81st Academy Awards main nominations

Best Picture:
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Frost/Nixon
- Milk
- The Reader
- Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor:
- Richard Jenkins: The Visitor
- Brad Pitt: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Frank Langella: Frost/Nixon
- Sean Penn: Milk
- Mickey Rourke: The Wrestler

Best Actress:
- Anne Hathaway: Rachel Getting Married
- Melissa Leo: Frozen River
- Meryl Street: Doubt
- Angelina Jolie: Changeling
- Kate Winslet: The Reader

Best Supporting Actor:
- Josh Brolin: Milk
- Robert Downey Jr.: Tropic Thunder
- Philip Seymour Hoffman: Doubt
- Heath Ledger: The Dark Knight
- Michael Shannon: Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actress:
- Amy Adams: Doubt
- Penelope Cruz: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
- Viola Davis: Doubt
- Taraji P. Henson: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Director:
- David Fincher: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Ron Howard: Frost/Nixon
- Gus Van Sant: Milk
- Stephen Daldry: The Reader
- Danny Boyle: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Animated Feature Film:
- Bolt
- Kung Fu Panda
- Wall-E

Best Adapted Screenplay:
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Doubt
- Frost/Nixon
- The Reader
- Slumdog Millionaire

Best Original Screenplay:
- Frozen River
- Happy-Go-Lucky
- In Bruges
- Milk
- Wall-E