Date:  October 14, 1998
Source:  Entertainment Weekly

Cel Highs
The animation industry honors its best
by Gary Eng Walk

The International Animated Film Society announced the nominees for its 26th Annie Awards (to be held Nov. 13 in Glendale, Calif.). The Annies are given to the year's outstanding animated works in feature films, television, commercials, home videos, and interactive productions. Disney's "Mulan" received the most nominations (10), including the Annie's equivalent of the Best Picture Academy Award, "Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Theatrical Feature."

The most heated race, however, is shaping up to be "Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Primetime or Late Night Television Program." Comedy Central's "South Park", Fox's "The Simpsons," and Fox's "King of the Hill" face off in the 'toon showdown. In the female voice-acting category, Meg Ryan ("Anastasia") goes up against the likes of Angela Lansbury ("Anastasia") and Ming-Na Wen ("Mulan"). On the male side, Hank Azaria ("Anastasia"), Christopher Plummer ("Babes in Toyland"), and Tim Curry ("Disney's Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas") will battle it out.

The Annie itself, in case you were wondering, is a 10-inch brass statue shaped like an early motion-picture viewer called the zoetrope. (And you thought the People's Choice Award was ugly...)