John Hawkes, Oscar Nominated: Who Is This Guy?

Each year when Academy Awards nominations are announced, there are sure things, surprises and head scratchers. And then there's almost always a "Who?"

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This year's "who" is John Hawkes. The veteran character actor plays Teardrop in the low-budget, crystal meth drama "Winter's Bone."

The Village Voice calls his performance in the film "vivid" and plenty of publications have heaped praise on him, lead actor Jennifer Lawrence and the film, in which he plays Lawrence's uncle.

Hawkes, 51, has appeared in television and films since the mid 1980s. He's probably best known for his performance as Freddie in "American Gangster" with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, his three seasons on HBO's "Deadwood" and as Kenny Powers' brother, Dustin, on the first season of "Eastbound & Down."

He's currently at the Sundance film festival in Park City, Utah. He appears as a cult leader in "Martha Marcy May Marlene," which has garnered big attention for leading actress Elizabeth Olsen, and in Vera Farmiga's "Higher Ground."