by Wilfred Okiche

The Academy awards, earlier today announced nominees for the 2012 awards. Last year’s best actress nominee and star of the forthcoming ‘Hunger games’, Jennifer Lawrence joined Academy president Tom Sherak to read out the list of nominees.

Martin Scorcese’s childrens film, ‘Hugo’ leads the pack with a comfortable eleven nominations including the all important best picture. ‘Hugo’ also scored nods in the screenplay and director categories for the veteran film maker.

The silent film, ‘The Artist’ follows closely with ten nods including best picture, best actor and best supporting actress categories for it’s previously unknown actors.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt battle it out in the best actor categories while Meryl Streep secured her 16th nomination. She will have to fend off strong competition from Michelle Williams (‘My week with Marilyn), Rooney Mara (The girl with the dragon tatoo) and Viola Davis (The Help) among others.

The 84th Academy awards will be held on Sunday 26, February and will be hosted by funnyman, Billy Crystal.

See the list of nominees in our favourite categories:

Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo – The Artist
Jessica Chastain – The Help
Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer – The Help

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh – My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill – Moneyball
Nick Nolte – Warrior
Christopher Plummer – Beginners
Max Von Sydow – Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

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

Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius
Alexander Payne
Martin Scorsese
Woody Allen
Terrence Malick

Best Original Screenplay
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig – Bridesmaids
J.C. Chandor – Margin Call
Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris
Asghar Farhadi – A Separation

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Foreign Language Film
Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

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

Best Picture
War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close