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After an exhaustive film career spanning more than 100 movies over 55 years, the veteran Canadian actor Christopher Plummer was in bed, just waking up in his Florida vacation home, when he learned he had been honoured with his first Academy Award nomination, for best supporting actor.

“I guess the Academy figures they'd better do it now, before he croaks,” Mr. Plummer joked in an interview Tuesday from Palm Springs. He was nominated for his role as Russian writer Leo Tolstoy in The Last Station.

The stalwart of film and stage, who was born in Toronto and grew up in Quebec, does not expect to take home the award next month. But the idea of leaving Hollywood's Kodak Theatre empty-handed doesn't faze him.

“I don't think I'm going to win, and it doesn't matter,” Mr. Plummer said. “To me, the honour is just being nominated.”

“I was in my bed, just getting up, when I found out the news,” said Mr. Plummer, who is getting over a nasty head cold. “I am very pleased indeed. Pleased for both Helen [Mirren, nominated for best leading actress] and myself. After all, every little bit helps the movie.”

He added that he usually “avoid awards ceremonies like the plague. Unless you're really nominated, I don't see the point in hanging around at them.”

But the Emmy- and Tony-winning actor will be there, among a number of Canadians who are in Oscar contention at the 82nd gala on March 7. Others include Kapuskasing, Ont.-born director James Cameron (whose Avatar has nine nominations), Jason Reitman (his Up in the Air has six), Vancouver couple Neil Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell (in the running for best adapted screenplay for the science-fiction film District 9), Toronto set decorator Gordon Sim (part of a team up for best art direction for Nine), and Vancouver costume designer Monique Prudhomme (nominated for The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus).

Mr. Rietman, who co-wrote and directed Up in the Air, told QMI Agency Tuesday that he is thrilled with his film's six Oscar nominations, but is most happy because his father, producer Ivan Reitman, as co-producer of the movie, shares in the best picture nomination, the first Academy Award nod of his 42-year career.

"Look, what makes this super special is my dad, sharing this with him,” the 32-year-old Montreal native said.

Mr. Plummer, who is perhaps best known as Baron Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, said he was approached to play the part of Tolstoy two years ago. He jumped at it “because it's [a subject] that's hardly ever been done, certainly never done as a feature film. ... I love playing rich and extraordinary characters.

“And the fact that Helen was part of it made it more enticing. We had such fun. It's so easy when you work with really talented people because they make it look so easy,” said Mr. Plummer, whose other notable films include Murder by Decree, The Silent Partner, The Insider and A Beautiful Mind.

He is up against Matt Damon in Invictus, Woody Harrelson in The Messenger, Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones, and Christopher Waltz in Inglorious Basterds.

Mr. Plummer, who will return to Stratford, Ont., this summer to play Prospero in The Tempest , added that he has no intention of resting on his laurels.

“In fact, I'm busier than I've been in years,” said the great-grandson of former Canadian prime minister Sir John Abbott.

In Vancouver, Ms. Tatchell drank to her best adapted screenplay nomination and the other nods for District 9 – best picture, visual effects and film editing – sipping a little Baileys Irish Cream with her coffee.

“I'm pretty much bouncing off the walls and the ceiling and everything else today,” she said from her home near English Bay.

Other Canadians nominated included Dan Kaufman and Peter Muyzers, Bob Habros share a nomination for best visual effects for District 9.

With a report from Marsha Lederman