Deppheads, keep your fingers crossed: Nomination ballots for the 77th Academy Awards® were mailed today, Monday December 27, 2004, to the 5,808 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Completed ballots must be returned to the accountants, PricewaterhouseCoopers, by 5 p.m. on January 15, 2005 (yes, it does seem an awfully long way away) . . . . The official announcement of The 77th Academy Award® nominations will take place on Tuesday, January 25, 2005, at 8:30 a.m. EST, at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. My goodness, it takes those accountants quite a while to count those nominating ballots, doesn’t it? The Oscars themselves will be presented on Sunday evening, February 27, 2005, at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, and will be televised by ABC. Thanks to DeepinDepp for the Oscar update. You can read the full story HERE.

The Zone sends its best wishes to Johnny Depp, Marc Forster, Kate Winslet, Freddie Highmore, David Magee, Jan Kaczmarek, and all the artists involved with the making of FINDING NEVERLAND. We hope the Academy members recognize and honor your outstanding work.