King Colin Firth set for Hollywood Oscar glory

COLIN FIRTH and Helena Bonham Carter could be crowned king and queen of Hollywood after their latest film, The King’s Speech, picked up 12 Oscar nominations yesterday.

Colin Firth as George VI centre with co stars Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter Colin Firth as George VI, centre, with co-stars Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter

The British film leads the nomin­ations for this year’s 83rd Academy Awards, and is up for Best Film, Best Actor for Firth, 50, and Best Supporting Actress for Bonham Carter, 44, who plays Queen Elizabeth.

Asked if he was surprised at the nomination, Firth, who is cast as King George VI, said: “It’s a little bit out of body. Your head spins and you try to process it but it’s all good.”

Earlier, he admitted he was “not used to this much joy, or this much champagne at this hour”.

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The Coen Brothers’ re-make of western True Grit had 10 nomin­ations and Facebook movie The Social Network claimed eight.

The King’s Speech also boasts a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Geoffrey Rush, who plays an unorthodox speech therapist in the Lottery-funded film. It is also in the running for Best Director for Briton Tom Hooper, Best Cinematography, and Original Screenplay.

But there is stiff competition for Best Film from The Social Network, True Grit, Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, 127 Hours, Winter’s Bone and Toy Story 3.

Welsh-born Christian Bale is up for Best Supporting Actor for playing a crack addict in The Fighter.

British director Mike Leigh is named for Original Screenplay for Another Year and Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy are up for Best Adapted Screenplay for 127 Hours.

Black Swan achieved Fox Searchlight’s biggest-ever UK and Ireland box office opening at the weekend, taking almost £3million. Natalie Portman, who plays a tormented ballet dancer, is up for Best Actress.

The Oscars ceremony in Hollywood will be on February 27.

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