Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- There's a gap between actors and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences when it comes to acting awards. The 95,000-member Screen Actors Guild and the elite 6,000 members of the movie academy (including many actors) are almost in agreement on this year's nominations. Advertisement Of the 10 nominations for best actor and actress there were only two conflicts for best performances. Both guild and academy nominated Russell Crowe ("A Beautiful Mind"), Sean Penn ("I Am Sam"), Denzel Washington ("Training Day") and Tom Wilkinson ("In The Bedroom"). They parted ranks for the fifth nominee. The guild nominated Kevin Kline for his performance in "Life As a House" whereas the academy opted for Will Smith in "Ali." Advertisement Among best actress nominees, the academy and guild both went for Halle Berry ("Monster's Ball"), Judi Dench ("Iris"), Sissy Spacek ("In The Bedroom") and Renee Zellweger ("Bridget Jones's Diary"). The discrepancy in this category was Nicole Kidman who was nominated for best actress in a leading role by the academy while SAG nominated Jennifer Connelly for "A Beautiful Mind." These divergences defy analysis. Because neither the guild nor the academy reveals the numbers of votes accumulated by each nominee, it isn't possible to determine how close the competition was between Kline and Smith, nor the vote differential between Kidman and Connelly. One is inclined to think that in both cases the balloting was close. But when so many voters are involved the variance is difficult to scrutinize. Because of the enormous number of voters in the guild it is apparent that the "Actor" (as the SAG award is called) carries more weight in some quarters than the Oscar with its fewer voters. All the same, the 74-year-old Academy Award is incalculably more consequential to the recipient than the SAG award. Advertisement An estimated billion TV viewers see the awarding of Oscars worldwide while the public considers the SAG ceremonies just another awards show. The contrast of prestige is enormous -- thanks to the academy's long history and glamour -- accompanied by outrageous hoopla. It has become an international tradition like no other of its kind. The SAG awards are relatively new, having existed for only eight years. They lack the impact of an industry-wide vote as well. Performers who win the SAG award may say it is more important and significant because their peers vote the honor, whereas the Oscars might reflect simple popularity. It raises the question: Are actors and actresses better judges of the art of acting than other people in the industry -- or among the population at large? On the other hand, are actors and actresses more subjective about the work of fellow thespians than non-professional performers? Is jealousy a factor? For example, do the actors who were considered for the male lead in "A Beautiful Mind" begrudge the fact that Russell Crowe won the nomination while they did not? Disgruntled also-rans for a particular role represent so few individuals that envy or resentment are of no consequence in the balloting. Advertisement Would the fact that Kidman is an Australian rather than American carry any significance among voters in both SAG and the academy. That's pure nonsense. The Oscars never have been accused of prejudicial nationalism. Excellence alone has been the standard of the industry. The number of foreigners winning Academy Awards is ample evidence of the academy's objectivity. This year alone, both Crowe (Australian) and Dench (English) are nominees for Oscars as well as Actors, and Kidman has been nominated for the Oscar as well. What about race? In the past several decades an increasing number of minorities has been nominated for acting awards. And this year the Academy has nominated three African Americans for best performances: Smith, Washington and Berry. The overwhelming preponderance of English-speaking Caucasian performers winning Hollywood nominations and awards is a matter of their staggering majority in American motion pictures, reflecting the general population. In Indian movies the predominant race is Indian, accommodating that film industry's huge population with Indian stories and characters for its target audience. In the nominations of the SAG and the academy this winter there was slightly more diversification among supporting actors and actresses Both the academy and the guild nominated Jim Broadbent ("Iris"), Ethan Hawke ("Training Day"), Ben Kingsley ("Sexy Beast") and Ian McKellen ("Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"). Advertisement The guild nominated Hayden Christensen ("Life As A House") as its fifth nominee while the academy nominated Jon Voight ("Ali"). The greatest diversity was found among supporting actresses. The guild: Kate Blanchett ("Bandits"), Judi Dench ("The Shipping News"), Cameron Diaz ("Vanilla Sky"), Dakota Fanning ("I Am Sam"). SAG: Jennifer Connelly ("A Beautiful Mind"), Maggie Smith ("Gosford Park"), Marisa Tomei ("In The Bedroom") and Kate Winslet ("Iris"). Helen Mirren ("Gosford Park") was nominated by both.
