Just naming all those coming to my mind and those that have been previously mentioned.... surprised there is no thread on it yet. Guess it's the most uninteresting race of the year.

Clive Owen (closer)
David Carradine (Kill Bill)
Peter O'Toole (troy)
Peter Sarsgaard (kinsey)
Thomas Hayden Church (Sideways)
Freddie Highmore (Peter from Finding Neverland)
Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby)
Jude Law (Aviator)... it would be a sympathy vote for Closer

Dustin Hoffman (Finding Neverland)... the Judi Dench of the year, but it would be for Huckabees and also Fockers, if he's good

Concerning all the main categories for Oscar.... there are still a few movies coming out in late late and limited release that may play small roles, but they are worth the mention and shouldn't be ignored....

The Merchant of Venice (Al Pacino)
A Love Song for Babby Long (John Travolta, Scarlet Johanson)
Asassination of Richard Nixon (Sean Penn)

I think buzz might be too late for leads in those movies, but if ever any of them have STRONG supporting acting, they could break into at least the supp. actor's loose race!

How I see this race shaping up....

Top Contenders

1. Clive Owen
2. Morgan Freeman
3. Thomas Hayden Church

Next In Line

4. David Carradine
5. Peter Saarsgard
6. Freddie Highmore

In the Distance

7. Jude Law
8. Dustin Hoffman
9. Peter O'Toole
10. Tom Wilkinson (Eternal Sunshine)

My predictions:

1. Thomas Hayden Church (Sideways) From TV's Wings and George Of The Jungle 1 and 2 (straight-to-video) to an Oscar nom. Good for him!

2. Clive Owen (Closer) He could be the film's most likely acting nomination. He's been on the verge of a breakout forever it seems.

3. Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) A legend that deserves more nominations and a win someday.

4. Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland) Younger performers can easily land in this category. Depp and Winslett are publicly praising him.

5. Dustin Hoffman (Meet The Fockers) That's right, for Meet The Fockers! He's the funniest part of the trailer and he gets to act with Robert Deniro and Babs!

Spoiler: Peter Saarsgard if Kinsey gaves over big.

I also think Hoffman will be nominated for Meet the Fockers. He's bound to be the best part of the movie and with two other good roles this year (but with Finding Neverland being too small of a role), I really think he's got a good chance for this role.

I could see Owen getting a nod, he was great in Closer. As for Carradine, I thought he was fantastic but I don't know... Maybe.

Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
Freddie Highmore, Finding Neverland
Clive Owen, Closer
Peter Sarsgaard, Kinsey

I'm not jumping on this Meet the Fockers bandwagon, and YOU CAN'T MAKE ME.

Oh, come on! It'll be fun!

I'd say...

Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby)
Thomas Haden Church, (Sideways)
David Carradine (Kill Bill Vol. 2)
Clive Owen (Closer)
Peter Sarsgaard (Kinsey)

I have the same lineup right now.

The category seems rather weak this year...

A complete contrast to the last year

Thoughts on:

John Lithgow (Kinsey)... would be his third nomination

The Aviator squad: John C. Reiley, Alan Alda, Alec Baldwin

Saarsgard has had a super strong year (again), I think he has a fantastic shot at a nomination.

That's what I would go for now too.

After watching The Aviator, I think Alan Alda will get a nomination.

Here's why:

1. It's a weak year in this category (not that his performance is weak, I thought it was very good).

2. The Aviator will get a ton of nominations and that could carry him.

3. Everybody knows him. He's a respected TV and theater actor that's been around for years.

He's a very effective villain in the film. I loved his scene where he and Alec Baldwin are discussing putting him on a political committee.

Yeah, he's definately in the top 10 contendors for Best Supporting Actor.

Which isn't bad because I can't really think of more than 11 worth Supporting Actor performances this year

I think at this point Thomas Haden Church will win... after that, maybe Morgan Freeman. Just depends how well the two of them will do. I'd say the nominees right now will be:

Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
Clive Owen, Closer
Morgan Freeman, Closer
Peter Sarsgaard, Kinsey (Though I wish he'd get a nom for Garden State...)
Jamie Foxx, Collateral
Alternative:
David Carradine, Kill Bill Vol. 2

As of now, I'd go with the same line-up I had before, but I'd replace Freddie Highmore (whom we've heard pretty much nothing of since Neverland was released) with one of The Aviator's supporting players. Either Alda or Baldwin.

Eeek. Alec Baldwin. Two nominations back-to-back. Who woulda thunk?

Maybe David Carradine has a chance to slip in due to the rather weak competition?

I don't see why David Carradine should have deserved a nom. He was good yes, but oscar worthy.. NO WAY.

Looking at other possible contenders, he is very worthy, heh.

Is it wrong to say that Jamie Foxx, at this stage, is locked for two nominations? I don't see a great reason why he wouldn't be nominated for Collateral. He won't win both. Freeman or Church will win S. Actor. But nominations? Sure.

Alda has some great pivitol scenes in the movie which is likely to be the awards magnet. He could easily ride the wave to a nomination. I wish Baldwin was in the flick more, because he is better and is on a roll lately, but he's just background for what happens between Alda and DiCaprio.

Alan Alda - The Aviator
Thomas Haden Church - Sideways
Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar Baby
Jamie Foxx - Collateral
Clive Owen - Closer

Looks like a good line up to me.

1. Morgan Freeman
2. Thomas Hayden Church
3. Clive Owen
4. Jamie Foxx

5. Aland Alda and David Carradine

I'm giving Alda the edge over the, yes, very deserved nom for Carradine because Aviator is the big epic to beat here and he may just get swopped in the bandwagon. Remember John C. Reilley for Chicago? (though he had 2 other great roles that year that supported that nom).

My pretty much final predictions:

Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
Jamie Foxx, Colateral
Clive Owen, Closer
Freddie Highmore, Finding Neverland
Thomas Haden Church, Sideways


I am still not buying the Alan Alda nom...

I changed my mind...again

Alan Alda, The Aviator
Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
Jamie Foxx, Collateral
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
Clive Owen, Closer

I have the same lineup. I don't see where all the talks about Alan Alda coming from. BAFTA didn't correlate with oscar that much.

I agree, I have placed Alda out of my nods...

Mine stand at...
Thomas Hayden Church
Morgan Freeman
Clive OWen
Freddie Highmore
Jamie Foxx (Now I'm beginning to be iffy on this one; since he is a sure bet to win Actor, why nominate him for 2??)

Despite him getting nods here all the time, I was still being iffy on that...until even SAG nominated him there. By now I think that he is pretty much a lock for a nom there.

As for the Freddie Highmore...I think he'll get a nom, but personally, I am crossing fingers for Carradine to slip in somehow.