Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
First nomination.
Terrence Howard, Hustle & Flow
First nomination.
Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain
First nomination.
Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line
Second nomination. First nominated in the supporting league for Gladiator (2000).
David Strathairn, Good Night, And Good Luck.
First nomination.
Supporting Actor
George Clooney, Syriana
First nomination.
Matt Dillon, Crash
First nomination.
Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man
First nomination.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain
First nomination.
William Hurt, A History of Violence
Fourth nomination, but the first in this category. Hurt was previously nominated three times for Best Actor: Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), for which he won, Children of a Lesser God (1986) and Broadcast News (1987).