The nominations for the 83rd academy awards have been announced, with Golden Globe winners Colin Firth and Natalie Portman in the running for the Best Actor and Best Actress categories.
Portman, who is nominated for her Golden Globe-winning role as a tortured ballerina in the film Black Swan, is up against Michelle Williams, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lawrence and Annette Bening for the gong.
Golden Globe-winning Firth, who is hotly-tipped for an Oscar following his portrayal of King George VI in The King’s Speech, faces competition for the top prize from James Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges and Javier Bardem.
It is looking like a great year for British cinema with The King’s Speech receiving a total of 12 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and Brit filmmaker Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours clocking up a total of five including Best Picture and Best Actor.
Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush are also nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Actor for their parts in The King’s Speech, and Bristol Graffiti legend Banksy could be walking away with an Oscar too after it was announced he is in the running for Best Documentary with his film Exit Through The Gift Shop.
Other films nominated for the highly-coveted Best Picture category are The Social Network, Black Swan, Inception, True Grit, Toy Story 3, The Fighter, The Kids Are All Right and Winter’s Bone.
Perhaps Colin Firth can at last put Mr Darcy to bed with this one!