The film Dallas Buyers Club
received six Oscar nominations Thursday morning, including best
picture and best original screenplay.
In the movie, Matthew McConaughey plays
a homophobe who acquires HIV and develops a working relationship with
Rayon, an HIV-positive transgender woman played by Jared Leto.
Dallas Buyers Club will face
stiff competition in the best picture category, where American
Hustle, Gravity and 12 Years a Slave are considered
the front-runners. Also nominated were Captain Phillips, The
Wolf of Wall Street, Nebraska, Her and Philomena.
McConaughey's performance earned him
his first-ever best actor nomination. The Academy also recognized
Leto's performance, awarding him his first-ever best supporting actor
nomination.
“Look, I'm loving the process of
making movies more than ever,” McConaughey told USA Today in
response to his Oscar nomination. “Now you've got something like
this and it's my first time that this really happened. A movie goes
out and it does well. This was an important story. What you do
through your art, you want it to translate. This movie is relevant
right now.”
“I am absolutely blown away by this
incredible nomination,” Leto said. “I never in my life thought I
would have the opportunity to even write these words. Thank you so
much to all my fellow AMPAS acting branch members for this honor.
Today you not only honor me but also all those around the world
living with AIDS and all those we have lost to this disease. Thank
you for recognizing them and recognizing their struggle through
Dallas Buyers Club.”
Philomena traces the journey of
Philomena Lee's search for the son she was forced to give up.
Philomena, a staunch Roman Catholic, finds out that Anthony Lee had
been adopted by an American couple and was a closeted politician.
Dame Judi Dench was nominated in the
best actress category for her role as Philomena Lee in the film.
Winners will be announced during a
televised show hosted by Ellen DeGeneres on March 2.