Hoffman also scored a second nomination, with a supporting actor's nod for "Charlie Wilson's War." Joining him in that category are Casey Affleck for "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," Javier Bardem for "No Country for Old Men," John Travolta for "Hairspray" and Tom Wilkinson for "Michael Clayton."

Not on those lists: Favorites Vanessa Redgrave and Hal Holbrook were overlooked for "Atonement" and "Into the Wild," respectively.

Though Clint Eastwood didn't have a film in release this year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.'s love affair with him continued. It nominated him for his original score for "Grace Is Gone."

On the TV side, "Californication," "Entourage," "Extras," "30 Rock" and "Pushing Daisies" are in contention for best TV series, musical or comedy. Michael C. Hall for "Dexter," Jon Hamm for "Mad Men," Hugh Laurie for "House," Jonathan Rhys Myers for "The Tudors" and Bill Paxton for "Big Love" were nominated for best actor in a TV drama series.

Joining Applegate in the race for best actress in a TV series comedy or musical are America Ferrera for "Ugly Betty," Tina Fey for "30 Rock," Anna Friel for "Pushing Daisies" and Mary-Louise Parker for "Weeds."

In the actors division, "30 Rock's" Alec Baldwin will be competing with Steve Carell for "The Office," David Duchovny for "Californication," Emmy winner Ricky Gervais for "Extras" and Lee Pace for "Pushing Daisies."

The Golden Globes, scheduled to be broadcast Jan. 13 on NBC, would be the first major award show of the season to air during the Writers Guild of America strike. It's unknown whether the WGA would protest outside the venue -- which would raise the possibility of the show being canceled if celebrity presenters and nominees refuse to cross the picket line.

What's more, there are questions about who would write what is supposed to be pithy repartee between the celebrity presenters. (The Golden Globes show does not have a traditional host or an opening monologue.)

The Golden Globes are closely watched as a harbinger to the Oscars. Last year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. gave top-film nods to "Babel," "Dreamgirls," "Little Miss Sunshine," "The Departed," "The Queen" and "Letters From Iwo Jima," which all went on to earn Academy Award nominations. But the Golden Globe for best dramatic film went to "Babel," while the Oscar went to "The Departed." (The two bodies haven't agreed on a best film pick since 2003's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.")

Unlike the Academy Awards, the marquee Golden Globe nominations are divided into two categories: drama and comedy or musical.

The three-hour telecast from the Beverly Hilton Hotel used to be one of the most raucous parties in town, with film and television's biggest stars throwing caution to the wind while eating and drinking and mingling before, during and after the ceremony. But lately a sense of decorum has begun creeping into the ceremony, which some critics say has become noticeably staid over the last few years.

The nominations cap a key week in the movie award season, which began Dec. 5 with the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures choosing "No Country for Old Men" as the best picture of 2007, followed by the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. choosing "There Will Be Blood" and the New York Film Critics Circle also selecting "No Country for Old Men."

On Tuesday, the Broadcast Film Critics Assn. announced its feature film and television nominations, with Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" leading the pack with seven nominations for the Critics' Choice Awards.

The Academy Award nominations will be announced Jan. 22 and the awards ceremony telecast on ABC on Feb. 24, with Jon Stewart scheduled to return as host.

susan.king@latimes.com