Oscar Nominations 2013: Stars React to Their Academy Awards Nods

USMagazine, Thursday, January 10, 2013, 10:40am (PST)

Rise and shine!

Hollywood's best and brightest woke up to happy news Thursday, Jan. 10 after they learned of their 2013 Oscar nominations.

Emotional dramedy Silver Linings Playbook walked away with eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and Steven Spielberg's Lincoln led the field with 12 nods.

Here's what Tinseltown's top contenders had to say about their Academy Award nominations:

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Anne Hathaway (Best Supporting Actress, Les Miserables): "The first thing I did was just breathe. I almost hyperventilated because I realized I had been holding my breath for a couple of months. I started crying and I started laughing, and then doing both at the same time. And then the calls and the texts starting coming in." via New York Daily News

Amy Adams (Best Supporting Actress, The Master): "It is such an honor to receive this recognition from the Academy. Working with Paul Thomas Anderson was a unique and wonderful opportunity that I am so grateful for. I'd also like to send congratulations to the other nominees and to my co-stars Philip and Joaquin." 

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Helen Hunt (Best Supporting Actress, The Sessions): "I was dead asleep and my phone rang. It was my publicist of 21 years, so it wasn't, like, some stranger -- he's a dear friend who has rooted for me. Then I pet the dog, so the dogs got a good half an hour of tickling. My daughter kept running around saying I was 'mom-inated.' Then I made her oatmeal and took her to school. It wasn't like I drove over to the Beverly Hills Hotel and had Champagne." via Los Angeles Times

Jackie Weaver (Best Supporting Actress, Silver Linings Playbook): "This happening to me was the last thing I expected. Honestly. It's such a great lineup this year. I didn't think I had a chance, and I'm so thrilled. I was watching it on television. I couldn't sleep. I think it might have been because it was a long plane trip, so I turned the TV on and there I was. I did shout out something quite unprintable. Just an expletive." via Los Angeles Times

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Sally Field (Best Supporting Actress, Lincoln): "I've been up for a while because I'm in L.A. in a hotel, since I've got these ceremonies tonight and through the next couple of days. So, my son Sam is here with me, and he banged on my door, and I've been up. I'm thrilled and honored and just so overwhelmed for our whole army of warriors." via Los Angeles Times 

Jennifer Lawrence (Best Actress, Silver Linings Playbook): "I'm so honored and grateful for this nomination and to be in the company of such talented actresses. Having the fortunate opportunity to work with David O. Russell was an extraordinary gift and I am so thrilled for my fellow cast members Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Jackie Weaver who are all nothing short of amazing. This was a labor of love that we all poured our hearts into and could not be more thankful to The Weinstein Company and Harvey Weinstein for their unyielding support of the film."

Naomi Watts (Best Actress, The Impossible): "I am so thrilled and humbled with this morning's wonderful news. The journey of telling Maria Belon's miraculous story of survival has been an incredible experience and I am so grateful for this acknowledgement of our film. I am truly honored."

Bradley Cooper (Best Actor, Silver Linings Playbook): On the Today show, the actor commented that he was "so excited" that the entire cast of Silver Linings Playbook was nominated, and he's just happy to "be in the same room" as Lincoln star (and two-time Oscar winner) Daniel Day-Lewis come Oscar Sunday.

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Hugh Jackman (Best Actor, Les Miserables): "I hadn't planned to listen live to the announcements, but when I got into the car this morning to go to work, the driver had the nominations streaming as they were being broadcast. To be honest, it's very exciting but all a bit surreal, and it hasn't fully sunk in yet. This is a brilliant awards year that has been defined by an eclectic list of stories that have been told by incredibly talented and courageous filmmakers, and it's an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as the other nominees in the Best Actor category. Having hosted the show, I have seen so many different sides of the Oscars, but to be an actual nominee is something I never would have dreamed possible."

Robert De Niro (Best Supporting Actor, Silver Linings Playbook): "I am very pleased that the Academy has chosen to honor the many individuals who were a part of Silver Linings Playbook."

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Alan Arkin (Best Supporting Actor, Argo): "I am, of course, very excited about the nomination this morning. Ben Affleck is an amazing director, and I am so happy that Argo was recognized in seven categories!"

David O. Russell (Best Director, Silver Linings Playbook): "I'm beyond grateful, since I didn't know what to expect. I'm especially over the moon for my actors. The fact that Bob (De Niro) and Jacki Weaver were nominated is amazing." via The Hollywood Reporter 

Ang Lee (Best Director, Life of Pi): "I am deeply honored and frankly a little overwhelmed by all of the nominations that Life of Pi has received this morning. So many talented people gave everything they had to this film, both in front of and behind the camera, and to see all of them receive this kind of recognition is something I am incredibly grateful for."

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Malik Bendjelloul (Best Documentary, Searching For Sugarman): "It is a true and surrealistic honor to realize 'Searching for Sugar Man' has been nominated for an Oscar. Being from Sweden, the Oscars were like a far-fetched fantasy you heard about growing up as a kid — something only one could dream of. The story of Rodriguez is unlike any I have ever known, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to share his incredible journey with audiences worldwide. Thank you to the academy, to Sony Pictures Classics and to all those whose efforts and passions made this possible."

Peter Lord (Director, Best Animated Film, The Pirates! Band of Misfits): "This is amazing! We tried to do something a little different with The Pirates, in terms of tone and comedy, and it's just brilliant that the academy has responded to it in such a wonderful way." via Los Angeles Times

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Tim Burton (Director, Best Animated Film, Frankenweenie): "Frankenweenie is a very personal film for me. The idea of telling a feature length version was in the back of my mind for many years. Stop Motion was the perfect medium for this project, and one I've always loved for its expressiveness and dimensionality. I've worked with so many incredible artists: animators, cast members, set builders, and puppet makers, all who have helped bring this film to life one frame at a time. I'm so honored that the Academy has recognized this film as one of its nominees."

Mark Andrews (Director, Best Animated Film, Brave): "We are incredibly honored by today's Academy Award nomination. Brave has been an adventure from the beginning - starting with our research trips to Scotland, the crew embarked upon a journey that inspired us all and forever changed our fates. Thanks to the Academy from all of us here at Pixar."

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Rich Moore (Director, Best Animated Film, Wreck-It Like Ralph): "To have the Wreck-It Ralph team's passion and years of hard work acknowledged by the Academy is an honor like no other. We are so proud, so grateful - I can't wait to congratulate everyone in-person."

Harvey Weinstein: "I am blown away! I can't say thank you enough to the Academy for their support of our films. We have a tremendous group of actors and film makers who we had the pleasure of working with this year and I am so happy that their achievements are being recognized."

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Oscar Nominations 2013: Stars React to Their Academy Awards Nods