The race towards Hollywood's biggest night is officially on. The nominees for the 2013 Academy Awards were announced today, with some expected nominations and shocking snubs.
Flight star and two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington will be back for another shot at the Best Actor prize. This will be Washington's sixth nomination, and his first time back at the Academy Awards as a nominee in nearly 10 years. He was last recognized for the gritty cop drama Training Day. 
Unfortunately, none of the Black actors from Django Unchained received nominations. Samuel L. Jackson, Kerry Washington and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx were all unrecognized for their critically acclaimed performances — they were also snubbed at the Golden Globes. Leonardo DiCaprio was not nominated for his performance as slave-master Calvin Candie, nor did Quentin Tarantino receive a nod for Best Director. However, the antebellum drama was nominated for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Christoph Waltz.
The controversy surrounding Django hasn't stopped its rise either critically or commercially. Django has 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. 
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.
Lincoln received the most nominations with 12, including Best Picture, Best Director (Steven Spielberg) and Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis).
Click here for a complete list of nominees. The 85th Academy Awards will air on Sunday, February 24. 

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(Photo: Paramount Pictures)