Staunton savouring Oscar attention

Veteran British actress Imelda Staunton is savouring every moment in the run-up to the Oscars, and describes her coveted nomination as “gold-dust”.

The 49-year-old is up against Hillary Swank and Kate Winslet in the best actress category for her performance as the title character in Vera Drake.

“To have this happen to me now, in what I hope is the middle of my career, is gold dust,” she said. “It’s a once-in-a-life-time thing.”

Staunton has already won a Bafta for her portrayal of the 1950s Londoner who helps out women with abortions.

Staunton and fellow Oscar nominee, director Mike Leigh, prepared for the role by studying working-class Britain in 1950.

The actress said they spent six months stitching Drake’s life together from when she was born in 1905.

Staunton will attend the glitzy Los Angeles ceremony on Sunday with husband, British actor Jim Carter, and their 11-year-old daughter Bess.

She is up against Swank for Million Dollar Baby, Annette Bening for Being Julia, fellow Brit Winslet for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Catalina Sandino Moreno for Maria Full of Grace.

People magazine has tipped Swank to take home the award with odds of 7/5.