A delightful upset
26 January 2004 – Peter Jackson may have been a shoe-in for an Oscar nomination, but the inclusion of first-time thespian Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider) in the Best Actress category came as a welcome surprise. At just 13 years of age 11 at the time of filming – Castle-Hughes is the youngest ever actor to be nominated in her category. Her agents had been plugging for a Best Supporting Actress nomination, but instead Castle-Hughes is up against the formidable competition of Diane Keaton, Charlize Theron, Samantha Morton, and Naomi Watts. Castle-Hughes recently won the Young Actor gong at the Critics Choice Awards in LA.
