Jennifer Hudson

Nominated for: Her turn as a great singer relegated to the background due to the way she looked in Dreamgirls.

Previous nominations: First role ever.

Other notable previous work: She lost the third season of American Idol.

The total newcomer with the once in a lifetime role. Hudson might never be able to get a job in a decent film again, but at least she had that one great turn.

Cate Blanchett

Nominated for: Playing a teacher who enters in dangerous relationships with a student and a fellow teacher in Notes on a Scandal.

Previous nominations: For the title role in Elizabeth and for The Aviator, for which she ended up winning the best supporting actress Oscar.

Other notable previous work: Blanchett has worked in many smaller films, always delivering strong performances. Some highlights include The Talented Mr. Ripley , The Gift and Bandits. She was also Galadriel in the Lord Of The Rings movies and had a turn opposite Brad Pitt in Babel.

Blanchett is just one of those actresses that is always under consideration for an Oscar nominations because she is consistently great in everything she does. Expect to see her in many years to come.

Abigail Breslin

Nominated for: Playing the kid in Little Miss Sunshine.

Previous nominations: She is eleven, how many nominations do you want her to have?

Other notable previous work: She was the little kid in Signs.

The other newcomer in the group, although she is a veteran when compared to Jennifer.

Adriana Barraza

Nominated for: Playing a Mexican nanny who makes some bad decisions in Babel.

Previous nominations: Nope.

Other notable previous work: Adriana has mostly worked on TV in Spanish language soaps.

An old timer getting her first break in a major Hollywood movie, and getting noticed.

Rinko Kikuchi

Nominated for: Her turn as a troubled deaf-mute looking for an emotional connection in Babel.

Previous nominations: Yeah, right.

Other notable previous work: She had parts in Sanmon yakusha, Sora no ana and Cha no aji. What, you never heard of those? Yeah, me neither.

And yet another relative newcomer. Rinko has done some film work in some reasonably popular Japanese films, but her role in Babel is the most expressive she has had to date.

Who will win: Jennifer Hudson. I guess Abigail Breslin has an outside chance, but it looks like a done deal to me.

Who I wish would win: I actually think this category is a little weak this year, and Jennifer’s work does stand out. I would also be pleased if Rinko took the bald man home.