Best Actress

Melissa Leo

Frozen River

Fans of the acclaimed TV series Homicide: Life on the Streets remember Melissa Leo for her gritty portrayal of Detective Kay Howard. Others may remember Melissa for her work as series regular on All My Children. In subsequent years, she has been recognized for her work in movies such as 21 Grams and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.

This year, Melissa earns her first Oscar® nomination for her role in Frozen River as Ray Eddy, a poor single mother who smuggles illegal immigrants into the United States from Canada.