I've updated the BEST ACTOR page with various tidbits. You know how we're always hearing that Leonardo DiCaprio is a tall actor? Well, this is a competition among giants because he's actually the shortest nominee @ 5'11" Everyone else is over six foot --Peter O'Toole is even taller than Forest Whitaker if you can imagine it. So Leo is the shortest but he's not the youngest. That honor goes to Ryan Gosling who nabs his first nomination at 26. You may recall that Heath Ledger was a wee babe as far as Oscar statistics go when he was nominated last year, also at 26. So now Gosling joins Ledger (plus Orson Welles & Marlon Brando, esteemed company, huh?) as the collective 5th youngest Best Actor nominee. ever. Only Jackie Cooper (9), Mickey Rooney (19,23), John Travolta (23) and James Dean (24) were under the quarter-century mark when they received their leading actor nominations. Adrien Brody is the youngest actual winner. He was 29 when he won for The Pianist.
WEIRDNESS: We've also got a situation this year where 60% of our Best Actor lineup started in family television. Growing Pains, The Mickey Mouse Club, and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air are all in the house.
More on the Best Actor race here. As far as the other men go, I'm beginning to doubt my feeling that Alan Arkin would pick up steam for the Supporting Oscar. Slant Magazine makes a strong case for Djimon Hounsou. People are obviously starting to feel like Eddie Murphy will lose ... but unless buzz coalesces around a single challenger, maybe he won't.ALSO: Please vote on the Best Actor Poll @ the main site
