King Kong set to dominate 'Peoples' movie awards

It was snubbed by the Golden Globes, the Baftas, and the Oscars – but film-goers have nominated the blockbuster King Kong for five film awards.

Peter Jackson’s film is up for Best Film, Best Director, Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Best Actor, for Andy Serkis, and Best Actress, for Naomi Watts at the Empire Awards.

Pride and Prejudice, Crash, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, follow with four nominations each.

Up until now, King Kong has barely got a look in at this year’s awards ceremonies, despite being seen by six times as many people as flavour of the month Brokeback Mountain.

It is only up for three awards at this Sunday’s Oscars ceremony, compared to eight for gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain and five for Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line, race drama Crash and Steven Spielberg’s Munich.

In this year’s Empire Awards, King Kong will do battle with Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, War of the Worlds, Crash and Sin City for Best Film.

The awards also see a 10-year-old who was plucked from obscurity to star in the Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe, nominated for Best Newcomer.

Yorkshire-born Georgie Henley had never acted before landing the role of Lucy Pevensie – the little girl who discovers the magical world of Narnia at the back of a wardrobe.

Her older rivals in the running for Best Newcomer are Narnia co-star James McAvoy, Leo Gregory for Stoned, Kelly Reilly for Mrs Henderson Presents and Pride and Prejudice, and Canadian actor Nathan Fillion for Serenity.

Best British Movie nominees are Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Descent, The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, Pride and Prejudice, Stoned and Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire.

Best Actor nominees are Matt Dillon for Crash, Batman Begins star Christian Bale, Johnny Depp for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and Viggo Mortensen (A History Of Violence).

Dillon’s Crash co-star Thandie Newton is up for Best Actress, Keira Knightley (Pride & Prejudice), Renee Zellweger (Cinderella Man) and Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) and King Kong star Watts.

British names up for Best Director are Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice) and Nick Park and Steve Box (Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit).

As well as Peter Jackson, they will do battle with Steven Spielberg (War Of The Worlds), Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins) and Ron Howard (Cinderella Man).

Empire Magazine’s Editor in Chie Colin Kennedy said: “This outstanding and diverse line-up is the only shortlist to celebrate the best movies of 2005, films that were not only widely seen by the ordinary public but cherished and remembered some months later.

“While the Oscars and the Baftas rightfully celebrate the narrow set of prestige movies released during ‘awards season’, our show is designed to recognise movies of all genres, echoing the way ordinary filmgoers talk about movies.

“The films and talent represented here reflect the popular choice, which is the choice that matters in the filmgoer’s opinion and ours.”

The Sony Ericsson Empire Awards will be presented by Bill Bailey at a ceremony on March 13 at the Hilton London Metropole.

:: Sony Ericsson Empire Awards 2006 – Nominations

:: Best Newcomer

Leo Gregory (Stoned)

Kelly Reilly (Mrs. Henderson Presents/Pride & Prejudice)

Georgie Henley (Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe)

James McAvoy (Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe)

Nathan Fillion (Serenity)

:: Sony Ericsson Scene of the Year

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit – The Dogfight

War Of The Worlds – Arrival of the First Tripod

The Descent – First Attack of the Crawlers

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith – Birth of Vader

Crash – The Car Rescue

:: Best Comedy

The Wedding Crashers

The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy

The League Of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse

Team America: World Police

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

:: Best Thriller

The Constant Gardener

Sin City

Batman Begins

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

A History Of Violence

:: Best Horror

The Skeleton Key

The Descent

Land Of The Dead

Wolf Creek

:: Best Sci-fi/Fantasy

King Kong

Serenity

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire

:: Best Director

Steven Spielberg – War Of The Worlds

Pete Jackson – King Kong

Christopher Nolan – Batman Begins

Ron Howard – Cinderella Man

Nick Park and Steve Box – Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit

Joe Wright – Pride & Prejudice

:: Best Actor

Christian Bale – Batman Begins

Johnny Depp – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Andy Serkis – King Kong

Matt Dillon- Crash

Viggo Mortensen – A History of Violence

:: Best Actress

Naomi Watts – King Kong

Keira Knightley – Pride & Prejudice

Thandie Newton – Crash

Renee Zellweger – Cinderella Man

Hilary Swank – Million Dollar Baby

:: Best British Movie

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

The Descent

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Pride & Prejudice

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire

Stoned

:: Best Film

King Kong

War of the Worlds

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Crash

Sin City