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'Chicago,' 'Gangs' lead BAFTA field

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LONDON, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- "Chicago" and "Gangs of New York" led the field with 12 nominations each when nominees were announced Monday for the Orange British Academy Film Awards.

Both pictures were nominated for best film, along with "The Hours," "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" and "The Pianist." "The Hours" had 11 nominations, while "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" had nine and "The Pianist" had seven.

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All five best film nominees also collected nominations for best director for Rob Marshall (Chicago"), Martin Scorsese ("Gangs of New York", Stephen Daldry ("The Hours"), Peter Jackson ("The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers") and Roman Polanski ("The Pianist"). The list of directing nominees is identical to the list of nominees announced last week in Hollywood by the Directors Guild of America.

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All five of the nominated movies, as well as the nominees for best director and most of the nominees for BAFTA's acting awards, are widely regarding as leading contenders for the upcoming 75th Academy Awards.

"Chicago" received a best actress nomination for Renée Zellweger and supporting actress nominations for Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The screen adaptation of Bob Fosse's Broadway musical of the same name was also nominated for music, cinematography, production design, costume design, editing, sound and makeup and hair.

"Gangs of New York" -- Scorsese's unflinching account of mid-19th century gang warfare for control of the city's streets -- earned a best actor nomination for Daniel Day-Lewis. It was also nominated for original screenplay, music, cinematography, production design, costume design, editing, sound, special visual effects and makeup and hair.

David Hare was nominated for his screenplay adaptation for "The Hours," which also picked up best actress nominations for Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep, and supporting actress and actor nominations for Julianne Moore and Ed Harris. "The Hours" was also nominated for music, editing and makeup and hair -- and for the Alexander Korda Award for the best British film of the year.

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Streep is a double nominee, with a supporting actress nomination for her performance as writer Susan Orlean in "Adaptation."

In addition to best picture and director, "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" was nominated for outstanding cinematography, production design, costume design, editing, sound, special visual effects and makeup and hair.

"The Pianist," Polanski's tale of a Polish Jew who eludes Nazi oppression in Warsaw, picked up a best actor nomination for Adrien Brody and an adapted screenplay nomination for Ronald Harwood. It was also nominated for music, cinematography and sound.

The other nominees for best actor are Nicolas Cage ("Adaptation"), Michael Caine ("The Quiet American") and Jack Nicholson ("About Schmidt"). The other nominees for best actress are Halle Berry ("Monster's Ball") and Salma Hayek ("Frida").

Chris Cooper ("Adaptation"), Alfred Molina ("Frida"), Paul Newman ("Road to Perdition") and Christopher Walken ("Catch Me if You Can") are up for supporting actor. Toni Colette was nominated for supporting actress for "About a Boy."

The short list for the Orange Film of the Year -- recognizing the most commercially successful films of the year -- are: "Austin Powers in Goldmember"; "Die Another Day"; "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"; "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"; "Men in Black II"; "Monsters, Inc."; "Ocean's 11"; "Scooby-Doo"; "Spider-Man"; "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones."

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The Orange British Academy Film Awards will be presented in London on Feb. 23, in ceremonies at the Odeon, Leicester Square, to be televised by BBC One.

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