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• Matt Damon- We Bought a Zoo
  
• Johnny Depp- The Rum Diary
  
• Juan Dujardin- The Artist
  
• Paul Giamatti- Win Win
  
• Joseph Gordon Levitt- 50/50

Best Actress-Drama:

This is a very tight category, considering that almost every Oscar contender for Best Actress is starring in a dramatic film. Meryl Streep is a perennial contender at both the Oscars and the Globes, and there's no reason to think she won't be in the running for The Iron Lady. Michelle Williams and Viola Davis are getting tons of buzz right now, and I can't imagine them being left out here. If the Globes embrace HFPA, Rooney Mara will get in on that bear hug; if not, it will be tougher for her. Glenn Close has been overlooked by many precursors, but she has typically been a Globe favorite (winning for her role in the TV drama Damages) so this will be a big nomination for her. Could a smaller indie contender break through? Elizabeth Olsen , Tilda Swinton and Felicity Jones are all in the running. If the HFPA wants another big name star, there is always Keira Knightley in A Dangerous Method, Mia Wasikowska in Jane Eyre, or even Anne Hathaway in the romantic drama One Day.

• Glenn Close- Albert Nobbs
  
• Viola Davis- The Help
  
• Rooney Mara- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
  
• Meryl Streep- The Iron Lady
  
• Michelle Williams- My Week with Marilyn

Best Actress-Musical/Comedy:

Usually, the more packed a drama category is, the more open its comedic counterpart will be, and this year is no exception. The only Oscar contender in this race is Charlize Theron, which makes her the de facto favorite here. The HFPA will likely take this opportunity to fill the category with big-name stars in audience favorites. Julia Roberts is the most likely for Larry Crowne, with Kristen Wiig another good bet for Bridesmaids. Beyond that, Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman could make it in for their roles in Friends With Benefits and No Strings Attached (if the HFPA can tell the difference between the two), as could Scarlett Johansson for We Bought a Zoo. The two ladies of Crazy, Stupid, Love, Emma Stone and Julianne Moore, are both HFPA favorites and could break into this category. Ellen Barkin starred in a much smaller film, the indie comedy Another Happy Day, but she got very good reviews for her performance, and has been nominated for two Globes in the past.

• Ellen Barkin- Another Happy Day
  
• Mila Kunis- Friends with Benefits
  
• Julia Roberts- Larry Crowne
  
• Charlize Theron- Young Adult
  
• Kristen Wiig- Bridesmaids

Best Supporting Actor:

This category tends to be filled with veterans, although it does not skew quite as old as The SAG does. Albert Brooks and Chrisopher Plummer are riding high right now, so they're in, but beyond that, it is mostly a matter of which films the HFPA loved. John Hawkes got his Oscar campaign for Winter's Bone kicked off at the Globes last year, so he seems a safe choice for his role in Martha Marcy May Marlene. I have a sneaking suspicion that the HFPA won't love Hugo as much as the critics, but if they do they will probably nominate Ben Kingsley. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close seems more up their alley, which means good things for Max von Sydow. If one of those options doesn't get the support, Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn) and Patton Oswalt (Young Adult) are both in the running. Of course, if the HFPA is looking for more big stars to stuff in here, George Clooney, Jonah Hill, or even Nick Nolte could find themselves nominated.

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