Local writers make cut

Hollywood is a long way away, but two local screenwriters will face off in the Oscar derby for best screenplay.

Belmont-based novelist Tom Perrotta is nominated for "Little Children," while Dorchester-born William Monahan grabbed a nomination for "The Departed," which transposed the Hong Kong action thriller "Infernal Affairs" to the streets of Boston.

Monahan said yesterday that the movie's success has fueled his desire to do another Boston crime story. "We're looking at a sequel," he said from his L A office. "It's a departure from 'The Departed.' The last shot of 'The Departed' was of the State House, and it's going to be part of this story."

Martin Scorsese wants to direct it, said Monahan, who'll write the screenplay, and Mark Wahlberg, whose explosive portrayal of State Police Sergeant Dignam earned a supporting actor nomination, will also be back. (The character of Dignam was not in ' 'Infernal Affairs," Monahan pointed out: "He's mine, and I really like the guy.")

"I really got into writing about Boston," he said. "I want to make this movie and maybe this time shoot the whole thing in Boston."

Just how glorious was it to be nominated? "It's kind of dull and ordinary," Monahan said. "I got up, made breakfast for the kids, and went to work."

For his part, Perrotta said he couldn't bear to watch the nominations . "There's too much of the adolescent bad dream of waiting for your name to be spoken," he said. Adapting his own novel to the screen, Perrotta was nominated for the screenplay along with Todd Field, who also directed .

The author learned of his Oscar nod from his agent, and a series of frantic phone calls followed, the first of them to his mother in New Jersey. "She's as happy as a mom can be," he said yesterday.

Perrotta, whose next novel, "The Abstinence Teacher," has already been optioned, isn't fretting about what to wear to the Oscar ceremony on Feb. 25. He bought a tuxedo at Brooks Brothers, which he wore to the Golden Globe awards last week and will put it on again for next month's Writers Guild Awards. "I guess I'm getting my money's worth," he said.