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Read their profiles below, watch the clips and vote for your favourite in the BBC News website's own poll using the panel on the right.

Voting will continue until the 2007 Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood on 25 February.

Blood Diamond

Leonardo DiCaprio, 32, plays a ruthless smuggler embroiled in a battle of wits with a farmer and businessmen over possession of a priceless diamond in Sierra Leone.

This is DiCaprio's third Oscar nomination, the first of which was for What's Eating Gilbert Grape when he was 19.

Half Nelson

Gosling, 26, first received acclaim for his performance as an intelligent young Jewish teen who became involved with a neo-Nazi group in 2001's The Believer.

In Half Nelson he plays a drug addicted New York teacher who forms a bond with one of his students.

Venus

In Venus O'Toole plays a decaying actor who rediscovers a zest for life with the appearance of a troublesome teenager.

The 74-year-old received his first nomination in 1963 for Lawrence of Arabia. Despite six further nominations, his first Oscar was an honorary award in 2003.

Pursuit of Happyness

A tale of the triumph of a father's determination to do the best for his son, The Pursuit of Happyness is based on the true story of a man who became a stockbroker while living on the street.

While best known for his comedy roles, the 38-year-old won his first Oscar nomination for playing Muhammad Ali.

Last King of Scotland

The film focuses on events surrounding the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, played by Whitaker, as seen through the eyes of his physician during the 1970s.