THE 66th ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS : Best Actor

Daniel Day-Lewis

“In the Name of the Father”

The Brit, who won his first best actor Oscar for 1989’s “My Left Foot,” re-teamed with that film’s director, Jim Sheridan, for his acclaimed performance as an unjustly imprisoned Irishman, which won him a Golden Globe nomination.

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Laurence Fishburne

“What’s Love Got to Do With It”

Fishburne, a recent Emmy and Tony winner, earns his first Oscar nomination for his fiery performance as musician Ike Turner. The former child actor drew attention as a teen-ager on the big screen in 1979’s “Apocalypse Now.”

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Tom Hanks

“Philadelphia”

For his performance as an AIDS-stricken lawyer, Hanks received the Golden Globe. He was also nominated for a Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy for the hit “Sleepless in Seattle.” His first Oscar nomination was for the 1988 comedy “Big.”

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Anthony Hopkins

“The Remains of the Day”

Ever since winning the 1991 best actor Oscar for “Silence of the Lambs,” Hopkins has not been for want of work. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for his role as the taciturn butler of “Remains.” The L.A. critics named him best actor for “Remains” and “Shadowlands.”

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Liam Neeson

“Schindler’s List”

The lanky Irish actor won the Chicago Film Critics award and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as Nazi businessman Oskar Schindler. It’s the first nomination for the actor, who made his film debut in 1980’s “Excalibur.”