The Courier-Mail - News

Aussies look to clear major pre-Oscar hurdle

Copyright 2006 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved

HEATH Ledger, Russell Crowe, Eric Bana and Naomi Watts face a crucial hurdle in their Oscar campaigns tonight.

The Australian actors will learn if they have scored nominations to the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, traditionally an accurate Oscar indicator.

Bana, for the thriller Munich, and Watts, for King Kong, desperately need SAG nominations to resurrect their campaigns after snubs from Golden Globes voters last month.

SAG nominations for Ledger and Crowe, who both received Golden Globes nods, will confirm their places at the front of the pack for the best actor Oscar to be announced at the 78th Annual Academy Awards ceremony on March 5.

Ledger is a frontrunner for his portrayal of a gay ranch hand in Brokeback Mountain.

Crowe has been feted for his transformation into former heavyweight boxing champion James Braddock in Cinderella Man.

The SAG Awards are the second most important awards ceremony in Hollywood, behind the Oscars.

They proved to be a crystal ball for Oscar pundits last year, with the winners Cate Blanchett, Jamie Foxx, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman subsequently winning Oscars.

The SAG Awards, with their huge exposure and timing just ahead of the Oscar ceremony, are viewed as crucial because they give the nominees exposure as the 6000 Academy voters decide who to vote for.

The SAG Awards also honour TV actors. Australians Anthony LaPaglia and Poppy Montgomery for Without a Trace and Julian McMahon in Nip/Tuck are Australia's best TV chances.

The winners of the SAG Awards will be announced on January 29 at a ceremony in Los Angeles.

The SAG nominations will be announced at midnight tonight Queensland time.

Thanks, Zell