Osment Named Supporting Actor of the Year
February 2 -- Despite only one appearance in the year 2000 — in the critical and box-office dud Pay It Forward, no less — Haley Joel Osment is being honored as ShoWest 2001's supporting actor of the year.
The 12-year-old tyke, who wowed audiences with his Oscar-nominated turn in The Sixth Sense, no doubt has greater things ahead of him — including Steven Spielberg's A.I. — but we can't help but scratch our heads over his being honored in this calendar year.
"Haley Joel is a tremendously talented actor," Robert Sunshine, chairman of ShoWest organizer Sunshine Group Worldwide, tells Variety. "We are honored to pay tribute to him for the incredible body of work he has amassed in such a short time."
In other words, it ain't just for Pay It Forward — they're factoring in his time on TV's Murphy Brown, too.
Osment will be honored at a March 8 awards gala in Las Vegas.
Other stars singled out for ShoWest honors are Shannon Elizabeth (as Female Star of Tomorrow), Dame Judi Dench (as Supporting Actress of the Year), Cast Away's William Broyles Jr. (as Screenwriter of the Year), and The Perfect Storm's Wolfgang Petersen (as Director of the Year).
