The Queen leading British Oscar charge

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Tipped for glory: Helen Mirren's performance in The Queen earned her an Oscar nomination

Celebration: Peter O'Toole has won his eighth Oscar nomination for Venus

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Three British stars will battle it out for best actress at this year's Oscars.

Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Kate Winslet were all on the shortlist as the 2007 Academy Awards nominations were revealed today.

The British film industry is enjoying one of its best ever years with 18 mentions overall.

It is the third nomination for Dame Helen, 61, but she has yet to win. This year, however, she is the favourite for her performance as a monarch in crisis in The Queen.

She will compete with Dame Judi, shortlisted for her role as a schoolteacher in Patrick Marber's screenplay Notes On a Scandal, and Winslet, who earns herself a fifth shot at an Oscar for Little Children. Penelope Cruz and Meryl Streep complete the shortlist.

Dame Helen said: "It is astounding the way that audiences have responded by taking the film to their hearts. I hope my performance has conveyed a sense of Elizabeth the woman as well as the Queen."

The Queen won six nominations including best film, best screenplay for Peter Morgan and best director for Stephen Frears.

Dame Judi said of her nomination: "I'm very pleased. I'm in frighteningly good company. It's very nice of the Queen to allow me in for a minute."

Among other Brits in the running for an Oscar is Sacha Baron Cohen for his spoof documentary Borat, which earned him a best adapted screenplay nomination. Paul Greengrass' dramatisation of a September 11 hijack, United 93, has two nominations, best director and best film editing.

The British-American co-production, Children of Men has three nominations, including best adapted screenplay.

But there was bad news for Daniel Craig, who failed to get a single mention despite being a critical and box office smash as James Bond. Casino Royale received no nominations at all.

Paul Greengrass said: "It's a thrilling moment. I believe that cinema has to address contemporary events. It can't just be about romance or escapism."

Notes On a Scandal has four chances to win, including best adapted screenplay for Marber and best supporting actress for Cate Blanchett.

Peter O'Toole, at 74, landed his eighth Academy mention for Venus - 43 years after he earned his first for Lawrence of Arabia. He has yet to win an Oscar, but in 2003 was handed an honorary award for lifetime achievement.

British-made film The Last King of Scotland has a best actor nomination for Forest Whitaker, but despite speculation failed to pick up any further mentions.

The big hit is the Supremes biopic Dreamgirls, which leads the field in eight categories - although it failed to make it on to the best picture shortlist. Jennifer Hudson has a best supporting actress nomination and Eddie Murphy is named for best actor. Babel is a close second with seven, including best supporting actress for both Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi.

The best film nominees are Babel, The Departed, Letters From Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine and The Queen.

Leonardo DiCaprio gets his third chance at an Oscar glory for Blood Diamond. And Clint Eastwood has six nominations - five, including best director, for Letters from Iwo Jima and one technical mention for Flags of Our Fathers.

The Oscars ceremony will take place on 25 February.

The nominations

Best film Babel, The Departed, Letters From Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine, The Queen
Best direction Martin Scorsese (The Departed), Paul Greengrass (United 93), Stephen Frears (The Queen), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel), Clint Eastwood (Letters From Iwo Jima)
Best actor Peter O'Toole (Venus), Leonardo Di Caprio (Blood Diamond), Will Smith (The Pursuit Of Happyness), Forest Whitaker (Last King Of Scotland), Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson)
Best actress Penelope Cruz (Volver), Judi Dench (Notes On A Scandal), Helen Mirren (The Queen), Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada), Kate Winslet (Little Children)
Best actor in a supporting role Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine), Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls). Mark Wahlberg (The Departed), Djimon Hounson (Blood Diamond)
Best actress in a supporting role Cate Blanchett (Notes On A Scandal), Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls), Rinko Kikuchi (Babel), Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine), Adriana Barraza (Babel)
Best animated feature Cars, Happy Feet, Monster House
Adapted screenplay Borat, Children of Men, The Departed, Little Children, Notes on a Scandal
Original screenplay Babel, Letters From Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine, Pan's Labyrinth, The Queen

 

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