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"  Forest Whitaker Best ActorThe Last King Of Scotland This is a reinvention of Forest Whitaker. Here he is in his forties, doing something that is so completely different from anything that people have seen from him before. Forest has often been a gentle, internal actor in the past. In this, he had to be the opposite: explosive. For six months, he lived and breathed Idi Amin; he even learned Swahili, Ugandan cooking, the accordion. He had to capture Amin&amp;#039;s mercurialness--to be charming, charismatic, and terrifying at the same time. In one scene, he starts in an underlying fury, like a child having a tantrum. Then he calms and becomes affectionate and vulnerable. At the end of the scene, the threat creeps back in and the sense of danger seamlessly returns. It&amp;#039;s really quite simple: His performance is so good because he put in the work.--Kevin Macdonald, Director  Three-button wool suit ($3,995) and cashmere T-shirt ($1,595) by Giorgio Armani; cotton T-shirt ($22) by Banana Republic.  Three-button cotton suit ($1,595) by Calvin Klein Collection; cotton shirt ($550) by Giorgio Armani; leather loafers ($495) by Santoni.   Ben Affleck Best Supporting Actor Hollywoodland The first time I met Ben, we had a long breakfast at the Polo Lounge. I wanted to see if he was someone I thought might capture the essence of original Superman actor George Reeves as I imagined him. My first impression was that where George seemed stolid, somewhat reserved, and measured, with a dignified, almost stilted bearing, Ben was energetic and utterly uncensored. I overlooked these apparent differences because of one thing: Ben&amp;#039;s ravenous intelligence.  Two-button wool-and-silk suit ($1,770) and cotton shirt ($225) by Gucci; silk tie ($160) by Prada.  From the beginning, it was clear that Ben had focused his energy and considerable intellect on research. It was apparent on the first day&amp;#039;s filming. His voice had become modulated, he carried himself formally, his internal rhythm had slowed--and even his face had changed, exuding an unfamiliar gravity. The Ben that I knew had simply disappeared.--Allen Coulter, Director  Two-button wool suit ($2,100) and cotton shirt ($465) by Prada.  Adam Beach Best Supporting Actor Flags Of Our Fathers Ira Hayes, Adam&amp;#039;s character, is a very important part of Flags of Our Fathers. As most people know, Hayes has been depicted a couple of times in the past years, but by Caucasian actors playing a Native American. This seemed, in today&amp;#039;s world, not desirable when there are many North American Indians on the acting scene. An extremely impressive young man and a dedicated actor, Adam effortlessly embraced Hayes. Many veterans who knew Ira said Adam&amp;#039;s interpretation was perfect note for note. Adam&amp;#039;s going to have a wonderful career.--Clint Eastwood, Director  Two-button cotton twill jacket ($1,694) and cotton shirt ($524) by Louis Vuitton.   Derek Luke Best Actor Catch A Fire It&amp;#039;s two weeks before shooting and I have a problem: My leading man has shut down. Burdened by the seeming impossibility that a New Jersey boy on his first trip to Africa could ever place himself in South Africa in 1980 to play Patrick Chamusso, the real-life freedom fighter, Derek has withdrawn into his own world. Every new real African he has encountered, every new piece of the eleven-language, thousand-year puzzle of South African history has further convinced him of his own inadequacy.  Then a week before shooting, Derek visited the former prison at Robben Island. In their wisdom or folly, the white apartheid leaders had incarcerated almost a thousand of their most feared opponents there. Every morning for almost three decades, the white inhabitants of Cape Town woke up to be confronted by the psychic energy of the determined resistance of eight hundred men on a rock in the middle of the sea, right in front of their eyes. And every night, those eight hundred were mocked by the twinkling fairy lights of Cape Town. On the day of Derek Luke&amp;#039;s visit, he was shown around by a former inmate, who lead him to the maximum-security wing. Here, the leaders of the struggle to free South Africa had been isolated from the rank and file. He lay down for two hours on the bare floor where Nelson Mandela had spent twenty years of his life. He cried for an hour.  Derek allowed all who had come before to reach out to him that day. In order to play Patrick, he had to free himself.--Phillip Noyce, Director Two-button linen jacket ($1,095), cotton shirt ($250), and linen trousers ($295) by Ralph Lauren Black Label; silk tie ($135) by Ralph Lauren Purple Label; leather shoes ($695) by Bally.  Djimon Hounsou Best Supporting Actor Blood Diamond We&amp;#039;d all seen and admired Djimon&amp;#039;s work in some extraordinary supporting roles: in In America, in Gladiator, in Amistad. But to see him stretch out and add layers and complexity in a larger role like this one, where there would be adequate time to explore his character&amp;#039;s emotion and nuance, was one of the many treats of being a part of this film.  Two-button wool-and-silk suit ($1,195) by Versace; cotton shirt ($335) by Prada.  There are moments when the ripeness of an actor and the specifics of a part just happen to coincide. This was one of them. Here you have a West African man playing a West African man. Djimon intuitively understood something essential about the character&amp;#039;s connection to white Africa. He understood that someone could be mild in nature and possess deep reservoirs of violence at the same time. And as in all things in his life, he did so with an extraordinary grace.--Edward Zwick, Director  Two-button wool jacket (part of suit, $1,250) by Dolce &amp;amp;amp; Gabbana; cashmere sweater ($700) by Louis Vuitton; jeans ($265) by Nudie. For store information see page 124. Additional styling by arianne tunney for avantgroupe.com. Grooming by edward st. George for soloartists.com. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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