Kathy Bates and Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis announced the 80th Academy Awards Nominations at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Beverly Hills, California - 22.01.08

Cate Blanchett has picked up two nominations for Best Actress for Elizabeth: The Golden Age, as well as Best Supporting Actress for her role as Bob Dylan in I'm Not There - a category in which she won her first Academy Award for The Aviator in 2005.

Organisers are currently making plans as usual for the ceremony, which is due to take place on Sunday 24 February (08) at the legendary Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, but there are fears that the glittering event will fall victim to the current Hollywood writers strike.

The 2008 Golden Globes ceremony was cancelled earlier this month (Jan08) and reduced to a TV press conference after striking writers threatened to protest at the red carpet event, forcing many A-list stars to vow not to cross picket lines.

And fears are growing that the 80th Academy Awards will suffer the same fate if the Writers Guild of America (WGA) refuses to grant the ceremony a waiver.

Members of the WGA have been on strike since November (07), crippling the U.S. film and TV industry with many projects being put on hold or scrapped altogether.

Source: WENN