Steve Carell, Bradley Cooper, Michael Keaton, Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne earned nominations for Best Actor 2015 at the 87th Academy Awards 2015. Read the article about their acting career and what led them to the nomination for one of the most prestigious awards - the Oscar.
1. Oscars 2015 - Best Actor nominations:
Steve Carell as John Eleuthère du Pont in Foxcatcher
Steve Carell, an American actor, comedian, director, producer and writer, was born on August 16, 1962. After five years of participation in The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Carell found a better opportunity and recognition in the role of Michael Scott in the American version of The Office. He got the main role in the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Evan Almighty (2007), Dan in Real Life (2007), Get Smart (2008), Date Night (2010) , Dinner for Schmucks (2010), Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012), The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013), The Way Way Back (2013) and Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011). In animated films, however, he lent his voice to Over the Hedge (2006), Horton Hears a Who! (2008), Despicable Me (2010) and Despicable Me 2 (2013). Steven Carell was named "America's funniest man" (America's funniest man) in Life magazine and received a Golden Globe for best actor in the comedy television series The Office. His dramatic portrayal of John Eleuthère du Pont in Foxcatcher (2014) earned him several awards and nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
2. Oscars 2015 - Best Actor nominations:
Michael Keaton as Riggan Thomson/Birdman in Birdman
Michael Keaton, an American actor, producer, director and comedian, was born on September 5, 1951. Keaton first became famous for his comedic roles in the films Night Shift (1982), Mr. Mom (1983), Johnny Dangerously (1984) and Beetlejuice (1988). He gained further recognition and praise for his dramatic portrayal as Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton's Batman (1989), as well as in the sequel Batman Returns (1992). Since then he has appeared in many films ranging from dramas to romantic comedies, thrillers and action films such as: Clean and Sober (1988), The Dream Team (1989), Pacific Heights (1990), Much Ado About Nothing (1993) ), My Life (1993), The Paper (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), The Other Guys (2010), Need for Speed (2014) and RoboCop (2014), while he also lent his voice to the animated films Cars ( 2006) and Toy Story 3 (2010).
His critically acclaimed lead role in Birdman (2014) earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical, a Film Critics' Choice Award for Best Actor, and nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA (British Film Award), and, of course, an Academy Award nomination 2015 for Best Actor. Keaton previously received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Live form Baghdad (2002) and a Screen Actors Guild nomination for The Company (2007). Michael Keaton was honored with a Career Achievement Award by both the Hollywood Film Festival and the Zurich Film Festival.
READ MORE: Oscars 2015: Nominations for Best Actress 2015
3. Oscars 2015 - Best Actor nominations:
Bradely Cooper as Christopher Scott “Chris” Kyle in American Sniper
Bradley Cooper, born January 5, 1975, is an American actor and producer. So far, he has been nominated for four Oscars, three nominations he earned for his performance and one as a producer. In 2011, People magazine named him the "Sexiest Man Alive". Cooper gained recognition in the spy and action series Alias and in the TV drama Jack & Bobby. He later appeared in supporting roles in the romantic comedies Wedding Crashers (2005), Yes Man (2008) and He's Just Not That Into You (2009). His breakthrough role came with the comedy trilogy Hangover (2009 – 2013). Other notable roles include the action comedy A-Team (2010), the thriller Limitless (2011), the crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines (2013) and the superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), for which Cooper lent his voice.
Bradley Cooper received three consecutive Academy Award nominations for his roles in the comedy Silver Linings Playbook (2012), the comedy drama Hustle (2013) and the biographical war drama American Sniper (2014). In the category of best film at the 2015 Oscars, Cooper is also nominated as a producer for the film American Sniper.
READ MORE: Oscars 2015: Best Picture Nominations 2015
4. Oscars 2015 - Best Actor nominations:
Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything
Eddie Redmayne, born January 6, 1982, is an English actor, singer and model. He rose to fame as Colin Clark in My Week with Marilyn, as Marius Pontmercy in the musical film adaptation of Les Misérables and as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, where he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. He also won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and a BAFTA Award.
For his stage performances, Eddie Redmayne won an Olivier Award and a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor for the drama Red.
5. Oscars 2015 - Best Actor nominations:
Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turning in The Imitation Game
Benedict Cumberbatch, born 19 July 1976, is an English actor and film producer who appears in films, television, theater and radio. Benedict first appeared at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park in Shakespeare productions such as Love's Labour's Vain (2001), A Midsummer Night's Dream (2001), Romeo and Juliet (2002), and he also portrayed Georg Tesman in Hedda Gabler (2005). and has since starred in the Royal National Theatre's productions of Dance (2010) and Frankenstein (2011). Benedict Cumberbatch has appeared on television in Hearbeat (2000), Silent Witness (2002) and Fortysomething (2003), and played Stephen Hawking in the television film Hawking (2004). Since 2010, he has been playing Sherlock Holmes in the Sherlock series. In the animated series The Simpsons, he lent his voice to the British Prime Minister and Severus Snape.
Film career includes To Kill a King (2003), Atonement (2007), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), War Horse (2011), Amazing Grace (2006), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), 12 Years a Slave ( 2013), The Fifth Estate (2013) and The Imitation Game (2014).
Cumberbatch has received numerous awards and nominations for his performance, including two nominations for the Laurence Olivier Award, where he also celebrated with his role in Frankenstein. He also received three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award, where he won in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie with his role as Sherlock. His portrayal of Alan Turning earned him a Best Actor nomination at the 2015 Academy Awards. He also received five BAFTA nominations, five Screen Actors Guild nominations and two Golden Globe nominations. In 2014, Time magazine included him among the hundred most influential people in the world.
