Academy Awards: Nominees and Winners-Actress in a Leading Role 2000-2009

• 2000 Julia Roberts -- Erin Brockovich as Erin Brockovich (winner)
o Joan Allen -- The Contender as Sen. Laine Hanson
o Juliette Binoche -- Chocolat as Vianne Rocher
o Ellen Burstyn -- Requiem for a Dream as Sara Goldfarb
o Laura Linney -- You Can Count on Me as Sammy Prescott

• 2001 Halle Berry -- Monster's Ball as Leticia Musgrove (winner)
o Judi Dench -- Iris as Iris Murdoch
o Nicole Kidman -- Moulin Rouge! as Satine
o Sissy Spacek -- In the Bedroom as Ruth Fowler
o Renée Zellweger -- Bridget Jones's Diary as Bridget Jones

• 2002 Nicole Kidman -- The Hours as Virginia Woolf (winner)
o Salma Hayek -- Frida as Frida Kahlo
o Diane Lane -- Unfaithful as Connie Sumner
o Julianne Moore -- Far from Heaven as Cathy Whitaker
o Renée Zellweger -- Chicago as Roxie Hart

• 2003 Charlize Theron -- Monster as Aileen Wuornos (winner)
o Keisha Castle-Hughes -- Whale Rider as Paikea Apirana
o Diane Keaton -- Something's Gotta Give as Erika Berry
o Samantha Morton -- In America as Sarah
o Naomi Watts -- 21 Grams as Cristina Peck

• 2004 Hilary Swank -- Million Dollar Baby as Maggie Fitzgerald (winner)
o Annette Bening -- Being Julia as Julia Lambert
o Catalina Sandino Moreno -- Maria Full of Grace as María Álvarez
o Imelda Staunton -- Vera Drake as Vera Drake
o Kate Winslet -- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind as Clementine Kruczynski

• 2005 Reese Witherspoon -- Walk the Line as June Carter Cash (winner)
o Judi Dench -- Mrs Henderson Presents as Laura Henderson
o Felicity Huffman -- Transamerica as Bree
o Keira Knightley -- Pride & Prejudice as Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Bennet
o Charlize Theron -- North Country as Josey Aimes

• 2006 Helen Mirren -- The Queen as Queen Elizabeth II (winner)
o Penélope Cruz -- Volver as Raimunda
o Judi Dench -- Notes on a Scandal as Barbara Covett
o Meryl Streep -- The Devil Wears Prada as Miranda Priestly
o Kate Winslet -- Little Children as Sarah Pierce

• 2007 Marion Cotillard -- La Vie en Rose as Édith Piaf (winner)
o Cate Blanchett -- Elizabeth: The Golden Age as Queen Elizabeth I
o Julie Christie -- Away from Her as Fiona Anderson
o Laura Linney -- The Savages as Wendy Savage
o Ellen Page -- Juno as Juno MacGuff

• 2008 Kate Winslet -- The Reader as Hanna Schmitz (winner)
o Anne Hathaway -- Rachel Getting Married as Kym Buchman
o Angelina Jolie -- Changeling as Christine Collins
o Melissa Leo -- Frozen River as Ray Eddy
o Meryl Streep -- Doubt as Sister Aloysius Beauvier

• 2009 Sandra Bullock -- The Blind Side as Leigh Anne Tuohy (winner)
o Helen Mirren -- The Last Station as Sofya Tolstoy
o Carey Mulligan -- An Education as Jenny Miller
o Gabourey Sidibe -- Precious as Claireece "Precious" Jones
o Meryl Streep -- Julie & Julia as Julia Child