Oscar Nominations: Silent Film The Artist, Meryl Streep Nominated [SLIDESHOW]

The much awaited 84th Academy Awards nominations were announced on January 24 in Beverly Hills, California. Academy president Tom Sherak and actress Jennifer Lawrence announced the nominees for several popular categories.

Silent film The Artist was nominated for both Best Director and Best Picture.

In the Best Picture List nominees are Hugo, The Descendants, The Help, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

For Best Actor, the nominees are: Demián Bichir (A Better Life), George Clooney (The Descendants), Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Brad Pitt (Moneyball).

In the Best Actress category,Meryl Streep, who portrayed the first female British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, would be competing with Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo),Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs), Viola Davis (The Help) and Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn).

In the Best Director list The Artist directorMichel Hazanavicius will compete with Alexander Payne (The Descendants), Martin Scorsese (Hugo), Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris) and Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life).

In Best Supporting Actor categoryKenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn), Jonah Hill (Moneyball), Nick Nolte (Warrior), Christopher Plummer (Beginners) and Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close) have been nominated.

Actresses Bérénice Bejo (The Artist), Jessica Chastain (The Help), Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids), Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) and Octavia Spencer (The Help) have been nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

The Awards will be given away on February 26.