Awards Watch: The Men

Unlike in the often barren pool of Best Actress contenders, the Best Actor category is always swimming with possibilities. And this year is no different. The competition is so tough that such previous shoe-ins as Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War) and Jack Nicholson (The Bucket List) may find themselves on the outside looking in come nomination time.

Speaking of shoe-ins, there appears to be only one this year: Daniel Day Lewis, yet again transforming himself in There Will Be Blood. Other past winners who may be invited back to play include George Clooney (Michael Clayton), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead), Tommy Lee Jones (In the Valley of Elah) and American Gangster stars Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, although possibly for their other films this year, 3:10 to Yuma and The Great Debaters, respectively.

Crowe's Yuma co-star Christian Bale may finally get his due with Rescue Dawn, although the "dark horse" slot has many suitors this year, including Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Sam Riley (Control), James McAvoy (Atonement) and last year's newbie, Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl). Other past nominees back in the race include Johnny Depp (who may overcome the deafening doubts of his singing abilities in Sweeney Todd to nab a spot), Brad Pitt in The Assassination of Jesse James and Don Cheadle in Talk to Me. Rounding out the list are three never-been-nominated favorites: Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises), John Cusack (Grace is Gone) and Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men).

And there could be even more ... click here to check out The Envelope's photo gallery of a whopping 43 total possibilities (although I don't think Ioan Gruffudd should get his hopes up). As I said, competition is fierce this year ... it sure must be tough being a leading man in Hollywood these days.

UPDATE: You can add Frank Langella in Starting Out in the Evening to either the darkhorse slot or "never been nominated" slot. His subtle turn in this little indie is getting raves.

Links via LATimes.com and AwardsDaily.com.