The Social Network Nabs Eight Oscar Nods

Jesse Eisenberg (L) as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 'The Social Network.' The real Mark Zuckerberg (R).

The Social Network, the fictionalized film about Facebook origins at Harvard, has received eight Oscar nominations, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Jessie Eisenberg’s portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg.
Widely praised as a film, The Social Network has nonetheless been characterized as largely fiction by Facebook and some of the real-life figures portrayed in the film. Two days ago, Sean Parker, Facebook’s first president and a co-founder of Napster, who was played by pop star Justin Timberlake, called the film “a complete work of fiction.”
Facebook founder Zuckerberg has also taken the film to task for its portrayal of Facebook’s origins, noting that while the filmmakers got his choice of T-Shirts and fleece jackets correct, much else in the movie is inaccurate. Zuckerberg has objected most to the movie’s strong suggestion that he created Facebook as a way to meet girls, when in fact, he says he’s dated the same girl since well before Facebook.
That didn’t stop him from taking Facebook employees to a screening of the film when it was released.
Fiction or not, the Oscar nods should feel good to Scott Rudin, the Hollywood honcho who produced the film, as well as Aaron Sorkin, whose dense, rapid-fire dialog made the screenplay a classic Sorkin number.
The Social Network also got nods for Director (David Fincher), Adapted Screenplay (Aaron Sorkin), Original Score (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross), Achievement in Cinematography, Film Editing and Sound Mixing.
The film squares off in the Best Picture category against strong contenders including True Grit, Inception, The Black Swan and The King’s Speech.
The competition may be even tougher in the Best Actor category, where Eisenberg faces off against Jeff Bridges (True Grit), Javier Bardem (Biutiful), and Colin Firth, whose performance in The King’s Speech has garnered rave reviews. Speech led all pictures with 12 Oscar nominations.
Two weeks ago, The Social Network earned Golden Globe victories for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Score.
The film has grossed $200 million worldwide, a big win for a film that cost an estimated $40 million to produce.
The Academy Awards will be broadcast on February 27th.