Stephen Curry is certain nine-year-old Sunny Pawar has him beat at the AACTA Awards

NOMINATED for best actor at the AACTA Awards, Stephen Curry says there's one “amazing” on-screen performer standing between him and victory.

SHOULD Stephen Curry win Best Actor at the AACTA Awards in Sydney tomorrow, he may be taking the stage in his boxer shorts.

The much-loved Melbourne funnyman, nominated for his shock turn as a serial killer in Hounds of Love, can’t find the pants to his best suit.

“I enjoy seeing everyone at these nights, free beer is always good, everyone gets all dressed up ... and if I can find my pants, it’ll be great,” Curry told News Corp Australia ahead of the awards.

10 years after his win for The King, Stephen Curry is back in Best Actor contention at the AACTA Awards. Picture: Tim Carrafa

While he may wind up making a sartorial statement with his lack of daks, movie fans concerned that he may attend with the “rotten” moustache he sported for Hounds of Love can rest assured: “My mum is going to insist that I have a shave.”

Lion set to pounce again at AACTA Awards

Stars including Rachel Griffiths, Bryan Brown, Jessica Marais, Shane Jacobson, Celia Pacquola and Paul Hogan are set to attend Australian film and television’s night of nights. The AACTA Awards will screen on Channel 7 on Wednesday at 8.30pm.

Rob Sitch’s Utopia has already nabbed the Best Television Comedy Series AACTA Award. Picture: ABC

The AACTAs celebrations kicked off on Monday with the Industry Luncheon, with a sign of things to come: Lion dominated with wins for Best Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Sound, Production Design, Music Score and Costume Design. Ali’s Wedding took the AACTA for Best Original Screenplay.

Casting JonBenet won Best Feature Length Documentary.

And the ABC was strong in the early TV categories, Utopia winning Best Comedy Series, Little Lunch named Best Children’s Series and War on Waste Best Documentary Program.

It has been 10 years since Curry won the then-AFI Award for Best Actor for his performance as Graham Kennedy in TV movie The King.

Curry’s AACTA nominated performance in Hounds of Love was described by Hollywood bible Variety as “redolent of pure evil”. Picture: Label Distribution

Curry as Graham Kennedy in 2007 telemovie The King, which won him the AFI Award for Best Actor in a Television Drama. Picture: Foxtel

His big recollection of that night is Delta Goodrem announcing him as the winner. “Together at last, everyone was saying, about me and Delta,” he quipped.

But the 41-year-old is not convinced he’s got the 2017 Best Actor AACTA in the bag.

“I can talk about it all I like, but I’m going to get beaten by a nine-year-old Indian boy.”

Curry is nominated alongside Ewen Leslie (Butterfly Tree), Osamah Sami (Ali’s Wedding) and Sunny Pawar, the child star of Lion.

“Sunny’s a natural,” Curry said. “It’s unbelievably, annoyingly amazing how good he is. There’s no airs or graces. You look at that kid and he’s so electric on screen.

Curry believes Sunny Pawar, who was just eight when Lion was released and he attended the Oscars, has the AACTA in the bag. Picture: Mark Rogers/Transmission

“And Osamah Sami, who I hadn’t seen in anything before, he pops up in this, his own creation, with a faultless performance. And Ewen Leslie, who I genuinely think is one of the best actors two people in Australia have ever created together ... Across the board, the performances are great.

“You work pretty hard on these things and it’s nice for people to (acknowledge it), but I guess that’s enough.”

Melbourne-shot Ali’s Wedding, starring Helana Sawires and Osamah Sami, is nominated for Best Film. Picture; Madman

Hounds of Love is nominated for nine AACTAs, including Best Film, where it will compete against Ali’s Wedding, Berlin Syndrome, Jasper Jones and Lion.

“In any other year, that wasn’t a Lion year, Hounds of Love would probably win most of those awards,” said Curry of his thriller. “But Lion is an exceptional film.”

Like many of us, Curry admits to “bawling my eyes out” on a plane while watching the story of Saroo Brierley’s journey to Australia. With 12 nominations, including Supporting Actor nods for Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel, Lion will prove tough to beat.

Top of the Lake: China Girl, starring Elisabeth Moss and Gwendoline Christie, leads the television categories with 11 nominations. Picture: Foxtel

In the TV categories, Top of the Lake: China Girl and Blue Murder: Killer Cop each have 11 nominations.

CLICK HERE FOR the full list of 2017 AACTA Awards nominees

BEST FILM

Ali’s Wedding

Berlin Syndrome

Hounds of Love

Jasper Jones

Lion

BEST DIRECTION

Jeffrey Walker — Ali’s Wedding

Cate Shortland — Berlin Syndrome

Ben Young — Hounds of Love

Garth Davis — Lion

Teresa Palmer in Berlin Syndrome. Picture: Entertainment One

BEST LEAD ACTRESS

Emma Booth — Hounds of Love

Teresa Palmer — Berlin Syndrome

Helana Sawires — Ali’s Wedding

Sara West — Don’t Tell

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Don Hany — Ali’s Wedding

Dev Patel — Lion

Jack Thompson — Don’t Tell

Hugo Weaving — Jasper Jones

Nicole Kidman with Sunny Pawar in Lion. Picture: Transmission

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Frances Duca — Ali’s Wedding

Nicole Kidman — Lion

Jacqueline McKenzie — Don’t Tell

Susie Porter — Hounds of Love

BEST TELEVISION DRAMA SERIES

Cleverman (ABC)

Glitch (ABC)

Janet King (ABC)

Top of the Lake: China Girl (Foxtel)

Wentworth (Foxtel)

Richard Roxburgh and Toni Collette in Blue Murder: Killer Cop. Picture: Channel 7

BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINI SERIES

Blue Murder: Killer Cop (Seven)

Seven Types of Ambiguity (ABC)

Sunshine (SBS)

Wake in Fright (Ten)

Originally published as Stephen Curry is certain nine-year-old Sunny Pawar has him beat at the AACTA Awards