Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie expressed delight at landing Oscar nominations here Thursday that will ensure next month's Academy Awards are a family affair for the Hollywood power couple.
Pitt, 45, earned the second Academy Award nomination of his career for his performance as a man who ages in reverse in David Fincher's epic period romance "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which landed 13 nods.
Jolie, an Oscar-winner for 1999's "Girl Interrupted," mirrored her domestic partner's achievement by securing a nomination for her portrayal of an anguished mother trying to track down her son in Clint Eastwood's "Changeling."
The nominations capped an eventful year for Pitt and Jolie, who in July added twins to their brood of children.
"The Oscars are the highest honor. For the film to be seen this way is a really nice thing for us," Pitt said. "I'm especially happy for David Fincher who's been working nine days a week shaping this for five years."
Jolie meanwhile said the nomination was the icing on the cake after her experience of working with Eastwood.
"Working with Clint Eastwood was a reward in itself that will last me a lifetime," Jolie told syndicated entertainment news program Extra.
"To receive a nomination from the Academy on top of that is a privilege beyond any expectation."
Meanwhile, "Benjamin Button" director Fincher -- whose previous credits include "Seven" and "Fight Club" -- was struggling to come to terms with his film's slew of nominations.
"It's incredibly flattering," he said in Paris. "But it also feels odd. It's like picking the best fruit, the best grape, the best nectarine or apricot."
The biggest threat to Fincher's film when the awards are handed out on February 22 is likely to be feel-good movie "Slumdog Millionaire," which picked up 10 nominations, including best picture and best director.
"It's an unbelievable result to have 10 nominations for the film, which is incredible," director Danny Boyle told a news conference ahead of the Indian premiere of the film in Mumbai, where the film was shot.
Meanwhile British actress Kate Winslet greeted her sixth career Oscar nomination, for "The Reader" with words of thanks to director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter David Hare, who also earned nominations.
"These nominations are a testament to their unwavering commitment to this film," said Winslet, who also paid tribute to producers Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack, who died before the film was completed.
"Surely Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack are smiling down on us today," she said.
Spanish starlet Penelope Cruz meanwhile told Variety magazine she had received the news in the early hours with friend Salma Hayek.
"I just flew in to LA last night and was with Salma Hayek and we watched together," she said. "Afterward, I fell back asleep for an hour.
"It's great to start getting phone calls and people are so happy for you," said Cruz, a nominee two years ago for her role in "Volver."
Meanwhile Anne Hathaway, who earlier this week was in Washington for President Barack Obama's inauguration, admitted she had been unable to sleep ahead of Thursday's nominations, where she was named in the best actress category for "Rachel Getting Married."
"(I) decided to spend the night at my parents' apartment and had anxiety dreams all night, getting up every hour," she told Variety. "At 8:30 we were all sitting on the couch. I think my parents cheered louder than anyone."
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