COMPETITION WIDE OPEN AT BAFTA AWARDS

NOMINATIONS for The Orange British Academy Film Awards showed the competition to be wide open, with both ‘Gladiator’ and ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ receiving 14 nominations and British hit ‘Billy Elliot’ receiving 11.
The announcement, by this year's ceremony host Stephen Fry at BAFTA's London headquarters, also included Julia Roberts for ‘Best Actress’ in a leading role for ‘Erin Brockovich’, which received a further five nominations, and a posthumous nomination for Oliver Reed for ‘Best Actor’ in a supporting role in ‘Gladiator’.
The first Orange British Academy Film Awards event will again take place at the Odeon Leicester Square on February 25.
The performance categories see Jamie Bell battling against Russell Crowe, Michael Douglas, Tom Hanks and Geoffrey Rush for ‘Best Actor’ in a leading role. Whilst Julia Roberts, Juliette Binoche, Kate Hudson, Hilary Swank and Michelle Yeoh line up for the ‘Best Actress’ also in a leading role.
Simon Relph, Chairman of BAFTA, said: “This year's race is truly international and one of the most open in recent memory. Our move to go before the American Academy Awards has greatly increased national and international interest. Our Awards continue to be a celebration of excellence by the British Academy which reflects British filmmakers and cinema-goers' ongoing passion for the movies.”
The public-voted Orange Audience Award is hotly contested with box office favourites including the UK's ‘Chicken Run’ and ‘Billy Elliot’ taking on the US hits ‘Gladiator’ and ‘The Grinch’. (CD)