King’s Speech Tops Oscar Nominations

Canadian-Italian co-production Barney’s Version is snubbed with only one nomination, for best makeup.

The 2011 Academy Award nominations are out and bigger than ever. Under the new expanded format, ten films are up for best picture this year, with the King’s Speech, the Social Network, Black Swan, and True Grit leading the pack. The King’s Speech leads the way with 12 nominations, and the film’s star Colin Firth is facing stiff competition for the best actor nod in James Franco, Javier Bardem, Jeff Bridges, and Jesse Eisenberg. Conspicuously absent from that list is Paul Giamatti, whose turn as Barney Panofsky in the film adaptation of Mordecai Richler’s Barney’s Version many thought would earn a nomination. Quebec director Denis Villeneuve’s Incendies is nominated for best foreign language film. The Academy Awards airs Feb. 27.