True to his word and feisty as ever, Irish actor Peter O'Toole is back in the Oscar arena at the age of 74. Yesterday he collected his eighth nomination as best actor, setting a new record as the most nominated actor who has never won the award.
Offered an honorary Oscar four years ago, O'Toole refused the honour, insisting that he was "still in the game" and would like more time to "win the lovely bugger outright". He relented only when he was informed that the award would be bestowed on him whether he collected it or not.
A native of Connemara, O'Toole was nominated yesterday for his touching portrayal of an ageing actor in Venus - aptly enough on the day when the most Oscar nominations (eight) went to Dreamgirls, a musical charting the ups and downs of showbusiness careers.
O'Toole was nominated seven times between 1962 and 1983 for Lawrence of Arabia, Beckett, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye Mr Chips, The Ruling Class, The Stunt Man and My Favourite Year.
At the London premiere of Venus on Monday night, he remarked: "Are the nominations tomorrow? I better start getting excited. A nomination wouldn't mean a sausage, though if I won the f***er . . . "
O'Toole faces formidable competition from US actor Forest Whitaker for his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. The other nominees are all long shots: Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness), Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond) and Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson).
Joining O'Toole in flying the Irish flag at the Oscars next month will be Consolata Boyle, who was at home in Wicklow yesterday when she heard she had been nominated for best costume design for her work on The Queen.
"I am thrilled," she said last night. "The film was such a joy to do, and now this is a bonus. It is very exciting." She has a busy month ahead, having been nominated for a Bafta award in London and for a Costume Designers' Guild award in Los Angeles in the fortnight before the Oscars.
Oscars offer refreshing change as nominees spread across globe:
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