Oscar Nominations 2012: "The Artist," "Hugo," "The Descendants" And More

After months of speculation, awards season has focused onto a precious few: the 2012 Oscar nominees! As Jennifer Lawrence read in her mannered, future Katniss Everdeen-y voice, "The Artist," "The Descendants" and "Hugo" were the big winners during nomination morning, with stars like Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams and earning huzzahs as well.

Ahead, the full list of nominees for the 84th annual Academy Awards; the Billy Crystal-hosted ceremony airs on ABC on Feb. 26.

BEST PICTURE

"The Artist" "The Descendants" "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" "Hugo" "Midnight in Paris" "The Help" "Moneyball" "War Horse" "The Tree of Life"

BEST ACTOR

Demian Bichir, "A Better Life" George Clooney, "The Descendants" Jean Dujardin, "The Artist" Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

BEST ACTRESS

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"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn" Jonah Hill, "Moneyball" Nick Nolte, "Warrior" Christopher Plummer, "Beginners" Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Berenice Bejo, "The Artist" Jessica Chastain, "The Help" Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids" Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs" Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

BEST DIRECTOR

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris" Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist" Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life" Alexander Payne, "The Descendants" Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris" JC Chandor, "Margin Call" Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation" Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist" Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants" John Logan, "Hugo" George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March" Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, Stan Chevren "Moneyball" Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

"A Cat In Paris" "Chico & Rita" "Kung Fu Panda 2" "Puss in Boots" "Rango"

BEST FOREIGN FEATURE

"Bullhead" "Footnote" "In Darkness" "Monsier Lazhar" "A Separation"

BEST ART DIRECTION

"The Artist" "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" "Hugo" "Midnight in Paris" "War Horse"

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

"The Artist" "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" "Hugo" "The Tree of Life" "War Horse"

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

"Anonymous" "The Artist" "Hugo" "Jane Eyre" "W.E."

BEST DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)

"Hell and Back Again" "If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" "Pina" "Undefeated"

BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)

"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement" "God Is the Bigger Elvis" "Incident in New Baghdad" "Saving Face" "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"

BEST FILM EDITING

"The Artist" "The Descendants" "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" "Hugo" "Moneyball"

Best MAKEUP

"Albert Nobbs" "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" "The Iron Lady"

BEST MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

"The Adventures of Tintin" "The Artist" "Hugo" "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" "War Horse"

BEST MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie "Real in Rio" from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

BEST SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

"Dimanche/Sunday" "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" "La Luna" "A Morning Stroll" "Wild Life"

BEST SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

"Pentecost" "Raju" "The Shore" "Time Freak" "Tuba Atlantic"

BEST SOUND EDITING

"Drive" "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" "Hugo" "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" "War Horse"

BEST SOUND MIXING

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" "Hugo" "Moneyball" "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" "War Horse"

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" "Hugo" "Real Steel" "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

Take a closer look at the nominees below!

PHOTOS:

Gallery | Oscar Nominees 2012

• Best Picture: "The Artist"

  Nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Director (Michel Hazanvicius), Best Actor (Jean Dujardin) and Best Supporting Actress (Berenice Bejo), "The Artist" is the current frontrunner to walk away with the 84th annual Academy Awards's biggest prize. The silent film, about a silent film star pushed aside by the advent of talkies, earned the Producers Guild of America award on Sunday, a precursor that usually points to Oscar glory. The Weinstein Company film also scored Best Picture - Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes earlier this month. Photo: TWC

• Best Picture: "The Descendants"

  Buoyed by George Clooney's Oscar-nominated performance, "The Descendants" has been a strong contender for Best Picture throughout awards season. Nominated for five awards, including Best Director (Alexander Payne), look for the dramedy -- about a Hawaiian man (Clooney) dealing with the news that his comatose wife was cheating on him before her injuries -- to potentially take home more than one award on Oscar night, including Best Adapted Screenplay. Photo: Fox Searchlight

• Best Picture: "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close""

  Never sleep Stephen Daldry. The three-time Best Director nominee didn't grab a Best Director nomination this year, but he was able to guide the maligned "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" to an upset Best Picture nomination. The film -- about a young boy dealing with the aftermath of his father's death during 9/11 -- is out in theaters now. PHOTO: WB

• Best Picture: "The Help"

  With four nominations, including Best Actress (Viola Davis) and Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain), "The Help" is one of the most audience-beloved Oscar nominees of the year; the film earned just under $170 million at the domestic box office. Directed by the not-nominated Tate Taylor, the film is an adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's best selling book about the life of African-American maids living in Jackson, Miss. during the 1960s. Photo: DreamWorks

• Best Picture: "Hugo"

  Director Martin Scorsese's ode to film preservation is masked as a 3D adventure for kids. The Academy didn't mind, though, rewarding the critically acclaimed epic with 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Scorsese, who won the Golden Globe for Best Director, could win his second Academy Award in the same category on Feb. 26. Photo: Paramount

• Best Picture: "Midnight in Paris"

  Woody Allen earned his 15th nomination as a screenwriter and sixth as director for the Best Picture-nominated "Midnight in Paris," a nostalgic bit of whimsy from the master filmmaker about a dissatisfied screenwriter (Owen Wilson) and the magic he finds in Paris after midnight. "Paris" was Allen's biggest financial success, though it doesn't mean he'll show up to the Oscars; the last time he appeared at the Academy Awards was in 2002 to introduce a short vignette about New York post-9/11. Photo: Sony Classics

• Best Picture: "Moneyball"

  Starring Brad Pitt in an Oscar-nominated turn as Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane, "Moneyball" is a baseball movie by way of "The Social Network," something that has to do with the Oscar-nominated script, which was co-written by Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian. Jonah Hill also grabbed Oscar kudos for his against-type work as Beane's young assistant. Photo: Sony

• Best Picture: "The Tree of Life"

  The critics' choice for Best Picture? Terrence Malick's lengthy treatise on life, death and the birth of the universe (by way of a Texas family) was wonderfully reviewed, but is a surprise entry into the Best Picture race. Photo: Fox Searchlight

• Best Picture: "War Horse"

  Directed by Steven Spielberg, "War Horse" is a bit of old-fashioned Oscar bait. An epic war film about the bonds of family and friendship, the sprawling adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's novel earned six nominations. Unfortunately for Spielberg, don't expect the film to do as well at the ceremony as his last war epic: "Saving Private Ryan." Photo: DreamWorks

• Best Actor: George Clooney, "The Descendants"

  Nominated three times before as an actor (and winning Best Supporting Actor in 2006 for "Syriana"), Clooney earned his third Best Actor nomination for his work in Alexander Payne's "The Descendants." The film -- nominated for Best Picture as well -- finds Clooney playing Matt King, a Hawaii resident who has his world shattered when he discovers his comatose wife was cheating on him before her injuries. The critically lauded performance won Clooney a Best Actor - Drama award at the Golden Globes earlier this month; he's also been nominated for a SAG Award. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Actor: Demain Bichir, "A Better Life"

  In Chris Weitz's "A Better Life," Bichir plays an East L.A. gardener who endeavors to make a better life for his son and steer him away from gangs and immigration agents. This is the first Oscar nomination for Bichir, who was previously seen on "Weeds" and in "Che." PHOTO: Getty

• Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

  After lighting up the French cinema scene for over a decade, Jean Dujardin has become an instant star thanks to the silent film, "The Artist." Michel Hazanavicius's Best Picture nominee imagines Dujardin as once-beloved silent film star, George Valentin, during the advent of the talkies. "The Artist" swept the Golden Globes, winning a Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical, Best Score and Dujardin's win for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical. He also won for Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Actor: Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

  After starring in dozens of lauded films and memorable performances, Oldman clinches the Best Actor nomination for "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy." From Swedish director Tomas Alfredson, Oldman breathes life into George Smiley, the Cold War intelligence officer, famously played by Sir Alec Guinness in the 1979 BBC miniseries. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Actor: Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

  Bennett Miller's "Moneyball" earned Pitt his second nomination for Best Actor (the first was 2008's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and third nod overall. Pitt plays Billy Beane, the real-life general manager of the flailing Oakland A's. The film narrates their long-shot attempt to use computer analysis to transform the team into a winner. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Actress: Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"

  The five-time nominee earns her sixth nod for her role in Rodrigo Garcia's "Albert Nobbs." The film sees Close as Nobbs, a woman who dresses as a man in order to survive working in Ireland in the 1800s. (Close originally portrayed the character in a 1982 play of the same name.) Close's performance has been nominated for a Golden Globe and SAG Award. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Actress: Viola Davis, "The Help"

  Nominated once before for her role in the 2008 drama "Doubt," Davis earned her second nod for her work in Tate Taylor's "The Help." The film -- also nominated for Best Picture -- sees Davis as Aibileen Clark, a black maid in the early 1960s, who helps a young white journalist (Emma Stone) write a book from the point of view of "the help." Davis' role has also been nominated for a Best Actress - Drama Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG award. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Actress: Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

  This is the first nomination for Rooney Mara. In David Fincher's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Mara plays Lisbeth Salander, a skilled investigator and hacker who looks to solve a murder mystery while battling her own demons. Mara's performance has already received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress - Drama. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Actress: Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"

  Nominated 16 times (!) before as an actress (winning Best Supporting Actress for "Kramer vs. Kramer" and Best Actress for "Sophie's Choice"), Streep earned her 17th nod for her portrayal as former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady." The film follows Thatcher in the later stages of life, as she looks back on her rise as a politician. Streep's performance already won the Best Actress - Drama award at the Golden Globes earlier this month; she's also been nominated for a BAFTA and SAG in the lead actress category. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Actress: Michelle Williams in "My Week With Marilyn"

  The two-time nominee (Best Supporting Actress for "Brokeback Mountain," Best Actress for "Blue Valentine") earns her third nod for her work in "My Week With Marilyn." The film sees Williams as icon Marilyn Monroe, who goes on a week-long romp with an assistant director for a film she's shooting in England with Sir Laurence Olivier. Williams already won a Best Actress - Musical or Comedy Golden Globe for her portrayal of Monroe. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"

  Previously nominated for four Oscars -- including Best Actor and Best Director in the Shakespearean adaption of "Henry V" -- Branagh plays Hollywood royalty Sir Laurence Olivier in "My Week With Marilyn." Directed by Simon Curtis, the film follows a week spent with Marilyn Monroe, in the summer of 1956, during the filming of "The Prince and the Showgirl." PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actor: Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"

  After making a name for himself playing the acerbic best friend or foul-mouthed schoolmate, Hill has taken the plunge into the world of serious acting with "Moneyball." Hill received the Best Supporting Actor nomination for playing Peter Brand, the wiz-kid foil to Billy Beane (fellow nominee Brad Pitt), who helps turn the abysmal Oakland A's into a winning team. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actor: Nick Nolte, "Warrior"

  This is the third Oscar nomination for Notle. In the Gavin O'Connor-directed "Warrior" he plays an ex-boxer and once-alcoholic father, reunited with his youngest son by training him for a winner-take-all MMA tournament. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"

  An impressive oeuvre, dating back to the seminal performance of Capt. Von Trapp in 1965's big screen adaptation of "The Sound of Music," this is the second Oscar nomination for Plummer. In Mike Mills's "Beginners" he plays a newly-widowed senior who reveals his homosexuality to his son (Ewan McGregor). Plummer received a Golden Globe for his performance. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actor: Max von Sydow, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"

  The big screen adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's novel, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," sees von Sydow earn his second Oscar nomination. In the Stephen Daldry-directed film, Von Sydow plays as a new companion of a loquacious young boy, after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 claims his father. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

  This is the first Oscar nomination for Octavia Spencer. In "The Help," she plays Minny Jackson, a black maid in the early 1960s, who helps a young white journalist (Emma Stone) write a book from the point-of-view of "the help." The performance already won Spencer a Best Supporting Actress - Drama award at this year's Golden Globes. She's also nominated for a SAG award in this same category. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"

  This is the first nomination for Berenice Bejo. In "The Artist," Bejo plays Peppy Miller, an aspiring actress and fan of silent film actor George Valentin. However, Miller soon supplants Valentin's status as movie star when silent pictures stop getting made. Bejo's performance has been nominated for a BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG award. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain, "The Help"

  This is the first nomination for Chastain. In "The Help," she plays Celia Foote, a wealthy, naive woman who employs the help of a black maid (Minny, played by fellow Oscar nominee Octavia Spencer). Chastain's performance was already awarded Best Supporting Actress at the New York Critics Circle Awards. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actress: Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"

  This is the first nomination for McCarthy. In "Bridesmaids," she plays the outrageously vulgar Megan, a bridesmaid to her future sister-in-law. McCarthy's performance has been nominated for a SAG and BAFTA award. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Supporting Actress: Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"

  This is the second nomination for McTeer (the first was for Best Actress in 1999's "Tumbleweeds"). In "Albert Nobbs," she plays Hubert Page, a 19th Century Irish woman trying to pass as a man (something fellow nominee Glenn Close does in the film, as well). McTeer's performance has been nominated for a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress - Drama. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Director: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"

  This is Allen's seventh nomination for Best Director, but his first since "Bullets Over Broadway" in 1994. Allen previously won the award for Best Director for "Annie Hall." This year, he's also in the running for Best Original Screenplay, the 15th time Allen has been nominated in that category. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

  Hazanavicius is a first-time nominee for his work on the Best Picture-nominated "The Artist." The French filmmaker was best known for his work on the "OSS 117" spy spoof films before tackling the story of a fading silent film star (Jean Dujardin) and the young actress (Berenice Bejo) who supplants him as the apple of Hollywood's eye. Hazanavicius has earned nominations from the Golden Globes and Directors Guild of America. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Director: Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"

  Payne, an Oscar winner as a screenwriter for his work on "Sideways" in 2005, earned his second Best Director nomination for "The Descendants." The Nebraska-born filmmaker has now grabbed four overall Oscar nominations in his career, including one for co-writing "Election" in 1999. He's been singled out this year by the Golden Globes and DGA. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Director: Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

  Nominated six times previously as Best Director (and winning, finally, for "The Departed" at the 2007 ceremony), Scorsese earned his seventh nod for "Hugo," a sprawling tale of a young boy caught in a Parisian train station that also doubles as a film preservation lesson. Scorsese won the Golden Globe for Best Director earlier this month and earned a DGA nod for "Hugo" as well. PHOTO: Getty

• Best Director: Terrence Malick, "Tree of Life"

  Despite being hailed as one of the greatest director's of the last thirty years, Terrence Malick has only earned one other Best Director nomination: "The Thin Red Line" in 2000. "The Tree of Life" marks Malick's return to the Oscars, but don't expect the notoriously reclusive Malick to show up to the proceedings. PHOTO: Flickr/Incase

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