Ledger, ‘Button,’ ‘Nixon’ get Golden nods

Ralph Fiennes had two nominations, supporting film actor for “The Duchess” and best actor in TV movie or miniseries for “Bernard and Doris.” 

The Globes are the second-biggest film awards show after the Academy Awards and often set the tone for the Oscars by singling out key performances and achievements. The Globe ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 11, 11 days before Oscar nominations.

In the TV categories, the HBO psychotherapy series “In Treatment” and the movie dramatization of the 2000 election aftermath “Recount” both earned five nominations on Thursday.

“In Treatment” was nominated for best television drama, with series star Gabriel Byrne, Melissa George, Dianne Weist and Blair Underwood getting nods for their acting. “Recount” will compete for best TV movie or miniseries, with Kevin Spacey, Laura Dern and Denis Leary nominated for their acting. Tom Wilkinson earned two TV nominations, actor in a movie or miniseries for “Recount” and supporting actor in a series, movie or miniseries for “John Adams,” which received three additional nominations.

Meanwhile, Tina Fey’s magical run continued. The show she created and in which she stars, NBC’s “30 Rock,” earned a nomination for best comedy and Fey received a best actress nod.

Fox’s “House” was the only broadcast nominee for best TV drama. Besides “In Treatment,” other nominees were HBO’s “True Blood,” Showtime’s “Dexter” and the reigning Emmy winner, AMC’s “Mad Men.”

Showtime’s “Weeds” and “Californication,” HBO’s “Entourage” and NBC’s “The Office” will compete with “30 Rock” for best TV comedy.

Jon Hamm and January Jones of “Mad Men” both earned nominations for best actors in a television drama.

Hamm and Byrne are competing against Hugh Laurie’s damaged doctor in “House,” Michael C. Hall in Showtime’s “Dexter” and Jonathan Rhys Meyers of Showtime’s “The Tudors.”

Other best actress nominees were Sally Field of ABC’s “Brothers and Sisters,” Mariska Hargitay of “Law & Order: SVU,” Anna Paquin of HBO’s “True Blood” and Kyra Sedgwick of TNT’s “The Closer.”

The glitzy Globes were canceled last year after celebrities said they would boycott the show in honor of a strike by the Writers Guild of America. Winners were announced at a hasty news conference instead.

Hollywood faces labor strife again with a potential strike by the Screen Actors Guild. But a strike-authorization vote early next month would come too late to affect the Globes this time.

The awards are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a group of about 85 critics and reporters for overseas outlets.

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