Best Actress

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

Susan Sarandon as "Sister Helen Prejean"
in DEAD MAN WALKING (Gramercy)
This is her fifth nomination, all in this category. Her other nominations are for Atlantic City (1981), Thelma & Louise (1991), Lorenzo's Oil (1992) and last year's The Client.

Elisabeth Shue as "Sera"
in LEAVING LAS VEGAS (MGM/UA)
This is her first nomination.

Sharon Stone as "Ginger McKenna"
in CASINO (Universal)
This is her first nomination.

Meryl Streep as "Francesca Johnson"
in THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (Warner Bros.)
This is her tenth nomination and the eighth in this category. She has won two Oscars, one for Best Actress and another for Best Supporting Actress. With this nomination she now ties Bette Davis, Laurence Olivier and Jack Nicholson with ten acting nominations each. Katharine Hepburn holds the record with twelve. Also, a win would place her alongside Ingrid Bergman and Walter Brennan as winners of three Oscars for acting, one shy of Hepburn.

Emma Thompson as "Elinor Dashwood"
in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (Columbia)
This is her fourth acting nomination in four years. She won the Oscar for her leading performance in 1992's Howards End. She was nominated in both categories in 1993, for her leading performance in The Remains of the Day and her supporting work in In the Name of the Father.


	Susan Sarandon as "Sister Helen Prejean" in DEAD MAN WALKING (Gramercy) This is her fifth nomination, all in this category. Her other nominations are for Atlantic City (1981), Thelma & Louise (1991), Lorenzo's Oil (1992) and last year's The Client.


	Elisabeth Shue as "Sera" in LEAVING LAS VEGAS (MGM/UA) This is her first nomination.


	Sharon Stone as "Ginger McKenna" in CASINO (Universal) This is her first nomination.


	Emma Thompson as "Elinor Dashwood" in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (Columbia) This is her fourth acting nomination in four years. She won the Oscar for her leading performance in 1992's Howards End. She was nominated in both categories in 1993, for her leading performance in The Remains of the Day and her supporting work in In the Name of the Father.