( The Frisky ) -- By T-minus 18 days until the Oscars and , of course , we are all starting to place bets on who we think will walk away with little golden men this year . Luckily , the Academy has proven itself to be pretty darn predictable over the years . If you 're America 's Sweetheart , you 'll probably win Best Actress . If you sing in a flick , you are almost guaranteed Oscar gold . But there 's another trend we 've been noticing lately : the winners for Best Actress and Best Actor tend to be the person who 's taken on the based-on-a-true-story role . In fact , 10 of the 20 top honors given in the 2000s went to actors who portrayed real people . Let 's take a look , shall we ? Last year , Sandra Bullock won Best Actress -- just days after taking home a Razzie -- for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy , the Southern mom who took in Michael Oher and helped coach him toward football greatness . The real Leigh Anne was in the theater to see Sandra accept her award . The Frisky : 12 Female Celebs Reveal Their True Size . In 2008 , Sean Penn won the Academy Award for Best Actor -- again ! -- for playing Harvey Milk , the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California . I still remember the gorgeous mermaid-scale gown that Marion Cotillard won when she accepted the Oscar for Best Actress in 2007 for her role in `` La Vie En Rose . '' In the movie , she played Edith Piaf , an extremely popular singer in France who was also known for her out-of-control social life . In many ways , Marion won for playing the Britney Spears of 1950s France . The Frisky : 12 Starlets Married And Divorced By 26 . In 2006 's `` The Queen , '' Helen managed to out-Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth II herself in the movie about the aftermath of Princess Diana 's death . Helen , of course , won Oscar gold for her efforts . Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of two actors to portray writer Truman Capote in a two-year span . His uncanny portrayal netted him a Best Actor win in 2005 . The Frisky : 10 Celebs Who Fancy Themselves Doctors . That same year , Reese Witherspoon won Best Actress for playing another beloved real character -- June Carter Cash , the wife of Johnny Cash . In the movie , Reese did n't sound exactly like June as she warbled `` Jackson , '' but put her own spin on the classic tune . Blame it on the al-al-al-alcohol , but sometimes I forget that Jamie Foxx is an Oscar winner . He won Best Actor in 2004 for his portrayal of iconic ivory-tickler Ray Charles in `` Ray . '' The Frisky : Scandalous 9 Celebrity Pairs Spotted Leaving A Party Together . Charlize Theron broke out of the former-model mold when she played Aileen Wuornos , a prostitute who killed at least six men . By gaining 30 pounds , rocking a mullet , and perfecting an eyebrow-less , terrifying stare , Charlize won Best Actress in 2003 . Adrien Brody may be in beer ads now , but in 2003 he was riding high after winning the Oscar for Best Actor in `` The Pianist . '' In the movie , he played Jewish piano virtuoso Szpilman , who survived the Nazi invasion of Poland . In 2000 , Julia Roberts took on the role of a brash single mother who , without a law degree , helped construct a lawsuit against Pacific Gas and Electric Company . She won an Oscar for her real-life role in `` Erin Brockovich . '' The real Erin , however , did not get a statue for her cameo in the flick as a waitress who takes Julia 's order . The Frisky : 10 Reasons Why We Need The `` Arrested Development '' Movie To Happen . So who will the real character effect benefit this year ? Interestingly , none of the nominees for Best Actress played screen versions of actual people . But this will make for a very tight race for Best Actor , with Jesse Eisenberg portraying Facebook creator Mark Zuckererg in `` The Social Network , '' Colin Firth playing a stuttering King George VI in `` The King 's Speech , '' and James Franco as Aron Ralston , a mountain climber who has to hack off his own arm in `` 127 Hours . '' Which of them do you think will win ? TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved .
Leigh Anne Tuohy won Best Actress for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy . Sean Penn won Best Actress for for playing America . Leigh Anne Tuohy won an Leigh Anne Tuohy for her real-life role in `` Erin Brockovich ''