Best Performances

Scope of the 2004 Cosmique Movie Award Categories

The performance categories are where Cosmo voters have the best chance to express their creativity. These categories include some traditional ones that you'll find at many other awards shows such as Best Actress and Best Ensemble. But it also includes more avant garde categories like Best Female Villain and Actor's Character You Would Most Like to be Intimate With.

But even with the big awards, Cosmo voters often go their own way. Some of the contenders for the Oscars also get nominated, but sometimes there are surprise, dark-horse entries as well, like Ellen Degeneres' double Best Actress/Supporting Actress nomination (and supporting win) for Finding Nemo.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the actress deemed by Cosmo voters to have achieved the best performance in a leading role an eligible 2004 film.

Comments: Cosmo voters must carefully decide whether the performance was in a leading or supporting capacity. Not all films will have both a male and a female lead, and it is theoretically possible in ensemble films for every role to be considered a supporting role. It is theoretically possible for an actress to be nominated in both leading and supporting categories for the same performance if the Academy voters seem divided about their interpretation of the role (as they did with Ellen Degeneres for Finding Nemo and Scarlett Johansson for Lost in Translation). The following lists come from the Golden Globe nominees, as well as the actresses who are on critics' short-list of Oscar handicaps. In some cases, an actress may appear on both Leading and Supporting lists, reflecting some disagreement among critics about how they would personally define the performance.

Ideas for Nominees: Kim Bassinger for The Door in the Floor; Annette Bening for Being Julia; Laura Dern for We Don't Live Here Anymore; Scarlett Johansson for A Love Song for Bobby Long; Ashley Judd for De-Lovely; Nicole Kidman for Birth; Nicole Kidman for Dogville; Tea Leoni for Spanglish; Laura Linney for Kinsey; Suleka Mathew for Touch of Pink; Catalina Sandino Moreno for Maria Full of Grace; Natalie Portman for Garden State; Julia Roberts for Closer; Emmy Rossum for The Phantom of the Opera; Imelda Staunton for Vera Drake; Meryl Streep for The Manchurian Candidate; Hillary Swank for Million Dollar Baby; Audrey Tautou for A Very Long Engagement; Uma Thurman for Kill Bill, Volume 2; Tracey Ullman for A Dirty Shame; Kate Winslet for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Kate Winslet for Finding Neverland; Robin Wright Penn for A Home at the End of the World; and Renee Zellweger for Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the actor deemed by Cosmo voters to have achieved the best performance in a leading role an eligible 2004 film.

Comments: As with the Best Actress award, Cosmo voters must carefully decide whether the performance was in a leading or supporting capacity. Not all films will have both a male and a female lead, and it is theoretically possible in ensemble films for every role to be considered a supporting role. It is also theoretically possible for an actor to be nominated in both leading and supporting categories for the same performance if the Academy voters are divided about their interpretation of the role (as they did with Richard Gere in Chicago). The following list of suggestions come from the Golden Globe nominees, as well as the actresses who are on critics' short-list of Oscar handicaps.

Ideas for Nominees: Kevin Bacon for The Woodsman; Christian Bale for The Machinist; Javier Bardem for The Sea Inside; Zach Braff for Garden State; Jeff Bridges for The Door in the Floor; Gerard Butler for The Phantom of the Opera; Jim Carrey for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Don Cheadle for Hotel Rwanda; Billy Crudup for Stage Beauty; Tom Cruise for Collateral; Johnny Depp for Finding Neverland; Leonardo DiCaprio for The Aviator; Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby; Colin Farrell for A Home at the End of the World; Jamie Foxx for Ray; Paul Giamatti for Sideways; Kevin Kline for De-Lovely; Jude Law for Alfie; Bill Murray for The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou; Liam Neeson for Kinsey; Michael Pitt for The Dreamers; Robert Redford for The Clearing; Dallas Roberts for A Home at the End of the World; Mark Ruffalo for We Don't Live Here Anymore; Adam Sandler for Spanglish; and Kevin Spacey for Beyond the Sea

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the actress deemed by Cosmo voters to have achieved the best performance in a supporting role an eligible 2004 film.

Comments: As with the Best Actor and Actress categories, Cosmo voters must carefully decide whether the performance was in a leading or supporting capacity. Not all films will have both a male and a female lead; a woman may have the largest role in a film and yet her role may still be considered supporting. It is also theoretically possible in ensemble films for every role to be considered a supporting role. And it is theoretically possible for an actress to be nominated in both leading and supporting categories for the same performance. The following ideas came from Golden Globe nominees as well as the handicappers' lists of possible Oscar nominees.

Ideas for Nominees: Cate Blanchett for The Aviator; Cate Blanchett for The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou; Julie Christie for Finding Neverland; Patricia Clarkson for Dogville; Jennifer Coolidge for A Cinderella Story; Minnie Driver for The Phantom of the Opera; Elle Fanning for The Door in the Floor; Irma P. Hall for The Ladykillers; Angelina Jolie for Alexander; Regina King for Ray; Cloris Leachman for Spanglish; Laura Linney for Kinsey; Virginia Madsen for Sideways; Suleka Mathew for Touch of Pink; Maia Morgenstern for The Passion of the Christ; Natalie Portman for Closer; Natalie Portman for Garden State; Susan Sarandon for Alfie; Sissy Spacek for A Home at the End of the World; Meryl Streep for The Manchurian Candidate; Sharon Warren for Ray; Kerry Washington for Ray; Naomi Watts for I Heart Huckabees; Naomi Watts for We Don't Live Here Anymore; and Kate Winslet for Finding Neverland

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the actor deemed by Cosmo voters to have achieved the best performance in a supporting role an eligible 2004 film.

Comments: As with the Best Actor and Actress categories, Cosmo voters must carefully decide whether the performance was in a leading or supporting capacity. Not all films will have both a male and a female lead; a man may have the largest role in a film and yet his role may still be considered supporting. It is also theoretically possible in ensemble films for every role to be considered a supporting role. And it is theoretically possible for an actor to be nominated in both leading and supporting categories for the same performance (remember Richard Gere? Chicago?). The following ideas came from Golden Globe nominees as well as the handicappers' lists of possible Oscar nominees.

Ideas for Nominees: Alan Alda for The Aviator; Alec Baldwin for The Aviator; David Carradine for Kill Bill, Volume 2; Thomas Hayden Church for Sideways; Willem Dafoe for The Clearing; Jon Foster for The Door in the Floor; Jamie Foxx for Collateral; Morgan Freeman for Million Dollar Baby; Freddie Highmore for Finding Neverland; Val Kilmer for Alexander; Peter Krause for We Don't Live Here Anymore; Rodrigo le Serna for The Motorcycle Diaries; John Lithgow for Kinsey; Kyle MacLachlin for Touch of Pink; Scott Mechlowicz for Mean Creek; Peter O'Toole for Troy; Clive Owen for Closer; Peter Sarsgaard for Garden State; Peter Sarsgaard for Kinsey; and Owen Wilson for The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

 

Best Ensemble Cast for a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the film deemed by Cosmo voters to have delivered the best performances by the ensemble cast in an eligible 2004 film.

Comments: In choosing the nominees, Cosmo voters consider the bulk of the entire cast, leads and supporting roles alike, in terms of both their individual performances as well as their interactions with one another. It should be based on the strength of the collective ensemble, not just a few performers. It is possible for a voter to choose to nominate a particular film's cast here even if the voter doesn't consider any of the actors or actresses to be worthy alone for an individual nomination.

Ideas for Nominees: The Aviator; Closer; Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut; The Door in the Floor; The Dreamers; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Finding Neverland; Garden State; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; A Home at the End of the World; Intermission; The Ladykillers; The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ; Mean Creek; The Notebook; Ocean's 12; Saved!; Sideways; Touch of Pink; Troy; and We Don't Live Here Anymore

 

Sexiest Ensemble Cast for a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the film deemed by Cosmo voters to have the sexiest or most attractive ensemble cast in an eligible 2004 film.

Comments: In choosing the nominees, Cosmo voters consider the entire cast, leads and supporting roles alike. But this time, the cast's acting talents are ignored; the voters are strictly concerned with how sexy they find the cast members. Consider it a vote for "the cast you would most like to play strip poker with." Voters are free to discard the underage cast members and some of the other actors from their imaginary game of strip poker, but should otherwise consider the bulk of the cast. Voters should also remember that they are voting for the characters as portrayed by the actors, not the actors in real life. 

Ideas for Nominees: Alexander; Alfie; The Aviator; A Dirty Shame; The Dreamers; Eurotrip; Games People Play: New York; King Arthur; The Notebook; Ocean's 12; and Troy

 

Favorite Male Hero of a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the actor who has provided the best or favorite portrayal of a heroic character, regardless of whether it was a leading or supporting role.

Comments: Not all protagonists are heroes, and not all heroes are leading characters. In this context, heroic characters are those who through their actions perform feats of great difficulty to achieve an important result. Their feats may have been performed individually or as an important member of an ensemble. They may have been performed through tremendous strength, agility, cunning, magical or mutant powers, stamina, courage, or even luck. Their actions may affect a large outcome, such as saving the world or one's community, country, or city. They may be more personal, such as saving one's family or one's self, but against terrific odds. But it's important to remember that simply being the lead does not make one the hero. Heroes may be flawed, but voters must decide to what extent a character can perform villainous deeds in addition to their heroic ones and still remain a hero. Julianne Moore had the starring role in Far From Heaven, but it was not a heroic character per se. But in contrast, the character played by her Best Actor counterpart, Adrien Brody in The Pianist, endured such hardships and managed to survive Nazi occupation against such odds that he could, in theory, be considered a heroic character simply for surviving.

Ideas for Nominees: Liam Aiken for Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events; Eric Bana for Troy; Nicolas Cage for National Treasure; Matt Damon for The Bourne Supremacy; Chris Evans for Cellular; Colin Farrell for Alexander; Jake Gyllenhall for The Day After Tomorrow; Jake Gyllenhall for Donny Darko: The Director's Cut; Hugh Jackman for Van Helsing; Heath Ledger for Ned Kelly; Matthew Lillard for Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed; Tobey Maguire for Spider-Man 2; Clive Owens for King Arthur; Brad Pitt for Troy; Freddy Prinze Jr. for Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed; Ryan Reynolds for Blade Trinity; Wesley Snipes for Blade Trinity; and Patrick Wilson for The Phantom of the Opera

 

Favorite Female Hero of a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the actress who has provided the best or favorite portrayal of a heroic character, regardless of whether it was a leading or supporting role.

Comments: Women characters so rarely get to "save the day" that the Board of Governors felt it important to ensure that we have separate categories to honor the male and female heroic characters, rather than a single co-sexual category. We've chosen to use the term "hero" for women as well as men because the term "heroine" so often conjures images of the "damsel in distress" rather than a woman who is herself a powerful figure. Not all protagonists are heroes, and not all heroes are leading characters. In this context, heroic characters are those who through their actions perform feats of great difficulty to achieve an important result. Their feats may have been performed individually or as an important member of an ensemble. They may have been performed through tremendous strength, agility, cunning, magical or mutant powers, stamina, courage, or even luck. Their actions may affect a large outcome, such as saving the world or one's community, country, or city. They may be more personal, such as saving one's family or one's self, but against terrific odds. But it's important to remember that simply being the lead does not make one the hero. Heroes may be flawed, but voters must decide to what extent a character can perform villainous deeds in addition to their heroic ones and still remain a hero. Julianne Moore had the starring role in Far From Heaven, but it was not a heroic character per se. But in contrast, the character played by her Best Actor counterpart, Adrien Brody in The Pianist, endured such hardships and managed to survive Nazi occupation against such odds that he could, in theory, be considered a heroic character.

Ideas for Nominees: Kim Bassinger for Cellular; Kate Beckinsale for Van Helsing; Halle Berry for Catwoman; Jessica Biel for Blade Trinity; Emily Browning for Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events; Linda Cardellini for Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed; Sarah Michelle Gellar for The Grudge; Sarah Michelle Gellar for Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed; Anne Hathoway for Ella Enchanted; Angelina Jolie for Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow; Keira Knightley for King Arthur; Sarah Polley for Dawn of the Dead; Uma Thurman for Kill Bill, Volume 2; and Emma Watson for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

 

Best Male Villain of a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the actor deemed by Cosmo voters to have achieved the best performance in a villainous role in an eligible 2004 film.

Comments: Once we decided to have separate male and female heroic categories, it made sense to split the villain category as well. To a certain degree, Cosmo voters must decide for themselves how to define this category. Are villains necessarily intrinsically evil? Can a character be an inadvertent villain, or do they have to act with deliberate malice? Can they be considered a villain if they are redeemed in the end? Can they be considered a villain if they perform some villainous acts, even if they also perform some good ones? And to what extent is the voter basing his or her decision based on the character as written, or as performed by the actor (if that is, indeed, separatable)? Each voter will have to decide for himself or herself how to best interpret the category.

Ideas for Nominees: Sean Bean for National Treasure; Jim Broadbent for Around the World in 80 Days; George W. Bush for Fahrenheit 9/11; Gerard Butler for The Phantom of the Opera; Jim Carrey for Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events; Brian Cox for Troy; John Rhys Davies for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement; James Franco for Spider-Man 2; Jude Law for I Heart Huckabees; Scott Mechlowicz for Mean Creek; Laurence Olivier for Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow; Geoffrey Rush for Ned Kelly; and Christopher Walken for The Stepford Wives

 

Best Female Villain of a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the actress deemed by Cosmo voters to have achieved the best performance in a villainous role an eligible 2004 film.

Comments: To a certain degree, Cosmo voters must decide for themselves how to define this category. Are villains necessarily intrinsically evil? Can a character be an inadvertent villain, or do they have to act with deliberate malice? Can they be considered a villain if they are redeemed in the end? Can they be considered a villain if they perform some villainous acts, even if they also perform some good ones? And to what extent is the voter basing his or her decision based on the character as written, or as performed by the actress (if that is, indeed, separatable)? Each voter will have to decide for himself or herself how to best interpret the category.

Ideas for Nominees: Glenn Close for The Stepford Wives; Judy Greer for 13 Going on 30; Daryl Hannah for Kill Bill, Volume 2; Rachel McAdams for Mean Girls; Mandy Moore for Saved!; and Meryl Streep for The Manchurian Candidate

 

Best Cameo

Summary: Awarded to the actor or actress deemed by Cosmo voters to have achieved the best cameo performance in an eligible 2004 film, appearing in a role generally considered to be smaller than what they would generally accept.

Comments: A cameo is generally considered to apply to situations where a well-known actor or actress has accepted a role that is generally smaller than a role they would normally accept, or where the performer is a famous personality not known for acting. Sometimes it is done to poke fun at themselves by exaggerating a characteristic the performer is known for, or to reprise a beloved role (or appear as another character in a remake of a beloved film). The performance is usually limited to only a few scenes, may be uncredited, and is often set up as a surprise to the audience. Sometimes - but not always - the actor or actress in the cameo role will be portraying themselves. Note: the suggestions that follow may be considered spoilers in some cases.

Ideas for Nominees: Lance Armstrong for Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story; Julie Christie for Troy; Joan Cusack for The Last Shot; Matt Damon for Eurotrip; Clint Eastwood for Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story; Will Farrell for Starsky and Hutch; Matt Frewer for Dawn of the Dead; Mel Gibson for Paparazzi; Paul Michael Glaser for Starsky and Hutch; David Hasselhoff for A Dirty Shame; David Hasselhoff for Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story; Joanna Lumley for Eurotrip; Matthew McConaughey for Paparazzi; Russell Means for The Last Shot; Pat Morita for The Last Shot; Chuck Norris for Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story; Scott H. Reiniger for Dawn of the Dead; Debbie Reynolds for Connie and Carla; Chris Rock for Paparazzi; Arnold Schwarzenegger for Around the World in 80 Days; William Shatner for Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story; David Soul for Starsky and Hutch; Hal Sparks for Spider-Man 2; Ben Stiller for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy; Patrick Swayze for Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights; Vince Vaughn for Paparazzi; Luke Wilson for Around the World in 80 Days; and Owen Wilson for Around the World in 80 Days

 

Actor’s Character You Would Most Like to be Intimate With

Summary: Awarded to the actor deemed by Cosmo voters to have portrayed the character from a 2004 film whom they would most like to be intimate with.

Comments: Voters will be indicating the name of the actor on their ballot, but are really nominating the character, at least as portrayed by that actor. Also, voters may interpret "intimate" however they want. For some, it may be a candlelight dinner, a furtive fumble, a passionate affair, or a lifelong romance. (Or, for possible nominees from at least several different films, a love that lasts for all eternity.) For the purpose of this award, voters will be ignoring the character's stated or perceived sexual orientation. But voters must be mindful that they are voting for the character, not the actor, even though the actor's appearance and mannerisms will be informing how the character acts. If the character is mad, violent, or has physical traits that turn you off (like dirty fingernails?), he may not be the best pick, even if the actor in other circumstances is dreamy. Please note, too, that the character must be at least 18 to be considered eligible for nomination.

Ideas for Nominees: Marco Filiberti for Adored: Diary of a Porn Star; Ryan Gosling for The Notebook; Ioan Gruffudd for King Arthur; Jake Gyllenhaal for The Day After Tomorrow; Kristen Holden-Reid for Touch of Pink; Will Kemp for Van Helsing; Jude Law for Alfie; Jude Law for The Aviator; Jude Law for Closer; Jude Law for I Heart Huckabees; Jude Law for Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow; Scott Lunsford for Eating Out; Luke Mably for The Prince and Me; Kyle MacLachlin for Touch of Pink; Tobey Maguire for Spider-Man 2; Scott Mechlowicz for Eurotrip; Jimi Mistry for Touch of Pink; Cillian Murphy for Intermission; Clive Owen for Closer; Clive Owen for King Arthur; Chris Pine for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement; Michael Pitt for The Dreamers; Brad Pitt for Troy; Jacob Pitts for Eurotrip; Dallas Roberts for A Door at the End of the World; Steve Sandvoss for Latter Days; Jim Verraros for Eating Out; and Patrick Wilson for The Phantom of the Opera

 

Actress’ Character You Would Most Like to be Intimate With

Summary: Awarded to the actress deemed by Cosmo voters to have portrayed the character from a 2004 film whom they would most like to be intimate with.

Comments: Voters will be indicating the name of the actress on their ballot, but are really nominating the character, at least as portrayed by that actress. Also, voters may interpret "intimate" however they want. For some, it may be a candlelight dinner, a furtive fumble, a passionate affair, or a lifelong romance. (Or, for possible nominees from at least several different films, a love that lasts for all eternity.) For the purpose of this award, voters will be ignoring the character's stated or perceived sexual orientation. But voters must be mindful that they are voting for the character, not the actress, even though the actress' appearance and mannerisms will be informing how the character acts. If the character is known to have killed at least seven people, or has the power to suck away your power and possibly your life with a touch, she might not be the best pick, even if the actress in other circumstances is hot. On the other hand, if the character has the power to assume the shape and voice of anyone she wants, male or female, what's not to love? 

Ideas for Nominees: Kate Beckinsale for The Aviator; Halle Berry for Catwoman; Cate Blanchett for The Aviator; Jennifer Garner for 13 Going on 30; Angelina Jolie for Alexander; Keira Knightley for King Arthur; Diane Kruger for Troy; Suleka Mathew for Touch of Pink; Rachel McAdams for The Notebook; Susan Sarandon for Alfie; Marisa Tomei for Alfie; and Michelle Trachtenberg for Eurotrip

 

Worst Performance in a 2004 Film

Summary: Awarded to the actor or actress deemed by Cosmo voters to have delivered the worst performance in an eligible 2004 film.

Comments: This is now one of the few remaining co-sexual categories open to both men and women. 

Ideas for Nominees: Vin Diesel for The Chronicles of Riddick; Cary Elwes for Ella Enchanted; Nicole Kidman for The Stepford Wives; Eddie Murphy for Shrek 2; Ben Stiller for Along Came Polly; Ben Stiller for Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy; Ben Stiller for Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story; Ben Stiller for Envy; Ben Stiller for Meet the Fockers; and Ben Stiller for Starsky & Hutch

 

Additional Categories

Lifetime Achievement

Best Overall

Best by Genre