By Kalungi Kabuye

If there is a God in Hollywood (many times there are doubts about this), and He sees to it that justice is done, then Jamie Foxx will become only the third African American to be named Best Actor in a leading role as the 77th Annual Academy Awards take place this Sunday.

That Ray Charlesâ€™ last album, Genius Loves Company, swept the Grammies two weeks ago was largely an empathy thing â€” a letâ€™s-give-the-old-man-a-medal kind of thing. Foxx, on the other hand, will deserve every accolade he gets if he wins an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the movie Ray.

The movie is up for six nominations, including Best Picture, Costume Design, Directing, Film Editing and Sound mixing. However, it is Foxx as the blind musical genius that dominates the entire film. The music is great, the directing and filmmaking almost impeccable, but it is all about Ray Charles, and that is because Foxx made it so. The old man got his nod at the Grammies, now it is Foxxâ€™s turn to get his for a fantastic performance.

But Tinsletown is an unpredictable place and, as has happened so often in the past, they could ignore everything and go their own, unfathomable way. Anyone remember 1985, when Steven Spielbergâ€™s Colour Purple was nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Actress for Whoopi goldberg? It won none.

Then in 2002, because it was the politically correct time for African Americans to win, the Best Actor award went to Denzel Washington (Halle Berry won for Best Actress); because it did, Russell Croweâ€™s amazing acting in A Beautiful Mind lost out, so the movie won for Best Picture, a travesty of justice if ever there was one.

However, Hollywood will make its decision then move merrily along, ignoring the rest of us that actually have to pay to watch the movies. Some other notable nominees are:

Actor in a leading role
Don Cheadle â€” Hotel Rwanda
Johnny Depp â€” Finding Neverland
Leonardo Dicaprio â€” The Aviator
Clint Eastwood â€” Million Dollar Baby
Jamie Foxx â€” Ray
Actor in supporting role
Cate Blanchett â€” The Aviator
Laura Linney â€” Kinsey
Virginia Madsen â€” Sideways
Sophie Okonedo â€” Hotel Rwanda
Natalie Portman â€” Closer

Cinematography
The Aviator
House Of Flying Daggers
The Passion Of The Christ
The Phantom Of The Opera
A Very Long Engagement

Best Picture
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways