Oscar nominations 2011: Academy Award nominees to watch

Oscar's big night is just over a month away. Here are some early (and green) favorites to take home the golden man.

Tue, Jan 25 2011 at 6:20 PM EST

Photos: Oscars.com

With the 83rd Academy Awards handing out nominations this morning, the fervor in Hollywood over who was snubbed and who was a surprise will be the topic of conversation over sushi at Nobus. But what nominations am I excited to see, purely from a green point of view? Let's throw on the tinted glasses and gloss over the selections below:

Best Actor

Without a doubt, the Best Actor award is Colin Firth's ("The King's Speech") to lose. He's got some close competition from Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network"), Jeff Bridges ("True Grit"), Javier Bardem ("Biutiful"), and James Franco ("127 Hours") — but I'd say it's a lock.

And you have to love Firth from a green angle. Not only is he the co-owner of a green shop in the U.K. called Eco Age with his wife Livia Firth, but he's a regular champion of sustainable initiatives. Oh yes, and let's not forget Livia's 2011 Green Carpet Challenge currently playing out during awards season. The goal is to wear only ethical and sustainable fashions on the red carpet during awards season.

Best Actress

After winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress, it's hard not to see Natalie Portman ("Black Swan") walking away with the Oscar here. Annette Bening ("The Kid Are All Right") could certainly play the upset card, but Nicole Kidman ("Rabbit Hole"), Michelle Williams ("Blue Valentine"), and Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone") are long shots.

Portman is a constant fixture in this column for her vegan activism and commitment to micro-loan charity FINCA, PETA, and organizations like Shoe4Africa. She's currently pregnant with her first child — and everyone loves to see expecting mommas win. So bet on it.

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale was phenomenal in "The Fighter," so he's my top pick for this category. Geoffrey Rush ("The King's Speech"), John Hawkes ("Winter's Bone"), Mark Ruffalo ("The Kids Are All Right"), and Jeremy Renner ("The Town") all round out what's a very strong category for phenomenal performances.

I personally feel Bale is due for a win, and I've been a big fan of his commitment to conservation groups like Sea Shepherd. Then again, it's hard not to also root for Mark Ruffalo, who has single-handedly elevated the activist fight against gas drilling in New York to a whole new level of media awareness.

Best Supporting Actress

Of all the categories, this is the only one that makes me uncertain. Nor do I have anything particularly enlightening to share on the philanthropic passions of each of the nominees. From the list of Hailee Steinfeld ("True Grit"), Melissa Leo ("The Fighter"), Jacki Weaver ("Animal Kingdom"), Helena Bonham-Carter ("The King's Speech"), and Amy Adams ("The Fighter"), I'm going blindly with Steinfeld.

Everyone loves an upset. Especially when it's a teenager.

Best Documentary

Let's skip right ahead to a category that I love, but is less picked apart by the mass media. I'm happy to see two environmentally themed docs making the list, "Waste Land" and "Gasland." The former has been a thorn in the side of natural gas companies looking to "frack" their way to profits throughout the northeast U.S. It's also the same film that supposedly landed actor Mark Ruffalo on the Pennsylvania office of Homeland Security's terrorist "watch list" after he organized some local screenings.

"Waste Land" is a stunning look at Brazil's Jardim Gramacho, the world's largest landfill, and the people who depend on others' waste to survive. Artist Moby supplies the haunting soundtrack, and while I haven't seen it, I've heard people walk in knowing nothing and leave completely awed by the experience.

The Banksy film "Exit Through The Gift Shop" is largely predicted to walk away with this category, but I'd love to see "Gasland" score the upset. Officials at the Pennsylvania office of Homeland Security would be less than pleased.

33 days to go...

So those are but a few initial predictions. I'll be covering many more of the nominees from a green angle as we get closer to the big night. For now, jump here to check out the full list of potential winners — and let me know below which ones you think might score gold on Oscar night!

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