Oklahomans appear in Best Picture nominees

As they prepare to cast their votes for the 85th Academy Awards, members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be looking at two films in the Best Picture category that prominently feature Oklahoma actors.

“Lincoln,” directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Daniel Day-Lewis as the 16th president of the United States, features performances by two Oklahomans. Chickasha-born Lee Pace, whose credits include “Pushing Daisies” and “The Fall,” plays U.S. Rep. Fernando Wood, who led the opposition to passage of the 13^th Amendment.

Tim Blake Nelson appears in “Lincoln” as Richard Schell, one of three lobbyists selected by President Abraham Lincoln to help sway votes for the amendment. Nelson, who was born in Tulsa, is an actor, director, screenwriter and playwright whose best-known performances include key roles in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and “Minority Report.” His directing work includes the films “Leaves of Grass,” “The Grey Zone” and “O.”