‘Birdman’ flies high with 7 nods for Globes

By Jake Coyle

AP Film Writer

NEW YORK

“Birdman” squawked loudest in the Golden Globes nominations, flying away with a leading seven nods including best picture.

In nominations for the 72 annual Golden Globes announced Thursday morning by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, “Boyhood” and “The Imitation Game” trailed with five nods apiece. Those two films led a best drama category that also included “Foxcatcher,” “Selma” and “The Theory of Everything.”

In the best picture, comedy or musical, category, “Birdman” was joined by “St. Vincent,” “Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Into the Woods” and “Pride.”

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue or Ignorance),” about a Hollywood star trying to mount a serious drama on Broadway, earned nods for its star, Michael Keaton, supporting players Edward Norton and Emma Stone, as well as for its direction, screenplay and score.

The nominees for best actor in a drama were Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”), Steve Carell (“Foxcatcher”), David Oyelowo (“Selma”), Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”) and Jake Gyllenhaal (“Nightcrawler”).

In the best actress category, the young Quvenzhane Wallis (“Annie”) joined a battery of veteran performers in Julianne Moore (“Maps to the Stars”), Helen Mirren (“The Hundred-Foot Journey”), Amy Adams (“Big Eyes”) and Emily Blunt (“Into the Woods”).

On the dramatic side, the best actress category was notable for two stars in notably less adorned performances: Reese Witherspoon in the hiking drama “Wild” and Jennifer Aniston for “Cake.” Also nominated were Julianne Moore (“Still Alice”), Felicity Jones (“The Theory of Everything”) and Rosamund Pike (“Gone Girl”).

One of the surprise winners of the day was “Grand Budapest Hotel.” Along with a best picture nod in comedy, it earned nominations for Ralph Fiennes as best actor, and Wes Anderson for screenplay and director.

Fiennes and Keaton were joined in best actor, comedy or musical, by Bill Murray (“St. Vincent”) and in a few less expected choices, Joaquin Phoenix for “Inherent Vice” and Christoph Waltz for “Big Eyes.”

In the TV categories, the best drama series nominations went to “The Affair,” “Downton Abbey,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Good Wife” and “House of Cards.”

The nominees for best TV comedy series are: “Girls,” “Jane the Virgin,” “Orange is the New Black,” “Silicon Valley,” and “Transparent.”

For the third time in a row, the Golden Globes telecast will be hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The show will air live from the Beverly Hills Hotel in California on Jan. 11.