Signs promoting the Golden Globe awards can be seen on the streets of Los Angeles The Hollywood awards season kicks off later with the Golden Globes, where British film The King’s Speech leads the pack with seven nominations.
The Social Network and The Fighter follow with six nominations apiece.
Presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the Globes are first major film awards of the year.
Comedian Ricky Gervais is to host the ceremony, beginning at the Beverly Hilton Hotel at 1700 LA time (0100GMT).
Television shows are also celebrated at the gala, where the prizes are divided between dramas and comedies or musicals.
High school comedy Glee has the most nominations for a TV show, having been shortlisted in five categories.
Colin Firth, who plays a monarch battling a stammer in The King’s Speech, is widely expected to win the best actor in a drama prize.
The 50-year-old is one of four actors in his category nominated for playing real people.
Jesse Eisenberg is also in contention for his role as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, as is James Franco for playing climber Aron Ralston in 127 Hours.
Wahlberg completes the quartet for his performance in The Fighter, a film about US boxer Micky Ward.
The biopic has additional acting nominations for Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo, while its director David O Russell is also up for a prize.
In the best actress in a drama category, Natalie Portman has received a nod for her role in Darren Aronofsky’s ballet-based Black Swan.
Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lawrence and Michelle Williams are also in contention for that award.
Films up for best musical or comedy include Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Burlesque, The Kids are All Right and The Tourist.
Johnny Depp has landed two nominations in the best actor in a comedy or musical category, for Alice in Wonderland and The Tourist.
Glee’s competition for the best TV comedy or musical prize includes 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory amd Modern Family.
Ricky Gervais returns to host the ceremony for a second consecutive year Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, The Good Wife and Mad Men vie for the best TV drama series award with zombie thriller The Walking Dead.
The Globes have traditionally been solid indicator as to which films and stars will be recognised at the Academy Awards.
Yet in the last six years, the only winner of a Globe for best drama that went on to Oscar success was 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire.
Last year Avatar was feted at the Globes, only to be beaten at the Oscars by Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker.
However, all four of last year’s Oscar-winning actors – Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock, Christoph Waltz and Mo’Nique – were also successful at the Globes.
Gervais’s first stint as host in 2010 saw the British comedian take gentle jabs at the Hollywood glitterati.
Earlier this week, though, the Office and Extras star said he didn’t think he “went far enough”.
“So I’m going to do it again [and] do a proper job,” he continued. “And I guarantee they will not invite me back.”
This year’s Bafta nominations are announced on Tuesday, with Oscar nominations to follow on 25 January.
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