Yeah, seriously, Marsan even has the perfect Oscar clip and with the movie really being acclaimed, I don't see it ending up with just two noms.

Yep. Just echoes from here. Marsan is in. He completely stole the end of the film.

Oh how I would love a nomination for Brandon Walters (Australia).

I can't believe how long Ledger's been frontrunning this category.

Well, that's not gonna change either, unless he rises from the dead.

Marsen needs to steal one of the major critics awards from Ledger to show that he's on the radar, I think. If he could win at say, NYFCC, I'd say he's in. I haven't seen the film, but I guess he could pull off a nom similar to with Jackie Earle Haley did in '06 (Small actor in small indie), though he lacks the comeback story he had.