The fact that `Slumdog Millionaire' does not boast any heavyweight leading ladies, thus leaving the the two actress categories remain wide open, is something this year's ten actress nominees should be grateful for. The question is, so who will win and why?

Best Actress Should justice prevail, this will be Kate Winslet's year. Amongst the most admired actresses, she has had zero for five from previous shots at the Oscar. But, justice and the Academy have never gone the same way, as Glenn Close, Alfred Hitchcock and Barbara Stanwyck could testify. So, it remains to be seen whether it rewards a career rather than an individual performance!

And, in case the Academy choses to reward an individual performance rather than a career, it could go for any of the five nominees, which include: Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Melissa Leo (Frozen River) and Meryl Streep (Doubt), and Winslet herself (The Reader).

Previous wins indicate Streep and Winslet as the Oscar front-runners, as Winslet has scooped a mantelshelf full of displays for both `The Reader' and ` Revolutionary Road '. While, she failed to get an Oscar nomination for the latter, perhaps, the Academy did not allow her to receive two nominations for the same category, in the same year, there is a snag. Winslet won for Best Supporting Actress for `The Reader', while the Academy nominated her for the same film, in the lead category. Odds may still favour Winslet, but the chance of a loss cannot be ruled out.

As for Streep, she was nominated by SAG for leading-lady, only to lose out to Winslet, who edged her out for ` Revolutionary Road '. And, it would not be the first time Streep has lost, having won only two Oscars out of 14-nominations.