#37. Oscars odds, ends, facts and figures

22th January,2009
The Associated Press The Associated Press

A collection of facts, figures and trivia about this year's Academy Award nominees:

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," with 13 Oscar nominations, has tied with eight other films to become the second-most-nominated movie in Academy Award history. First place is still held by "Titanic" (1997) and "All About Eve" (1950), with 14 nominations each.

THE STREEP STREAK: Meryl Streep continues to be Oscar's most nominated performer, with this year's nod for "Doubt" bringing her total to 15. That's three ahead of Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson, who have 12 each. But Hepburn, who died in 2003, won four Oscars and Nicholson has won three, while Streep has two.

A NEW RECORD HOLDER: Kate Winslet is now the youngest person to garner six Oscar nominations. Winslet received her sixth nomination, for "The Reader," at 33, one year younger than Bette Davis was when she got her sixth in 1942 for "Now, Voyager."

REPEAT PERFORMER; Philip Seymour Hoffman is the only repeat Oscar nominee from last year. Hoffman, nominated Thursday for supporting actor for "Doubt," was nominated for supporting actor last year for "Charlie Wilson's War." He won the lead actor Oscar for 2005's "Capote."

POSTHUMOUS NOMINEES: With his supporting actor nomination for "The Dark Knight," Heath Ledger joins a handful of Hollywood notables to be so honored after their deaths. Others include James Dean ("East of Eden," 1955, and "Giant," 1956), Spencer Tracy ("Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," 1967), Peter Finch ("Network," 1976), Ralph Richardson ("Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes," 1984) and Massimo Troisi ("The Postman," 1995). Only Finch has gone on to win.

UNOFFICIAL NOMINEE: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also lists Jeanne Eagles as an "unofficial" nominee for best actress for 1929's "The Letter," the year she died. Although only winners were announced that year, the Academy says records indicate Eagles was "under consideration" for an award.

CHANNELING A PRESIDENT: Frank Langella, nominated for "Frost/Nixon," becomes the second actor nominated for a best actor Oscar for portraying former President Richard Nixon. Anthony Hopkins was the first, for 1995's "Nixon."

BEEN THERE BEFORE: Five acting nominees in this year's Oscar competition are previous winners: Sean Penn, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep and Marisa Tomei.

Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences