Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
* Crash – Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, William Fichtner, Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Thandie Newton, Ryan Phillippe, and Larenz Tate
Brokeback Mountain – Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Heath Ledger, Randy Quaid, and Michelle Williams
Capote – Bob Balaban, Marshall Bell, Clifton Collins Jr., Chris Cooper, Bruce Greenwood, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, and Mark Pellegrino
Good Night, and Good Luck – Rose Abdoo, Alex Borstein, Robert John Burke, Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Reed Diamond, Tate Donovan, Robert Downey Jr., Grant Heslov, Peter Jacobson, Frank Langella, Tom McCarthy, Dianne Reeves, Matt Ross, David Strathairn, and Ray Wise
Hustle & Flow – Anthony Anderson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Isaac Hayes, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, Taryn Manning, Elise Neal, Paula Jai Parker, and DJ Qualls

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
* Philip Seymour Hoffman – Capote as Truman Capote
Russell Crowe – Cinderella Man as James Braddock
Heath Ledger – Brokeback Mountain as Ennis Del Mar
Joaquin Phoenix – Walk the Line as Johnny Cash
David Strathairn – Good Night, and Good Luck as Edward R. Murrow

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
* Reese Witherspoon – Walk the Line as June Carter Cash
Judi Dench – Mrs Henderson Presents as Laura Henderson
Felicity Huffman – Transamerica as Sabrina “Bree” Osbourne
Charlize Theron – North Country as Josey Aimes
Ziyi Zhang – Memoirs of a Geisha as Chiyo Sakamoto

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
* Paul Giamatti – Cinderella Man as Joe Gould
Don Cheadle – Crash as Graham Walters
George Clooney – Syriana as Bob Barnes
Matt Dillon – Crash as John Ryan
Jake Gyllenhaal – Brokeback Mountain as Jack Twist

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
* Rachel Weisz – The Constant Gardener as Tessa Quayle
Amy Adams – Junebug as Ashley Johnsten
Catherine Keener – Capote as Harper Lee
Frances McDormand – North Country as Glory Dodge
Michelle Williams – Brokeback Mountain as Alma Beers Del Mar