THIS JUST IN FROM THE THEATER AT THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES:

FROM VARIETY:

“Button” nosed out its rivals Thursday morning by scoring 13 nominations for the 81st Academy Awards. Paramount-Warner Bros.’ “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” got the most noms, including best pic.

Other best pic contenders are Universal’s “Frost/Nixon,” Focus Features’ “Milk,” the Weinstein Co.’s “The Reader,” and Fox Searchlight’s “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Nominations for the 81st Oscars, were announced Thursday morning at Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences h.q. in BevHills by Acad prexy Sid Ganis and Forest Whitaker.

In 15 of the last 20 years, the top-scoring contender went on to win best picture. But the trend may be changing. The top nominee only won best-pic in two of the last five years.

Awards will be presented Feb. 22 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. The show, produced by Laurence Mark and exec produced by Bill Condon, will be hosted by Hugh Jackman and air live on ABC-TV.

FILM
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”
Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn, “Milk”
Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”

ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”
Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”
Meryl Streep, “Doubt”
Kate Winslet, “The Reader”

DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”
Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”
Clint Eastwood, “Changeling”
David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, “Milk”
Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”
Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Michael Shannon, “Revolutionary Road”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, “Doubt”
Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Taraji P. Henson, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”