Top 20 Oscar Nominees (2010) and Their Early TV Roles
Francis Fernandez - March 7, 2010
We may not cover theatrical films, but that doesn't mean we totally ignore them either -- especially when it's time for the Academy Awards!
Looking at a list of nominees, you can always find a few performers, like George Clooney, who got their start on the small screen, made it big on TV, and then became a movie star. And then you'll find a few surprises, like Sandra Bullock (pictured to the right) who rarely mentions her lead role in the 1990 TV series Working Girl. So we dove into the past of each of the 20 nominees for best performance, and dug up some TV gold.
Nominees for Actor in a Leading Role
|
Jeff Bridges |
George Clooney |
Colin Firth |
Morgan Freeman |
Jeremy Renner |
|
| Nominated Film | Crazy Heart | Up in the Air | A Single Man | Invictus | The Hurt Locker |
| Notable TV Role | 1983: The Prince on Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre: Rapunzel |
1994-1999: Dr. Doug Ross on ER |
1995: Mr. Darcy on Pride and Prejudice |
1982-1984: Dr. Roy Bingham on Another World |
2009: Det. Jason Walsh on The Unusuals |
| Early TV Role | 1958: guest star on Sea Hunt, which starred father Lloyd Bridges | 1985-1987: George Burnett on The Facts of Life |
1987: Adult Colin Craven on Hallmark Hall of Fame's The Secret Garden |
1971-1977: cast member on The Electric Company |
1996-2001: guest starring roles on several shows, such as CSI (in 1999) and Angel (in 2000) |
Nominees for Actress in a Leading Role
|
Sandra Bullock |
Helen Mirren |
Carey Mulligan |
Gabourey Sidibe |
Meryl Streep |
|
| Nominated Film | The Blind Side | The Last Station | An Education | Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire | Julie and Julia |
| Notable TV Role | 1990: Tess McGill on Working Girl | 1991-2006: Jane Tennison on long running British telefilm series Prime Suspect |
2007: Elise Kipling on the British TV biopic, My Boy Jack |
2010: accepted the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture on FOX |
1978: Inga Helms Weiss on the NBC Miniseries Holocaust |
| Early TV Role | 1989: Kate Mason on the NBC TV Movie Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman |
1985: Betty Duncan on "Dead Woman's Shoes" episode of The Twilight Zone | 2005: Ada Clare on Bleak House |
2009: guest on The Late Show with David Letterman | 1977: Two TV movies -- The Deadliest Season on CBS and Secret Service on PBS |
Nominees for Actor in a Supporting Role
|
Matt Damon |
Woody Harrelson |
Christopher Plummer |
Stanley Tucci |
Christoph Waltz |
|
| Nominated Film | Invictus | The Messenger | The Last Station | The Lovely Bones | Inglourious Basterds |
| Notable TV Role | 2002: special guest star as Owen on Will and Grace |
1985-1993: Woody Boyd on Cheers |
1983: Archbishop Vittorio Contini-Verchese on The Thorn Birds | 2007-2008: Dr. Kevin Moretti on ER |
1990: Hans Joachim on the BBC Miniseries The Gravy Train |
| Early TV Role | 1995: Cotton Calloway on the TNT TV movie The Good Old Boys |
1987: Slater on the NBC TV movie Bay Coven | 1962: Cyrano on Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Cyrano de Bergerac |
1995-1996: Richard Cross on Murder One |
1989: German Spy on the Ian Fleming TV biopic Goldeneye |
Nominees for Actress in a Supporting Role
|
Penelope Cruz |
Vera Farmiga |
Maggie Gyllenhaal |
Anna Kendrick |
Mo'Nique |
|
| Nominated Film | Nine | Up in the Air | Crazy Heart | Up in the Air | Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire |
| Notable TV Role | 1992: Lola Del Moreno on British show "Framed" |
2001-2002: Alex Cross on UC: Undercover |
2004: Linda Sykes on HBO TV movie Strip Search |
2009: Shelby on horror anthology series Fear Itself |
1999-2004: Nikki Parker on The Parkers |
| Early TV Role | 1991: Daphne on French show "Serie Rose" |
1997-2000: Caitlin on Roar |
1999: Mary on ABC TV movie Resurrection |
2007: guest star as Holly on Viva Laughlin |
1989: first of many appearances on It's Showtime at the Apollo |
Francis Fernandez is an avid film and television fan who wanted to be apart of VH1's World Series of Pop Culture, but had to settle for being a contestant at the Universal Studios theme park version of Fear Factor. He didn't win. His favorite shows include Lost, Arrested Development, and Dance 360--the now canceled timewaster in which "dancers" competed head-to-head around a circle for 360 bucks and an Xbox.
