Beverly Hills, CA — Academy Award winner Javier Bardem, who won best supporting actor in 2008 for No County for Old Men, will have a second opportunity this year to take home another Oscar, this time in the Best Actor category for his performance as a low-life seeking reconciliation in his relationships as he faces death in director Alejandro Inirrutis Biutiful. Biutiful also received a nomination for Best Language Foreign Film of the year (Mexicos entry).
Many Hollywood insiders were glad to see the Bardem nomination after what they considered a snub by the SAG and Golden Globes of Bardems performance in Biutiful. Dave Karger of EW.com commented, “Bardem … is nothing short of devastating as a Barcelona dad struggling to keep his family together amidst unspeakable personal and professional tragedies.” But it is also his fellow actors who have spoken up about the oversight: Ben Affleck said, “When I saw King’s Speech, I thought Colin Firth gave the best performance I’d seen in a couple of years. Then I saw Biutiful. Javier is on another level from the rest of us.”Even Sean Penn agreed, saying Bardem’s Biutiful performance is the best he has seen since Marlon Brando in Last Tango In Paris. Penn even hosted a special screening of Biutiful, followed by a Q-and-A session. For a complete list of Academy Award Nominees click http://oscar.go.com/nominations 83rd annual Academy Award ceremony will be held on Feb. 27, at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.