Oscar nominations: The Artist leads the way

The nominations for the 2012 Academy Awards have been announced, with The Artist leading the way with five nominations in major categories, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.

The announcement wasn’t peppered with shocks, although there were one or two surprises along the way, with Gary Oldman receiving a surprise nomination for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy , but Michael Fassbender missing out for Shame .

Drive was one of the highest profile films to be passed over (gettnig just one nod for Sound Editing), whilst Tintin was overlooked in the Animated Film category. Meanwhile, Melissa McCarthy garnered a rare supporting actress nod for a comedy performer, having been recognised for her sterling work in Bridesmaids .

Hugo got the most nominations overall (11), with The Artist following closely behind (10). Transformers: Dark Of The Moon and The Tree Of Life are neck and neck with three each.

Take a look at the list below for full details of who has got the nod for the key awards at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony on 26 February…

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

Best Actress
Glenn Close ( Albert Nobbs )
Rooney Mara ( The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo )
Viola Davis ( The Help )
Meryl Streep ( The Iron Lady )
Michelle Williams ( My Week With Marilyn )

Best Actor
Demian Behir ( A Better Life )
George Clooney ( T he Descendants )
Jean Dujardin ( The Artist )
Gary Oldman ( Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy )
Brad Pitt ( Moneyball )

Supporting Actress
Bérénice Bejo ( The Artist )
Jessica Chastain ( The Help )
Melissa McCarthy ( Bridesmaids )
Janet McTeer ( Albert Nobbs )
Octavia Spencer ( The Help )

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 Director
Woody Allen ( Midnight In Paris )
Michel Hazanavicius ( The Artist )
Alexander Payne ( The Descendants )
Martin Scorcese ( Hugo )
Terence Malick ( The Tree Of Life )

Best Original Screenplay
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
Margin Call
A Separation

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best Foreign Feature
Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsier Lazhar
In Separation

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

Art Direction

The Artist
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Midnight In Paris
War Horse

Cinematography

The Artist
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree Of Life
War Horse

Costume Design

Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

Documentary Feature

Hell And Back Again
If A Tree Falls: A Story Of The Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

Documentary Short Subject

The Barber Of Birmingham: Foot Soldier Of The Civil Rights Movement
God Is The Bigger Elvis
Incident In New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsumani And The Cherry Blossom

Film Editing

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

Make Up

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

Music (Original Score)

The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn
The Artist
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Music (Original Song)

The Muppets - 'Man Or Muppet'
Rio - 'Real In Rio'

Short Film (Animated)

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

Short Film (Live Action)

Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic

Sound Editing

Drive
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark Of The Moon
War Horse

Sound Mixing

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark Of The Moon
War Horse