AUSTRALIA’S Cate Blanchett defied critics of her film, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, with a nomination for best actress in a drama at this year’s Golden Globe Awards.

The Golden Globes nominations were only just announced in Hollywood, with the winners announced on January 13.

However, the wonder from Down Under faces stiff competition from two American darlings; Angelina Jolie for A Mighty Heart and recently outed Jodie Foster for The Brave One.

If Blanchett loses, she still has a shot at gold, with a second nod – as best supporting actrees – for her remarkable gender-bending transformation as Bob Dylan in I’m Not There. Ever the perfectionist, Blanchett admits she stuck a sock down her pants to help her walk “more like a man” for the role.

Most nominations this year didn’t go to a Hollywood film at all. The sumptuous British epic Atonement led the way with seven nods in all, including hot young thesps Keira Knightley and James McAvoy up for best actor and actress for steaming up the screen.

US political comedy Charlie Wilson’s War received the next most – five – including nods for stars Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.

Yet the film critics and audiences are raving about is the slick US crime thriller American Gangster, with nomination for best film, best actor (Denzel Washington) and best director (Ridley Scott). Aussie Russell Crowe failed to be recognised despite his scintillating performance.

Its biggest threats are from fellow US films No Country For Old Men (four nods) and There Will Be Blood (two) – both about greed and violence in the American West.

The only other Aussie nominated this year were Rose Byrne for TV’s legal drama Damages and Rachel Griffiths for the dysfunctional family comedy Brothers and Sisters.

To view all the nominees, go to: http://www.goldenglobes.org/

The Golden Globe winners are announced on January 13 in Hollywood.