1. Daniel Day-Lewis

There Will Be Blood

WHY As Daniel Plainview, a determined silver miner who becomes a self-made oil tycoon in turn-of-the-last-century California, Day-Lewis delivers another of cinema's great performances. Assuming a voice with a deep, resonant timbre, Day-Lewis' Plainview is menacing and intimidating, yet painfully human and desperate for human connection. It is a grand portrait of a man ruined by success.

CHANCES Many thought Day-Lewis was overlooked for his towering work in Gangs Of New York, so perhaps it is time for him to walk away with a second Oscar for There Will Be Blood. Few actors come close to this level of detailed characterisation and, so long as awards voters see the film, he should be assured a leading role in this year's awards season.

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 3, for My Left Foot (1989), In The Name Of The Father (1993) and Gangs Of New York (2002). He won for My Left Foot.My Left Foot (1989), The Last Of The Mohicans (1992), In The Name Of The Father (1993) and Gangs Of New York (2002). He won for My Left Foot and Gangs Of New York.

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: 4, for

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: 4, for My Left Foot (1989), In The Name Of The Father (1993), The Boxer (1997) and Gangs Of New York (2002).

2. Denzel Washington

American Gangster

Why Voters always favour a winner and American Gangster is one of the season's biggest box-office successes. The film is anchored by a dynamic, precisely controlled performance from Washington as Frank Lucas, the Harlem drug baron at the heart of the story, who thrived on discretion but still had a fiery temper.

CHANCES Although never nominated for a Bafta, the Academy and Hfpa both revere Washington, who has won two Oscars and two Golden Globes. Out of the nominations lists for six years, he could come roaring back into the frame with American Gangster or alternatively for his lead role in The Great Debaters, which he also directed.

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 5, for Cry Freedom (1987, supporting actor), Glory (1989, supporting actor), Malcolm X (1992), The Hurricane (1999) and Training Day (2001). He won for Glory and Training Day.

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: None.

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: 5, for Cry Freedom (1987), Glory (1989, supporting actor), Malcolm X (1992), The Hurricane (1999) and Training Day (2001). He won for Glory and The Hurricane.

3. Brad Pitt

The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford Why Pitt revealed new acting strengths as Jesse James in Andrew Dominik's revisionist western, which paints the outlaw as a violent control freak unable to trust the men around him. Pitt's grizzled Jesse brought him great acclaim when the film had its world premiere in Venice - and the festival's best actor prize.

CHANCES It has been 12 years since superstar Pitt snagged his single acting Oscar nomination (and Golden Globe) for 12 Monkeys and it would not be inappropriate for the actor to get a second nod this year, especially since he has been pushing his acting limits of late in Babel and upcoming films from David Fincher and the Coen brothers.

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 1, for 12 Monkeys (1995, supporting actor).

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: None (one for producing The Departed in 2006, but none for acting).

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: 3, for Legends Of The Fall (1994), 12 Monkeys (1995, supporting actor) and Babel (2006, supporting actor). He won for 12 Monkeys.

4. George Clooney

Michael Clayton Why Clooney gives probably his most accomplished performance to date as the amoral fixer for one of New York's biggest law firms. Like Clooney, Clayton is charming, but the actor imbues the character with dark edges, self-loathing and a chilly soul which make Clayton an effective symbol of high-stakes American opportunism.

CHANCES Already crowned with a supporting actor Oscar for Syriana in 2005, Clooney has fast become a well-respected actor among his peers for his choice of intelligent movies and a laconic screen presence that evokes memories of film greats from Humphrey Bogart to Paul Newman. Acting Oscar nomination number two is likely.

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 1, for Syriana (2005, supporting actor). He won. Also nominated for directing and writing Good Night, And Good Luck (2005).

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: 2, for Syriana (2005, supporting actor) and Good Night, And Good Luck (2005, supporting actor). He was also nominated for directing and writing Good Night, And Good Luck (2005).

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: 5, for ER (1995, 1996 and 1997), for O Brother, Where Art Thou' (2000) and Syriana (2005, supporting actor). He won for O Brother, Where Art Thou' and Syriana. He was also nominated for directing and writing Good Night, And Good Luck (2005).

5. Emile Hirsch

Into The Wild

Why The extravagantly talented 22 year-old has built up a solid fan base within the industry from charismatic star turns in The Mudge Boy, Lords Of Dogtown and Alpha Dog, but his breakout performance came this year as Chris McCandless in Sean Penn's Into The Wild. Hirsch translated the real-life adventurer to screen with all the determination and joie de vivre with which he was apparently so invested, while giving a harrowing physical interpretation of McCandless' 113 days in the wilderness.

CHANCES Hirsch might be too precocious to snag a best actor nod in the face of heavyweights such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Johnny Depp and Denzel Washington, and Into The Wild provokes mixed reactions in viewers, but he still stands a good shot. The Academy for one has always recognised young stars on their way up, such as Leonardo DiCaprio (nominated when he was 19) and River Phoenix (nominated at 18).

PREVIOUS OSCAR, Bafta AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: None

6. Viggo Mortensen

Eastern Promises

Why Mortensen's delicious performance as Nikolai Luzhin, a driver for one of London's most notorious Russian crime families, was the acting highlight of David Cronenberg's latest film. Sporting a thick Russian accent and covered in tattoos, Mortensen combined menace with charm, while displaying a physicality essential for the best nude male wrestling scene since Women In Love.

CHANCES If the film is too dark and violent for some or merely a genre movie to others, many will still take up the cause of Mortensen, a popular actor who has worked with film-makers as diverse as Sean Penn, Jane Campion and Gus Van Sant as well as Peter Jackson on The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. For those who thought he should have been nominated for A History Of Violence, Eastern Promises could be the makegood.

PREVIOUS OSCAR, Bafta AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: None.

7. James McAvoy

Atonement

Why McAvoy, inexplicably overlooked in favour of his co-star Forest Whitaker in last year's The Last King Of Scotland, has gone from strength to strength in UK movies such as Starter For 10, Becoming Jane and Penelope but it is his devastating performance as the doomed Robbie Turner in Atonement that could finally bring McAvoy the plaudits he deserves. From the confident, handsome lover at the film's start to the disillusioned, battle-weary soldier towards its end, McAvoy shows himself to be a romantic anti-hero par excellence.

CHANCES Although he is still an unknown to many in the US, McAvoy has just wrapped his first action lead against Angelina Jolie in Timur Bekmambetov's Wanted, and is destined to become a household name. Atonement could be that vehicle and, if the film catches fire with voters, he will be along for the ride.

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: None.

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: 1, for The Last King Of Scotland (2006, supporting actor).

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: None.

8. Mathieu Amalric

The Diving Bell And The Butterfly

Why As Daniel Day-Lewis (My Left Foot), Tom Cruise (Born On The Fourth Of July), Robert De Niro (Awakenings), Al Pacino (Scent Of A Woman), Tom Hanks (Philadelphia), Leonardo DiCaprio (What's Eating Gilbert Grape') and many others can attest, if you are battling disease or disability on screen, the Academy approves. Brilliant French actor Amalric worked wonders as the paralysed Jean-Dominique Bauby, a man who suffered a cerebro-vascular incident and ended up unable to move any part of his body apart from his left eyelid.

CHANCES The only hurdle for Amalric - who is known for parts in films by Arnaud Desplechin and Otar Iosseliani as well as Steven Spielberg's Munich - when making his mark on US and UK awards voters is that he is literally motionless for much of the film, with only his voiceover expressing how the character is feeling. While the performance is impressive, voters may pass him over, preferring to recognise Julian Schnabel's direction.

PREVIOUS OSCAR, Bafta AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: None.

9. Philip Seymour Hoffman

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead

Why After years of missing out on Oscar nominations, Hoffman won every award going in 2005 for Capote and is now a perennial favourite. Take his performance as a broker on the verge of a breakdown in Sidney Lumet's thriller Before The Devil Knows You're Dead. Whether spouting nonsense to his drug dealer, fighting impotence in his marriage or plotting to rob his parents, he is the embodiment of a human powder keg about to explode.

CHANCES A front runner in the supporting actor category for Charlie Wilson's War and also a potential nominee for The Savages, Hoffman could find himself being spread thinly among voters, thereby jeopardising his chances, although his strongest work is probably here in the Lumet film.

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 1, for Capote (2005). He won.

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: 1, for Capote (2005). He won.

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: 1, for Capote (2005). He won.

10. Benicio Del Toro

Things We Lost In The Fire

Why If Susanne Bier's US directing debut Things We Lost In The Fire was lost in the autumn movie avalanche, Benicio Del Toro's best performance to date as an amiable drug addict helped to recovery by the widow of his murdered friend should not be forgotten. Unlike his tormented turn in 21 Grams, his performance here is tender and touching.

CHANCES Del Toro is an oft-garlanded and much-admired actor who follows his own path without succumbing to movie-star trappings. If he is overlooked for this performance, what's the betting he will be an Oscar front runner next year in Steven Soderbergh's Che Guevara films'

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 2, for Traffic (2000, supporting actor) and 21 Grams (2003, supporting actor). He won for Traffic.

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: 2, for Traffic (2000, supporting actor) and 21 Grams (2003). He won for Traffic.

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: 1, for Traffic (2000, supporting actor). He won.

Further CONTENDERS

Kevin Bacon, Rails & Ties
Javier Bardem, Love In The Time Of Cholera
Josh Brolin, No Country For Old Men
Michael Caine, Sleuth
Steve Carell, Dan In Real Life
Chris Cooper, Breach
Russell Crowe, 3:10 To Yuma
Russell Crowe, American Gangster
John Cusack, Grace Is Gone
Sasson Gabai, The Band's Visit
Richard Gere, The Hoax
Ryan Gosling, Lars And The Real Girl
Glen Hansard, Once
Frank Langella, Starting Out In The Evening
Tommy Lee Jones, In The Valley Of Elah
Tony Leung, Lust, Caution
Gordon Pinsent, Away From Her
Christopher Plummer, Man In The Chair
Sam Riley, Control

STILL TO BE SEEN

Johnny Depp

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

Playing the lead in Stephen Sondheim's musical classic, Depp is winning advance plaudits for his work as a vengeful man returning to London after many years, who inadvertently creates a thriving pie business. His sixth outing with director Tim Burton, Depp also sings for the first time on screen. Hollywood owes an Oscar to Depp, one of its most adventurous and bankable actors, and this might just be the role that does it.

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 2, for Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003) and Finding Neverland (2004).

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: 2, for Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003) and Finding Neverland (2004).

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: 7, for Edward Scissorhands (1990), Benny & Joon (1993), Ed Wood (1994), Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003), Finding Neverland (2004), Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (2005) and Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006).

Tom Hanks

Charlie Wilson's War

Hanks has been so celebrated in awards terms that it will take a grand turn from the actor to win a sixth Oscar nomination. Charlie Wilson looks promising. Hanks plays the alcoholic, womanising Texan congressman who spearheaded a movement to train freedom fighters to take on the Soviet army in Afghanistan. Mike Nichols' epic film could restore some lustre to Hanks' credibility after a critical bashing for The Da Vinci Code, The Ladykillers and The Terminal.

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 5, for Big (1988), Philadelphia (1993), Forrest Gump (1994), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Cast Away (2000). He won for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: 3, for Forrest Gump (1994), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Cast Away (2000).

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: 6, for Big (1988), Sleepless In Seattle (1993), Philadelphia (1993), Forrest Gump (1994), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Cast Away (2000). He won for Big, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump and Cast Away.

Jack Nicholson & Morgan Freeman

The Bucket List

What bigger Oscar bait can there be than awards titans Nicholson and Freeman playing terminally ill men who break out of a cancer ward to live out their wildest dreams' Whether director Rob Reiner, tarnished of late with a string of duds such as Rumour Has It, Alex & Emma and The Story Of Us, can deliver a movie worthy of the two stars is yet to be seen, but the Academy will find it hard to resist such a sentimental package.

Jack Nicholson

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 12, for Easy Rider (1969, supporting actor), Five Easy Pieces (1970), The Last Detail (1973), Chinatown (1974), One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Reds (1981, supporting), Terms Of Endearment (1983, supporting), Prizzi's Honour (1985), Ironweed (1987), A Few Good Men (1992, supporting), As Good As It Gets (1997) and About Schmidt (2002). He won for Cuckoo's Nest, Terms Of Endearment and As Good As It Gets.

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: 7, for Easy Rider (1969, supporting), Chinatown and The Last Detail (1974), One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Reds (1981, supporting), Batman (1989, supporting), About Schmidt (2002) and The Departed (2006, supporting). He won for Chinatown, The Last Detail, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Reds.

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: 17, for Easy Rider (1969, supporting), Five Easy Pieces (1970), Carnal Knowledge (1971), The Last Detail (1973), Chinatown (1974), One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Reds (1981, supporting), Terms Of Endearment (1983, supporting), Prizzi's Honour (1985), Ironweed (1987), Batman (1989), Hoffa (1992), A Few Good Men (1992, supporting), As Good As It Gets (1997), About Schmidt (2002), Something's Gotta Give (2003) and The Departed (2006, supporting). He won for Chinatown, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Terms Of Endearment, Prizzi's Honour, As Good As It Gets and About Schmidt.

Morgan Freeman

PREVIOUS OSCAR NOMINATIONS: 4, for Street Smart (1987, supporting), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and Million Dollar Baby (2004, supporting). He won for Million Dollar Baby.

PREVIOUS Bafta NOMINATIONS: None.

PREVIOUS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS: Street Smart (1987, supporting), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and Million Dollar Baby (2004, supporting). He won for Driving Miss Daisy.

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