Hollywood, CA - The race towards Hollywood's biggest night is officially on. The nominees for the 2013 Academy Awards were announced today, with Denzel Washington among those who will contend for a golden statuette next month. 

Antebellum drama Django Unchained and Steven Spielberg's biopic Lincoln were both nominated for Best Picture.  Django also scored a nom for Best Supporting Actor.  Suprisingly, Leonardo DiCaprio was not nominated for his critically acclaimed performance as Calvin Candie in Django Unchained nor did Quentin Tarantino receive a nod for Best Director.  

The controversy surrounding Django clearly hasn't stopped its rise either critically or commercially. Djangohas grossed over $120 million since its Christmas Day release, making it Tarantino's top-grossing film to date. Analysts credit much of Django's success to its support from the Black community.  Unfortunately, none of the Black actors from Django Unchained received nominations.

Beasts of the Southern Wild received four nominations including Best Director and Best Picture. The film's 9-year-old star Quvenzhané Wallis is the year's youngest Oscar nominee, with a nod in the Best Actress category.

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