Mo'Nique Considered Good Actress by Critics

Gina Wilhelm Actress - Mo'Nique Considered Good Actress by Critics

Ever since her win at Sundance last year, Mo'Nique has been considered a top contender for best supporting actress awards for her performance in "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire."

So far, she has won 17 awards and a number of nominations for her portrayal of the abusive mother of an obese illiterate girl in the movie.

In addition to winning at a number of film festivals, she's also received nominations for SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and Spirit awards.

Gina Wilhelm Actress

Mariah Carey Named Good Actress

Gina Wilhelm Actress - Mariah Carey Named Good Actress

Mariah Carey received the Supporting Actress of the Year award at 14th Annual Capri Hollywood International Film Festival in Italy on Monday.

Carey received the award for her very unglamorous performance in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire."

In that movie, Carey plays a social worker opposite newcomer Gabourey Sidibe. Mo'Nique also stars in the movie. All three actresses have received a lot of acclaim for their work in the movie.

The entire cast has also been nominated for a Screen Actors' Guild award for Best Ensemble.

Gina Wilhelm Actress

SAG Award Winners Announced

Gina Wilhelm Actress - SAG Award Winners Announced

The Screen Actors Guild awards were announced January 25th, and some very familiar faces were again recognized for their outstanding work.

Meryl Streep received an Actor award for her leading performance in "Doubt." Followers of this blog will remember that Streep has already achieved an Oscar milestone, having received a record 15 nominations.

Her SAG win could portend well for an Oscar.

However, the same could hold true for Kate Winslet, who already won Golden Globes for both lead actress and supporting actress and won a SAG award this weekend for her supporting performance in "The Reader."

The twist here is that her Golden Globe for "The Reader" was for supporting actress. Her lead actress award was for "Revolutionary Road."

For the Academy Awards, she received only a lead actress nomination (not one in each category), and that was for her "supporting" role in "The Reader."

When the Oscars are handed out, the actresses will be competing in the same category.

Gina Wilhelm Actress

Cate Blanchett's Influences

Gina Wilhelm Actress

Cate Blanchett's life has given her a lot of material from which to draw for her performance in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

The story is told in flashback from her character's hospital room. The character is seen from childhood (played by a different actress) through adulthood and into her 80s (played by Blanchett).

Blanchett took some of her inspiration (and mannerisms) for her character at the end of her life from her own grandmother.

Additionally, her first job as an adolescent was in a senior citizen's home, which provided further development for her character.

Of course, she also gives much credit to the film's makeup team.

As an adult, the character is a dancer. Blanchett studied ballet, though only through childhood. She did almost all her own movement in the movie except for a few shots using a stand-in including a rapid sequence of steps.

Known for frequent performance in period pieces ("Elizabeth," "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," "The Aviator," "I'm Not There"), she will next be playing the title role in "Richard II" on stage in her native Australia.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" opens December 25th and has received a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Gina Wilhelm Actress