Best Actor

For the best performance by an actor in a leading role, the nominees are...

Nicolas Cage, as "Ben Sanderson"
in LEAVING LAS VEGAS (MGM/UA)
This is his first nomination.

Richard Dreyfuss, as "Glenn Holland"
in MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS (Buena Vista)
This is his second nomination. He won the Oscar in 1977 for his leading performance in The Goodbye Girl . A win for him will place him in the company of Sally Field, Helen Hayes, Vivien Leigh and Luise Rainer, the only performers to have each won two Oscars with only two nominations.

Anthony Hopkins as "Richard Nixon"
in NIXON (Buena Vista)
This is his third nomination, all in this category. He won the Oscar for his leading performance in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and was nominated again in 1993 for The Remains of the Day.

Sean Penn as "Matthew Poncelet"
in DEAD MAN WALKING (Gramercy)
This is his first nomination.

Massimo Troisi as "Mario"
in THE POSTMAN (IL POSTINO) (Miramax)
This posthumous nomination is his first.


	Nicolas Cage, as "Ben Sanderson" in LEAVING LAS VEGAS (MGM/UA) This is his first nomination.


	Richard Dreyfuss, as "Glenn Holland" in MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS (Buena Vista) This is his second nomination. He won the Oscar in 1977 for his leading performance in The Goodbye Girl . A win for him will place him in the company of Sally Field, Helen Hayes, Vivien Leigh and Luise Rainer, the only performers to have each won two Oscars with only two nominations.


	Anthony Hopkins as "Richard Nixon" in NIXON (Buena Vista) This is his third nomination, all in this category. He won the Oscar for his leading performance in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and was nominated again in 1993 for The Remains of the Day.


	Sean Penn as "Matthew Poncelet" in DEAD MAN WALKING (Gramercy) This is his first nomination.


	Massimo Troisi as "Mario" in THE POSTMAN (IL POSTINO) (Miramax) This posthumous nomination is his first.