Oscar Nominees to Be Honored at Academy Luncheon 2/2

Fifteen of the 20 nominees in the acting categories will be among the almost 120 Academy Award® nominees who will gather at noon on Monday (February 2) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honors this year's Oscar contenders at its annual Nominees Luncheon. Additional confirmations are expected to come in over the weekend.

From the Leading Actor and Actress categories, Richard Jenkins, Frank Langella, Sean Penn, Mickey Rourke, Anne Hathaway, Melissa Leo and Kate Winslet are expected to attend. Amy Adams, Penelope Cruz, Viola Davis, Taraji P. Henson, Marisa Tomei, Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr. and Michael Shannon will represent the Supporting Actress and Actor categories.

All five nominees from the Directing category - Danny Boyle, Stephen Daldry, David Fincher, Ron Howard and Gus Van Sant - also are expected to attend.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards - in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners - the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

Photo Credit: Fernando Leon/Retna Ltd.