Submitted by: kirkland on Wednesday November 08th, 2006 at 03:34 PM EST

"Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp, Hollywood's top-grossing leading man this year, led the field of People's Choice Award contenders announced on Tuesday as he snatched up three nominations.

Depp, the flamboyant buccaneer Jack Sparrow in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," was nominated as favorite male movie star, along with Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, and clinched a separate bid as best male action star, competing in that category with Samuel L. Jackson and Jet Li.

Depp, 43, voted favorite male star last year, shared a third nomination with "Pirates" co-star Keira Knightley in the category for favorite on-screen match-up.

"Dead Man's Chest" ranks as the highest-grossing film of 2006, raking in nearly $422 million domestically and more than $1 billion worldwide in theatrical ticket sales.

» Full story @ Reuters