Billy the ballet kid and others on the BAFTA block

By Katharine MacColl

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TEENAGE ballet�sensation and�star of Billy Elliot, Jamie Bell, is up for a Bafta. However, the 14-year-old�who won over millions of hearts with his portrayal of an aspiring young ballet dancer�is up against some tough competition.

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Also setting thier sights on an award are Tom Hanks (Cast Away), Russell Crowe (Gladiator), Geoffrey�Rush (Quills) and Michael Douglas (Wonder Boys) all gunning for 'best actor'� in the British Academy Film Awards.

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Billy Elliot received 14 nominations and it's highly likely Jamie will get an Oscar nomination for his role. He was recently nominated alongside Hanks and Crowe by the American Screen Actors Guild for another set of awards, which usually mirror the Academy Awards selection process.

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Bafta nominations were also showered upon Taiwanese director Ang Lee�of martial arts romance Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The sub-titled film has swept British cinemas to become the most successful foreign language film ever shown here. Its heroines Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Zi Yi get best actress and best supporting actress nominations.

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Oliver Reed is up for a posthumous prize as best supporting actor in the epic Gladiator - his one and only shortlisting for a Bafta. Reed died during the shooting of the film in which he gave a memorable performance as a slave trader.

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Julia Roberts receives best actress nomination for Erin Brochovich. She is up against Juliette Binoche for Chocolat, Kate Hudson for Almost Famous, Hilary Swank for Boys Don't Cry and Crouching Tiger's Yeoh.

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Dame Judi Dench is also nominated as best supporting actress for Chocolat, as is Julie Walters (Billy Elliot), recently voted the nation's favourite actress.

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The ceremony will be hosted by actor Stephen Fry at the Odeon Leicester Square on 25 February. The glitzy ceremony will be broadcast live on Sky One, with highlights on BBC1 on 26 February.