Screen Idols nominees announced by Outfest (5587)

Outfest 2001: The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival has announced its nominations for the first Outfest Screen Idols award, honoring performances in gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender roles. Heading the list are Ellen DeGeneres, Chloe Sevigny, and Vanessa Redgrave (If These Walls Could Talk 2) as well as Javier Bardem and Johnny Depp (Before Night Falls), Robert Downey Jr. (Wonder Boys), Dan Futterman (Urbania), Stuart Wells (Billy Elliot), Julianna Margulies (What's Cooking), and Maria Schrader (Aimee & Jaguar). Outfest is billed as the largest film festival of any kind in Southern California. Winners will be selected by a national online vote, which runs from Wednesday through April 15. Go to www.outfest.org to register your picks. Winners will be "outed" on April 20.