British Academy Film Award nominees include Meryl Streep, Colin Firth. Mo’Nique and “Precious”

It seems like pretty much a done deal that Jeff Bridges is going to walk away with most of the best actor prizes this award season including the Oscar for his performance in Crazy Heart.

I’d be happy for Jeff who is always so good in all he does and rarely has been recognized with awards. Still, I’m glad to see Colin Firth making the short list for virtually all of the major awards for A Single Man directed by out director Tom Ford (pictured with Firth, above).

Firth was among those nominated on Thursday for a British Academy Film Award. His competition includes Bridges, George Clooney (Up in the Air), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) and Andy Serkis in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.

For best actress, Golden Globe and Broadcast Critics Association winner Meryl Streep was nominated for Julie & Julia in which she portrayed beloved television chef Julia Child.

Meryl will be competing for the BAFTA against Gabouray Sidibe (Precious), Audrey Tautou (Coco Before Chanel), Carey Mulligan (An Education) and Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones).

Streep’s nod was her 13th BAFTA nomination. The group awarded her its best actress prize way back in 1982 for The French Lieutenant’s Woman but has not picked her to win in the nearly 30 years that have followed despite the many nominations. It mirrors Streep’s Oscar history where she has had 15 nominations but won just twice, most recently 27 years ago for Sophie’s Choice.

While crossing my fingers that Meryl will win, I have no doubt that in the supporting actress category Mo’Nique will take home the BAFTA, the SAG Award and the Oscar to go along with her Golden Globe and other prizes for her stupendous performance in Precious. I saw it several weeks ago and I still have not finished processing how incredibly powerful and scary this woman was as the mother from hell who allowed unspeakable things to happen to her daughter.

Precious director Lee Daniels was passed over for best director but he is one of the nominated producers since the film was nominated for best picture along with Avatar, The Hurt Locker,  An Education and Up in the Air.

Here is a LINK to the full list of nominees.