Golden Globes tinged with Canadian flavour

As the Golden Globes gear up, there's much anticipation even in Canada about who will win,given that the slate ofnomineesincludes some Canadian content.

Theawards, which will behanded out on Sunday night by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are often seen as a precursor to the Oscars.

Ryan Gosling, born in London, Ont., is up for a Golden Globein the dramatic acting category for his role in Blue Valentine. Heco-stars with Michelle Williams in a story that charts the rise and fall of a couple's love. Williams is up for best dramatic actress.

Gosling has some stiff competition,from Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter), James Franco (127 hours) and Colin Firth, who stars in the much-praised movie The King's Speech.

Firth's movie, about King George VI's private battle to overcome a stammer, leads the pack heading into the live awards show, with seven nominations including best picture,

'A darkly comedic romance'

Barney's Version, a Canadian-Italian production, will see star Paul Giamatti vie for best actor, comedy or musical, for his titular role based ontheprotagonist of the Mordecai Richler novel.

Directed by Richard J. Lewis and also starring Dustin Hoffman, Rosamund Pike and Minnie Driver, the film follows the life and loves of the testy Barney Panofsky.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, published Saturday, Giamatti said he enjoyed playing the "rogue."

"I liked this guy. This guy he's got balls, this guy."

The 43-year-old actor, who hashad starring roles in American Splendor and Sideways,describesBarney's Version as "an amazing sort of giant slice of life ... a kind of darkly comedic romance."

The eight-part series Pillars of the Earth, an international co-production that Montreal's Muse Entertainment worked on, is nominated for best miniseries or made-for-TV movie.

Adapted from the popular 1989 novel by Ken Follett, the epic series stars many British actors, including Ian McShane andRufus Sewell, as well as Canadians Alison Pill, Donald Sutherland and Gordon Pinsent.

Set in 12th century England, the series follows the travails of a stonemason attempting to build acathedral against the backdropof war, loveintrigues,religious strife and power struggles.

Kevin Spacey, star of the Canadian film Casino Jack, about the Jack Abramoff scandal, is in the running for best actor in a comedy or musical.