Stars nominated for top awards in 1998

By Bryanne Salazar 10:32am PST, Jan 19, 2018

Award season 2018 is in full swing! To celebrate, Wonderwall.com is flashing back to 1998 to see who was nominated for the biggest awards 20 years ago… starting with the broskis from Massachusetts, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The duo was nominated for an Oscar that year for their brilliant screenplay for the hit drama "Good Will Hunting." Not only did they win the award, but they also won a Golden Globe and were each nominated for a SAG Award. Matt even one-upped his childhood buddy when he earned an Oscar nomination for best actor in a leading role for his work in the film. Want to see who else was raking in the award show recognition two decades ago? Keep reading for more…

Kate Winslet was on top of the world in 1998 thanks to her star-making role as Rose in 1997's "Titanic." The British actress earned her second Oscar nomination for best actress in a leading role, as well as a Golden Globe nod and two separate SAG Award nominations. Although Kate didn't take home any awards that year, her star was clearly on the rise.

1998 was also a great year for Jack Nicholson. The legendary star had already been acting for more than 42 years and had earned an impressive 10 previous Oscar nominations (he won twice) by the time he got a nod for best actor for his work in the film "As Good As It Gets." Jack took home the Academy Award in 1998, as well as a Golden Globe and a SAG Award that season, all for the same role.

Another triple threat in 1998 was our favorite redhead, Julianne Moore. The actress was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress as well as a Golden Globe and not one but two SAG Awards (for outstanding performance in a supporting role and outstanding cast), all for her performance in "Boogie Nights." Although Julianne didn't win any statues that year, she did have something to celebrate — the birth of her first child, Caleb, in December 1997.

It took 21 years of dedicated work in Hollywood for our favorite comedian and actor, Robin Williams, to finally take home an Academy Award. In 1998, Robin won the Oscar for best actor in a supporting role for "Good Will Hunting." He also won a SAG Award for the same performance and was nominated for a Golden Globe.

A young Angelina Jolie was still just beginning to make her mark in Hollywood and the world when she was nominated for not one but two Primetime Emmys in 1998 for her work in the biopics "George Wallace" and "Gia." While Angie didn't win the Emmys, she did take home a Golden Globe for best supporting actress in "George Wallace" and a SAG Award for "Gia."

Is it just us or did British actor Anthony Hopkins look exactly the same in 1998 as he does today? Twenty years ago, this legendary film star, known for his villainous portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs," was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor as well as a SAG Award for his work in the historical drama "Amistad." While he didn't win, his performance as John Quincy Adams in the film was widely considered to be one of his best by film critics and fans alike.

Quirky British star Helena Bonham Carter was also getting some serious attention in 1998. She earned an Oscar nomination for best lead actress for her work in the film "The Wings of the Dove." The romantic drama also earned Helena SAG Award and Golden Globe nominations as well. Not to be outdone, Helena was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy for another performance that year — her work on the TV series "Merlin." Although Helena didn't take home any of the statues, she was clearly on everyone's radar in 1998.

Seasoned TV star Andre Braugher (whom you likely recognize from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine") took home his very first Primetime Emmy Award in 1998 for his performance as Frank Pembleton on "Homicide: Life on the Streets." His statue, for outstanding lead actor in a drama, was validation after having received two previous nominations but no wins.

Eternally handsome Greg Kinnear was getting serious awards buzz in 1998. That's because the star (who's perhaps best known today for his performance in the 2006 comedic drama "Little Miss Sunshine") was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor for his work in "As Good As It Gets" (the same film that landed Jack Nicholson an Academy Award). Not only that, but Greg was also given a nod from the Screen Actors Guild for the same part.

Someone who did win all the awards in 1998 was Kim Basinger. The actress snagged her first and only Academy Award that year for best supporting actress in "L.A. Confidential." Kim didn't stop there either. She also won a Golden Globe for the performance and, thanks to a tie, shared the SAG Award with Gloria Stuart of "Titanic" for outstanding performance in a supporting role.

In 1998, not only was Burt Reynolds going through his very dashing silver fox stage, but he was also an Academy Award nominee for best supporting actor for his work in the film "Boogie Nights." Burt also managed to snag a SAG Award nomination for the performance as well. No wins, but man, he knew how to rock the salt-and-pepper look.

If you were a fan of "Titanic," then you likely remember Gloria Stuart as the elderly version of Rose (you know, the one who threw her amazing and expensive diamond necklace into the sea like a crazy person). In 1998, this veteran stage and film actress was recognized by the Oscars, the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards for her performance. In the end, Gloria won a SAG Award, although she shared the win with Kim Basinger, who also won (by way of a tie).

In 1998, both legendary film star Jack Lemmon (right) and 14-year Hollywood veteran Ving Rhames were nominated for Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes in the same categories. Jack was up for best supporting actor for his work in "12 Angry Men" while Ving was nominated for his performance in "Don King: Only in America." While neither of the men won the Emmy (that went to Gary Sinise), Ving did win the Golden Globe — but here's where the story takes an unbelievably sweet turn. As Ving tearfully approached the stage to accept his award, he did the unthinkable and summoned Jack to stand beside him. In front of the crowd and millions of viewers at home, Ving gave his award to Jack to "recognize the artist in him." Cue the tissues.

Helen Hunt was one of the few stars who had nominations in 1998 for her work on TV and in film (Helena Bonham Carter was the other double-hitter that year). Helen snagged an Oscar for best actress in a leading role as well as a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for her work in the film "As Good As It Gets." She also took home a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her work on the hit show "Mad About You." Four awards in one year is a pretty big accomplishment.

In 1998, the dynamic duo from TV's "The X-Files," David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, received double nominations: best lead actor and actress at both the Primetime Emmys and the Golden Globes. While neither of the stars actually took home a statue in 1998, they did manage to keep their names on everyone's lips with the debut of the feature-length film version of "The X-Files" that same year.

Dame Judi Dench (who had a rose named after her in 1998) also earned some rather spiffy award nominations 20 years ago. Along with receiving an Oscar nomination for her performance in "Mrs. Brown," Judi won a best actress Golden Globe for her work in the same film. To cap off the year, the beloved Brit was also nominated for a SAG Award for her performance.

Lovable John Lithgow is another one of those actors who's been an enduring face in Hollywood (and still pretty much looks the same today). Back in 1998, the comedic actor was making waves as the star of the hit comedy "3rd Rock From the Sun," which helped him snag not just a Primetime Emmy nomination, but also a Golden Globe nod. While he didn't win either of those awards, he did take home his second-ever SAG Award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series.

Beautiful British actress Minnie Driver's career went into overdrive after the stunning success of "Good Will Hunting," in which she starred as Will's (played by Matt Damon) girlfriend, Skylar. On top of being part of one of the most successful films of the year, Minnie was also getting some much-deserved recognition for her talent: In 1998, the actress earned a best supporting actress Oscar nomination as well as a SAG Award nod for her performance in the film.

In 1998, "Forrest Gump" star Gary Sinise was once again in the spotlight, this time for his phenomenal portrayal of an Alabama governor in the made-for-TV biopic "George Wallace," in which he played the title role. For his work, Gary earned a Golden Globe nomination for best performance by an actor and won the Primetime Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or movie, as well as the SAG Award for outstanding performance in a TV movie.

Although many people were more focused on Ellen DeGeneres' love life in 1998 — she'd come out in April 1997 and began dating fellow actress Anne Heche — she was also being recognized for her immense comedic talent. That year, Ellen was nominated for a Golden Globe for best performance by an actress in a comedy series and for an Emmy, both for her work on "Ellen." She was also nominated for a SAG Award, but didn't end up taking home any trophies that year.

Helen Hunt wasn't the only "Mad About You" star getting recognition in 1998. Her TV co-star, Paul Reiser, was also nominated for both a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe for his performance as Paul Buchman on the comedy series. While Helen slayed the awards ceremonies, Paul wasn't as lucky. Still, you know what they say… "It's an honor just to be nominated."

Leading lady Ellen Barkin shined in 1998 after delivering a gripping performance in the TV drama "Before Women Had Wings." Ellen was nominated for a Golden Globe and won the Primetime Emmy for outstanding performance by a lead actress in a movie.

Longtime pals and esteemed actors Dennis Franz and Dustin Hoffman were also sharing the love during the 1998 award show season. Dennis had earned both a SAG Award nomination and a Primetime Emmy nod for his performance on "NYPD Blue." Dustin had earned three nominations — Academy Award, Golden Globe and SAG Award nods — all for his work in the comedy-drama "Wag the Dog." Neither of the friends took home a statue that year but clearly, they weren't too bummed about their losses.

Whether you know Patrick Stewart as Professor X in the "X-Men" franchise or as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," chances are you adore him all the same. In 1998, the beloved Brit was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for his work as a different captain — Captain Ahab — in the made-for-TV drama "Moby Dick" based on the novel by Herman Melville. He didn't take home the Emmy but he did remind the world that he was a character actor to be respected.