Academy Award Nominations

Academy Award Nominations

Martin Scorsese's "Hugo," with 11 Academy Award nominations, and Golden Globe winner "The Artist," with 10, lead the list of best picture Oscar contenders announced Tuesday.
Brad Pitt and George Clooney will face off in the best leading actor category at the Oscars next month, with Pitt's "Moneyball" contending for six awards and Clooney's "The Descendants" up for five, including the best picture category for both.
Other best picture Oscar nominees include Steven Spielberg's "War Horse," nominated in seven categories, Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," up for four Oscars, "The Help," with four nominations, "The Tree of Life" with three and "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," competing in two categories.
Meryl Streep's performance as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady" earned a leading best actress nomination, as did Michelle Williams' role as movie legend Marilyn Monroe in "My Week with Marilyn."
Both women won Golden Globe acting honors last week, but Streep was competing in the drama film category, while Williams was in the comedy competition.
The Academy also nominated Viola Davis for best actress for her portrayal of a civil rights-era maid in "The Help," as well as Glenn Close, who played a woman passing as a 19th century man in "Albert Nobbs" and Rooney Mara for her title role in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."
Competing against Pitt and Clooney for best actor are "The Artist" star Jean Dujardin, Demián Bichir in "A Better Life" and Gary Oldman for "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy."
Christopher Plummer, who won the best supporting actor Golden Globe last week for his work in "Beginners," is nominated in that Oscar category.
Best supporting actor nominees include "Moneyball" co-star Jonah Hill, Nick Nolte in "Warrior," Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn," and Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close."
Golden Globe supporting actress winner Octavia Spencer from "The Help" is nominated for the best supporting actress Oscar, along with co-star Jessica Chastain. "The Artist" actress Berenice Bejo, Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids" and Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs" are also nominated.
While "Hugo" is not up for any acting honors, Scorsese's 3D film dominates elsewhere with nominations for best art direction, cinematography, costume design, film editing, original music score, sound editing, sound mixing, visual effects and adapted screenplay. Scorsese is also nominated for best director, an honor given him this month at the Golden Globes.
Along with the best actor and supporting actress nominations, "The Artist" earned a best director and original screenplay bids for Michel Hazanavicius.
It competes with "Hugo" for best art direction, cinematography, costume design, film editing and original music score. Unlike "Hugo," "The Artist" was not nominate for best sound editing, sound mixing, visual effects, which is not surprising considering it is a black-and-white silent movie.
Woody Allen is up for best director and original screenplay Oscars for his film about a time traveling American writer, "Midnight in Paris." He won the best screenplay Golden Globe. His best picture contender is also nominated for best art direction.
Other best director contenders include Alexander Payne for "The Descendants" and Terrence Malick for "The Tree of Life."
The 84th annual Academy Awards will be televised live from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre on Sunday, February 26.

Academy Award Nominations