"Lincoln" leads Oscar nominations with 12 nods

Seth MacFarlane (R) and actress Emma Stone read announce the Best Director nominees at the 85th Academy Awards nominee announcements in Beverly Hills, California, the United States, on Jan. 10, 2013. (Xinhua/Yang Lei).

Steven Spielberg's biopic "Lincoln" swept the 85th Academy Awards nominations announced Thursday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with 12 nods.

The list was unveiled by ceremony host Seth MacFarlane and "The Amazing Spider-Man" star Emma Stone at a brief event at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

This is the second time in four decades that an Oscar host has announced nominations. Charlton Heston was the first in 1972.

The list of nominations for "Lincoln," a drama about the 16th U.S. president's late years, includes best picture, best director, best actor and best supporting actress.

Hot on its heals is Ang Lee's "life of Pi", which was named in 11 categories. David O. Russel's "Silvers Linings Playbook" and Tom Hooper's "Les Miserables" followed with eight apiece. Ben Affleck's political thriller "Argo" was mentioned seven times.

Directors vying for best director Oscar are Michael Haneke for "Amour," Benh Zeitlin for "Beasts of the Southern Wild," Ang Lee for "Life of Pi," David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook" and Spielberg.

Nonimees for best actor are Daniel Day-Lewis for "Lincoln," Denzel Washington for "Flight," Hugh Jackman for "Les Miserables," Bradley Cooper for "Silver Linings Playbook," and Joaquin Phoenix for "The Master."

For best actress, the nominees are Naomi Watts for "The Impossible," Jessica Chastain for "Zero Dark Thirty," Jennifer Lawrence for "Silver Linings Playbook," Emmanuelle Riva for "Amour" and Quevenzhane Wallis for "Beasts of the Southern Wild." Riva, 85, is the oldest in the pack while 9-year-old Wallis is the youngest.

In contention for best supporting actor are Alan Arkin for "Argo," Robert De Niro for "Silver Linings Playbook," Philip Seymour Hoffman for "The Master," Tommy Lee Jones for "Lincoln" and Christoph Waltz for "Django Unchained."

The nominees for best supporting actress are Sally Field for "Lincoln," Anne Hathaway for "Les Miserables," Jackie Weaver for "Silver Linings Playbook," Helen Hunt for "The Sessions" and Amy Adams for "The Master."

Best animated feature film contenders are "Brave," "Frankenweenie," "ParaNorman," "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" and "Wreck-It Ralph."

Nominated for best foreign language film of the year are Austrian French-language drama "Amour," "Kon-Tiki" of Norway, "No" of Chile, "A Royal Affair" of Denmark and "War Witch" of Canada.

The awards ceremonies will be held at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on Feb. 24.