Under-30 crowd gets its Golden Globe moment

The IPod generation will be well represented among the nominees parading along the red carpet at next year's Golden Globe Awards.

Thursday's nominations include nine performers in movies and television younger than 30.

In films, Nikki Blonsky, 19, who plays a plump, danced-crazed teen in "Hairspray," and Ellen Page, 20, who plays an off-beat pregnant teen in "Juno," were nominated for best actress in a comedy or musical, while Keira Knightley, 22, received a nomination for her starring turn in the period drama "Atonement." Ryan Gosling, 27, whose character falls in love with a life-size female doll in "Lars and the Real Girl," was nominated for best actor in the same category.

"It's still dominated by those over 30," Gosling said of the list of Golden Globe nominees. "We still have our work cut out for us. I've got to act fast because I'm going to be one of them soon."

At 13, Saoirse Ronan is the youngest nominee, for her "Atonement" performance as an upper-class British girl who wrongly accuses her sister's lover of a crime. The native of Ardattin, Ireland, sounded even younger than her years, gushing with excitement over her nomination. "It's unbelievable to be nominated at all -- to be nominated at any age," she said. "But it's even more than that for me. I'm 13. I'm chuffed."

A youth movement was clearly afoot on the TV side as well, with nominees America Ferrera, 23, for "Ugly Betty"; Anna Paquin, 25, for "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee"; Bryce Dallas Howard, 26, for "As You Like It"; and Katherine Heigl, 29, for "Grey's Anatomy."

robert.welkos@latimes.com