The nominees for the most glamourous and star-studded night of the Hollywood calendar have finally been revealed with The Academy Awards short-list announced in Los Angeles today.
As predicted 'The Artist' leads the biggest catergories with nods including Best Picture, Director and Leading Actor but Bérénice Bejo is up for supporting, not leading actress. The change was rumoured to be due to Meryl Streep's sweep of the award season for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in 'The Iron Lady'.
Animated film 'Hugo' is the surprise lead film, being named in 11 of the categories including nods for special effects and Best Director for Martin Scorsese.
It could be a golden night for George Clooney who is nominated for his leading role in 'The Descendants' which also picked up nods for Best Picture and Best Director nominations and his orignial Screenplay 'Ides Of March'.
Best Picture is set to be a hotly contended category with a record-nine films up for the biggest prize of the night.
The Academy Awards will be awarded on February 26 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.
Full List of this year's Academy Award Nominations:
Best Picture
The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse
Director
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants - Alexander Payne
Hugo - Martin Scorsese
Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen
The Tree of Life - Terrence Malick
Actor In a Leading Role
Demián Bichir - A Better Life
George Clooney -The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
Actress In a Leading Role
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn
Actor In a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Actress In a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help
Animated Feature Film
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Jango
Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants - Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
Hugo - John Logan
The Ides of March - George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
Moneyball - Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin,Story by Stan Chervin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan
Original Screenplay
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids - Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
Margin Call - J.C. Chandor
Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen
A Separation Written - Asghar Farhadi
Foreign Language Film
Bullhead
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation
Footnote
In Darkness
The Best Dressed at 2012 Academy Awards...
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