OSCAR NODS OFFER FEW SURPRISES

Lead actress nom Keira Knightley
Nominations for the 78th-annual Academy Awards were announced Tuesday morning, and leading the herd was — yep —
Brokeback Mountain, lassoing eight nods, including best picture, best director, and acting bids for
Heath Ledger (in the lead category),
Jake Gyllenhaal (supporting) and
Michelle Williams. Challenging the cowboy romance for best-pic honors are
Capote,
Crash,
Munich and
Good Night, and Good Luck. The lead-actor race pits Ledger against SAG-Golden Globe winner
Philip Seymour Hoffman (
Capote), Globe winner
Joaquin Phoenix (
Walk the Line),
Terrence Howard (
Hustle & Flow) and
David Strathairn (
Good Night), while the lead-actress contenders are SAG-Globe winner
Reese Witherspoon (
Walk the Line), Globe winner
Felicity Huffman (
Transamerica),
Judi Dench (
Mrs. Henderson Presents),
Keira Knightley (
Pride & Prejudice) and
Charlize Theron (
North Country). For a complete list of who's up for what,
click here.