By Todd Weiser Daily Arts Writer

While Hollywood is still full of talk about the lack of great roles supplied for women in film, it is very difficult to believe this based on the performances from actresses in 2001. The category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role boasts three first- time nominees and two veterans used to the pressure of Oscar night. In addition to these five terrific performances, there were several other leading actresses who deserved to have their 2001 roles nominated but sadly got shut out due to the intense competition. It was a fantastic year for women and here are some of the reasons.

The nominees for best actress include first time nominees Halle Berry for her performance in "Monster's Ball," Nicole Kidman in "Moulin Rouge" and Renee Zellweger in "Bridget Jones's Diary." Judi Dench picked up her fourth career nomination for her work in "Iris" and Sissy Spacek earned her sixth for "In the Bedroom."

The biggest surprise in this group is Zellweger who stole a nomination many thought might go to Audrey Tatou for "Amelie" or Naomi Watts for "Mulholland Drive." However, those workhorses over at Miramax pulled a miracle again getting a nomination for "Bridget Jones's Diary", which was released in April. Films released in the spring are usually too early to be remembered by the Academy. The surprisingly enjoyable film owes most of its fun to its weight-adding starlet, but Zellweger should practice her "happy just to be nominated" speech because come Sunday she won't be giving any thanks.

Besides Zellweger, the award really could fall into the hands of any of the other four nominees. For some, the day the nominations were announced was a day of surprise, not because Nicole Kidman was nominated but because of the film for which she earned it. Kidman's performance in "The Others" was also Oscar-worthy but the press' love for Baz Luhrmann's drug-like experience "Moulin Rouge" was enough to make it the film of choice. Kidman might win because often the voters favor the star quality of their actresses over the actual performances given (see last year's Julia Roberts' win over Ellen Burstyn). Also, "Moulin Rouge" has recently picked up Oscar steam by winning the Producer's Guild Award for best picture. Kidman was beautiful in the film and proved she can sing, too. However, this is not Kidman's year.

Judy Dench's performance as British writer Iris Murdoch, a talented woman stricken with Alzheimer's, was one of the best of last year, but not many people in Ann Arbor know this because "Iris" has yet to be released here (it finally opens at the Michigan Theater tomorrow, March 22). Dench is one of Oscar's favorites, winning for her small but explosive supporting role in "Shakespeare in Love" and recently nominated for "Chocolat." Dench scored a recent victory at the BAFTA awards but there is no telling if the British Oscars are any kind of forecast for the real Oscars.

At one point, Halle Berry was not even a guarantee for a nomination but now she is quickly emerging as one of the two frontrunners. Berry gave the performance of her career as an emotionally hungry and fragile widow seeking comfort in the arms of Academy snub Billy Bob Thornton. Berry has won numerous awards for her role, including the key Screen Actors Guild trophy. Berry's nomination is also important because no black woman has been nominated for Best Actress since Angela Basset in 1994. However, this year the Academy is not going to make another mistake; the actress who truly deserves the award will get it.

Sissy Spacek is that actress. Spacek has been the favorite since early December, later winning the Golden Globe and other press awards. Her amazing performance as a mother dealing with grief while also finally confronting her problematic marriage has brought Spacek back into the public's eye after many years of TV movies and roles inferior to her talent. Academy voters, ecstatic to see one of America's paramount actresses triumphantly return to the screen, will be enthusiastic in their votes, ensuring her another win. Spacek's performance is hauntingly beautiful in the way she wears a mask of indifference, hiding explosive, hurtful emotions underneath. It all comes out in a scene of raw, dangerous honesty; it is with this scene that the viewer finally understands all that Spacek has been keeping inside for so long with only cigarettes and television as her mindless escapes.

If Spacek were to lose to Berry or Kidman, it would be no crime, but it would be highly enjoyable to watch Spacek once again act like she is uncaring, while secretly wishing for a life, or an award, she does not possess.