2009 Academy Award Nominees Announced; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire Lead the Way

While most of us were still bleary eyed, slurping down our first cups of coffee (if we were even awake) Forest Whitaker and Academy president Sid Ganis announced the nominees for the 2009 Academy Awards live from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater Thursday. (Partial list of 2009 Academy Award nominees follows below.)

Leading the 2009 Academy Award nominees was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with 13 Oscar nominations. Button was followed up with Slumdog Millionaire with 10 Oscar nominations.

The 81st Academy Awards are being held on February 22 and will be hosted by "Sexiest Man Alive" Hugh Jackman.

Perhaps the biggest surprises are the snubs for both Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in the film Revolutionary Road. Dark Knight was also overlooked for both Best Picture and Best Director, as was Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino. First time Oscar nominee Anne Hathaway was a surprise as well, being recognized for the under-the-radar pic Rachel Getting Married.

As many predicted, Heath Ledger was nominated in the Best Actor category. The nod fittingly comes on the anniversary of his untimely death last year. For the most part, however, Dark Knight was largely ignored by the Academy proving that big budgets, big names and big box office don't always predict Oscar gold.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Richard Jenkins--The Visitor

Frank Langella--Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn--Milk

Brad Pitt--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke--The Wrestler

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Josh Brolin--Milk

Robert Downey Jr.--Tropic Thunder

Philip Seymour Hoffman--Doubt

Heath Ledger--The Dark Knight

Michael Shannon--Revolutionary Road

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Anne Hathaway--Rachel Getting Married

Angelina Jolie--Changeling

Melissa Leo--Frozen River

Meryl Streep--Doubt

Kate Winslet--Revolutionary Road

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Amy Adams--Doubt Penelope Cruz--Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Viola Davis--Doubt

Taraji P. Henson--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Marisa Tomei--The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR

David Fincher--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Ron Howard--Frost/Nixon

Gus Van Sant--Milk

Stephen Daldry--The Reader

Danny Boyle--Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Frozen

Happy-Go-Lucky

In Bruges

Milk

Wall-E

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Eric Roth--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

John Patrick Shanley--Doubt

Peter Morgan--Frost/Nixon

David Hare--The Reader

Simon Beaufoy--Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Bolt

Kung Fu Panda

Wall-E

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire