Google Zeitgeist reveals where Oscar interest really lies

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for – glitz, glam, tears and gold statues. Get your box of popcorn ready and read on as Google reveals what internet users worldwide have been searching for ahead of the prestigious Academy Awards ceremony this Sunday.

Darren Aronofsy’s psychological drama Black Swan comes out tops as the most popular search amongst ‘Best Picture’ nominees, according to Google Zeitgeist, a tool that provides insights into web search trends. The thriller is followed by the Coen brothers’ True Grit, The Fighter, The Social Network and The Kings Speech.

Natalie Portman, who won the Golden Globe for her lead role in Black Swan, receives the most search interest, beating her competitors for ‘Best Lead Actress’: Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole), Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine), Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) and Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right). James Franco’s realistic performance in the true-life drama, 127 Hours, has certainly gained him some notoriety on the web, with results showing that he outranks his fellow ‘Best Actor’ nominees, including Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) and Javier Bardem (Biutiful).

Christian Bale (The Fighter), nominated in the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ category, knocks out contenders Geoffry Rush (The King’s Speech), Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right), Jeremy Renner (The Town) and John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone). Amy Adams who also plays in the movie, The Fighter, steals the popularity title away from Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Melissa Leo (The Fighter) and Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) who are all in the running for the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ award.

When it comes to movie trailer views on YouTube, Black Swan once again takes first place with 12.7 million views. The Social Network trailer has had 5 million views so far, followed by The Fighter with 1.91 million , True Grit with 572 thousand and The King’s Speech with 533 thousand.

And the winner for the country most interested in the Oscars? Portugal – followed surprisingly by Ireland, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Regional interest, worldwide web search, Oscars, last 30 days

1. Portugal

2. Ireland

3. Canada

4. United States

5. United Kingdom

6. Australia

7.Spain

8. Sweden

9. The Netherlands

10. Mexico

Web search interest, ‘Best Picture’ nominees, worldwide, last 30 days

1. Black Swan

2. True Grit

3. The Fighter

4. The Social Network

5. The Kings Speech

Web search interest, ‘Best Director’ nominees, worldwide, last 30 days

1. Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)

2. David Fincher (The Social Network)

3. Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech)

4. Cohen brothers (True Grit)

5. David O. Russell (The Fighter)

Web search interest, ‘Best Actress’ nominees, worldwide, last 30 days

1. Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

2. Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)

3. Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)

4. Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone)

5. Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)