- Title: VARIOUS: Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke emerge as front-runners for Best Actor Oscar
- Date: 18th February 2009
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) MICKEY ROURKE POSING FOR PICTURES
- Embargoed: 5th March 2009 12:00
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- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVAENEHGVYH9PZC8SWN04XFR1MKH
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- Story Text: This year's Academy Award nominees for best actor run the range from top leading males, to a man who hasn't worked in Hollywood in 14 years.
Superstars Sean Penn and Brad Pitt made the list, while first time nominees include Richard Jenkins, Frank Langella, and Mickey Rourke.
Sean Penn won critical acclaim for his portrayal as slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. The actor, who has been honored with four previous Oscar nominations, has already taken home a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Critics Choice Award for his role.
But grabbing Hollywood's biggest honor may prove a challenge. Mickey Rourke, this year's comeback kid, has wowed audiences with his performance as a wrestler trying to get back into the spotlight. In addition to various accolades, Rourke, who has been out of the Hollywood scene for nearly a decade and a half, took home the Golden Globe and the BAFTA for best actor.
"I was out of the game for so many years. It's something I really appreciate, the second chance to work again and that was all about having people trust me again after raising hell for 15 years and doing everything the wrong way," said Rourke.
Critic for the entertainment TV show Access Hollywood, Scott Mantz said the Best Actor category is basically just a two-man race.
"It's a toss up between Sean Penn for "Milk" and Mickey Rourke for "The Wrestler." Mickey Rourke couldn't even open an envelope a year ago and now he gave such a grueling, physically and emotionally grueling performance in "The Wrestler." It's an amazing comeback in every sense of the word," said Mantz.
Previously thought to be a shoo-in as best actor for his role in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Brad Pitt's chances for winning are looking less and less viable. Despite being nominated for other various awards throughout the season, he's failed to secure a win for his role as a man that ages backwards.
The dark horse in this year's best actor race is Frank Langella, who gave a riveting performance as Richard Nixon in "Frost/Nixon."
Mantz said that there is a possibility that Langella could sneak up from behind and secure the win.
"He's a well respected actor. He's a great actor. He's been putting in terrific performances for his whole career. And he really gave such depth and humanity to Nixon, while still not compromising what people sort of didn't like about him in the first place. I think that's a very rare thing to do."
The final nominee for best actor is Richard Jenkins for his role in "The Visitor." Jenkins plays a college professor who discovers a pair of illegal aliens living in his New York apartment. While honored for his performance, most critics believe on Oscar win will be a long shot.
One of this year's five leading men will go home happy when the Academy Awards are handed out on February 22. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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