Oscar Facts

Some reasons why 2006 is one for the record books, from Variety:

With his eighth acting nom, for "Venus," Peter O'Toole is a winner either way. If he wins, great; if not, he goes down in the record books as the actor with the most noms without a win (he was previously tied with Richard Burton).

With her 14th nom, Meryl Streep ("The Devil Wears Prada") furthers her lead for most nominated actor ever. Runners-up are Jack Nicholson and Katharine Hepburn, with 12 apiece. Kevin O'Connell, nommed for sound mixing in "Apocalypto," scores his 19th nom. He furthers his status as the Academy's most nominated individual who, so far, hasn't won. Distant runners-up are composer Alex North and art director Roland Anderson, at 15 each.

"Dreamgirls" is the first live-action film to have three of its songs nominated. Two animated films can lay claim to the same record: "The Lion King" in 1994 and "Beauty and the Beast" in 1991.

"I Need to Wake Up" from "An Inconvenient Truth" is the first song from a docu to be nominated since "More" from "Mondo Cane" was up for the award in 1963.

Alan Arkin has gone 38 years since his last nom --1968's "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" -- the same amount of time Jack Palance spent between "Shane" in 1953 and "City Slickers" in 1991. Henry Fonda is still the title holder at 41 years between acting noms.

With "Little Children," Kate Winslet, 31, becomes the youngest actress to garner five noms. She has made 19 movies. Previous record holder was Olivia de Haviland, who secured her fifth at the age of 33. By that time -- 1950 -- she had made 33 films.

Ten-year-old Abigail Breslin, should she win the supporting actress trophy, will tie Tatum O'Neal as the youngest Oscar winner. O'Neal, however, at the time of her win at the 1974 ceremony, was six months younger than Breslin will be in February.

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