Oscar 81st Academy Awards 2009; Winners list, pics, info

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Christian Colson ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the first Academy Award nomination for Christian Colson. Sean Penn MILK NOMINATED ROLE Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk, the camera store owner whose decision to campaign for a place on San Francisco's Board of Supervisors becomes a landmark event within the gay rights movement. ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the fifth Academy Award nomination for Sean Penn. He was previously nominated for: MYSTIC RIVER (2003) Winner, Actor in a Leading Role I AM SAM (2001) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role SWEET AND LOWDOWN (1999) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role DEAD MAN WALKING (1995) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role Kate Winslet THE READER  NOMINATED ROLE Kate Winslet plays Hanna Schmitz, a German woman in her thirties whose teenage lover is unaware of the dark secret in her past. ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY    This is the sixth Academy Award nomination for Kate Winslet. She was previously nominated for: LITTLE CHILDREN (2006) -- Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004) -- Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role IRIS (2001) -- Nominee, Actress in a Supporting Role TITANIC (1997) -- Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995) -- Nominee, Actress in a Supporting Role Heath Ledger THE DARK KNIGHT  (1979 – Jan 2008) NOMINATED ROLE Heath Ledger portrays the Joker, a psychopathic criminal mastermind who will stop at nothing in his scheme to outwit and humiliate Batman. ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the second Academy Award nomination for Heath Ledger. He was previously nominated for: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005) Nominee, Actor in a Leading Role    Penelope Cruz VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA  NOMINATED ROLE Penelope Cruz portrays the fiery Maria Elena, a divorced woman still locked in a complex relationship with her ex-husband. ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the second Academy Award nomination for Penelope Cruz. She was previously nominated for: VOLVER (2006) -- Nominee, Actress in a Leading Role     SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Danny Boyle     ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the first Academy Award nomination for Danny Boyle. DEPARTURES Japan Directed by Yojiro Takita ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the twelfth Academy Award nomination for Japan. Previous nominations were: THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI (2003) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film MUDDY RIVER (1981) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film KAGEMUSHA (THE SHADOW WARRIOR) (1980) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film SANDAKAN NO. 8 (1975) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film DODES'KA-DEN (1971) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film PORTRAIT OF CHIEKO (1967) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film KWAIDAN (1965) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film WOMAN IN THE DUNES (1964) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film TWIN SISTERS OF KYOTO (1963) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film IMMORTAL LOVE (1961) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film HARP OF BURMA (1956) -- Nominee, Foreign Language Film Additionally, Japan received three Special/Honorary Awards prior to the establishment of Foreign Language Film as a regular category in 1956: SAMURAI, THE LEGEND OF MUSASHI (1955) -- Honorary Foreign Language Film Award GATE OF HELL (1954) -- Honorary Foreign Language Film Award RASHOMON (1951) -- Honorary Foreign Language Film Award SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE "Jai Ho" Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyric by Gulzar ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the first Academy Award nomination for Gulzar.  Including his two other nominations this year for Original Score and Original Song for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, this is the third Academy Award nomination for A.R. Rahman. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Chris Dickens ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the first Academy Award nomination for Chris Dickens. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE A.R. Rahman   ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY Including his two nominations this year for Original Song for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, this is the third Academy Award nomination for A.R. Rahman.   SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY These are the first Academy Award nominations for Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty. THE DARK KNIGHT Richard King ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the third Academy Award nomination for Richard King. He was previously nominated for: WAR OF THE WORLDS (2005) -- Nominee, Sound Editing MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (2003) -- Winner, Sound Editing THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY These are the first Academy Award nominations for Eric Barba, Steve Preeg and Burt Dalton. This is the second Academy Award nomination for Craig Barron. He was previously nominated for: BATMAN RETURNS (1992) -- Nominee, Visual Effects SMILE PINKI Megan Mylan    ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY     This is the first Academy Award nomination for Megan Mylan MAN ON WIRE James Marsh and Simon Chinn ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY These are the first Academy Award nominations for James Marsh and Simon Chinn. SPIELZEUGLAND (TOYLAND) Jochen Alexander Freydank ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the first Academy Award nomination for Jochen Alexander Freydank. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Anthony Dod Mantle ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the first Academy Award nomination for Anthony Dod Mantle. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON Greg Cannom ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the ninth Academy Award nomination for Greg Cannom. He was previously nominated for: A BEAUTIFUL MIND (2001) -- Nominee, Makeup BICENTENNIAL MAN (1999) -- Nominee, Makeup TITANIC (1997) -- Nominee, Makeup ROOMMATES (1995) -- Nominee, Makeup MRS. DOUBTFIRE (1993) -- Winner, Makeup BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA (1992) -- Winner, Makeup HOFFA (1992) -- Nominee, Makeup HOOK (1991) -- Nominee, Makeup Cannom also received a Technical Achievement Award in 2004 with Wesley Wofford for the development of their special modified silicone material for makeup appliances used in motion pictures. THE DUCHESS Michael O'Connor ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the first Academy Award nomination for Michael O'Connor. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON Donald Graham Burt (Art Direction); Victor J. Zolfo (Set Decoration) . ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY These are the first Academy Award nominations for Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo. LA MAISON EN PETITS CUBES Kunio Kato ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the first Academy Award nomination for Kunio Kato. WALL-E Andrew Stanton ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY Including his nomination this year for Original Screenplay for WALL-E, this is the fifth Academy Award nomination for Andrew Stanton. He was previously nominated for: FINDING NEMO (2003) -- Winner, Animated Feature Film FINDING NEMO (2003) -- Nominee, Writing (Original) TOY STORY (1995) -- Nominee, Writing (Original) SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the second Academy Award nomination for Simon Beaufoy. He was previously nominated for: THE FULL MONTY (1997) -- Nominee, Writing (Original) MILK Written by Dustin Lance Black ACADEMY AWARDS HISTORY This is the first Academy Award nomination for Dustin Lance Black.