Throwing a Few Sidelights on the Nods

Best actress nominee Emma Thompson (“Sense and Sensibility”) and best actor nominee Massimo Troisi (“The Postman [Il Postino]”) are each nominated for best adapted screenplay. If previous best actress winner Thompson gets the writing honor, or if Troisi wins both awards, either would be the first person to win in both categories.

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“The Postman (Il Postino)” is the first foreign language film to be nominated for best picture since Ingmar Bergman’s 1973 drama, “Cries and Whispers.” Previous foreign language best picture nominees are 1938’s “Grand Illusion,” 1969’s “Z” and 1972’s “The Emigrants.” None picked up the big award, though “Z” won for best foreign language film.

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Best supporting actress nominee Kathleen Quinlan (“Apollo 13”) and best actor nominee Richard Dreyfuss (“Mr. Holland’s Opus”) appeared in the 1973 best picture nominee “American Graffiti,” which also starred Ron Howard, director of best picture nominee “Apollo 13.”

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With Woody Allen’s 12th Oscar nomination for best original screenplay, he ties Billy Wilder with the most nominations in this category. Allen won the screenplay Oscar for 1977’s “Annie Hall” and 1986’s “Hannah and Her Sisters.”

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Massimo Troisi is the first posthumous best actor nominee since 1976, when Peter Finch won the best actor award. Other posthumous best acting nominees include James Dean, who was nominated twice after his death, for 1955’s “East of Eden” and 1956’s “Giant” and Spencer Tracy for 1967’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” Ralph Richardson was nominated posthumously for best supporting actor for 1984’s “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.”

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The best achievement in music scoring award has been divided into two separate categories: original music or comedy score and original dramatic score.

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Best director nominees Chris Noonan (“Babe”), Mike Figgis (“Leaving Las Vegas”) and Michael Radford (“The Postman [Il Postino]”) are also nominated for best original screenplay.

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Best actress candidate Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) is the only acting nominee who was nominated last year.

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Actors-turned-directors Griffin Dunne, Christine Lahti and Jeff Goldblum are all nominated in the category of best achievement in live action short films.