2011 Oscar nominees’ reactions

“Somebody told me that we are the first sequel that was nominated for best picture without the benefit of one of the earlier films [in its franchise] being nominated, and that’s an amazing thing, really.”

Oscar nominations: ‘Toy Story 3’ director Lee Unkrich breaking new ground  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

“I really think the Academy members -- they’re such a large group that they’re hard to corral and sway one way or another. They’re going to be more independently minded -- because of their size. The other groups -- except for the producers guild -- were all critics. And the critics want to look like they’re hip and cool. And ‘The Social Network’ [which beat out ‘The King’s Speech’ in several categories at the Globes] had positioned itself that way. And we were regarded as more -- well, not as hip and cool. The Academy -- they simply vote according to their instincts and what moved them. And I hear from Academy members that they were very emotionally moved. And that’s helped us a great deal.”

Oscar nominations: David Seidler on ‘King’s Speech’ producer Harvey Weinstein -- ‘We need him in the industry’  (Matt Sayles / Associated Press)

“I’m standing on the corner in New Haven, about to go into a class on the poets Byron, Keats and Shelley.”

--Where the actor is while discussing his nomination

Oscar nominations: Franco is host, and nominee for ‘127 Hours’  (Chuck Zlotnick / Associated Press)

“I wish I could say I was cool and detached enough not to care. But I went to bed at 11 and woke up at 3 [on the East Coast], and of course I turned on the TV. And I was nervous. I felt like I had sprinted 100 miles per hour.”

--On where he was when he learned about his nomination

Oscar nominations: ‘Toy Story 3’ screenwriter Michael Arndt  (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

“I’ve been through this kind of embrace when ‘American Beauty’ came out. The incredible confluence of events when something does well across the board, today is just a great embrace for the film and the filmmakers and the kind of movie it is.”

Oscar nominations: ‘Social Network’ producers will celebrate at Sundance  (Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)

“I’m gonna call my mom and ask if she’ll go with me again.”

--On returning to the Oscars

Oscar nominations: Jeremy Renner gets nod for second year in a row  (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

“It’s been two years since we shot [‘Animal Kingdom’]. In that time I’ve done six plays. I’ve pretty much wiped the slate clean in my mind. People keep coming up to me quoting dialogue about which I have no recollection.”

Oscar nominations: Jacki Weaver: ‘I’m so thrilled’  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

“I’ve never been before. But it’s going to be a little bit of a whirlwind. We’re shooting “The Ides of March” with George Clooney in Detroit right now. It will be like the PGA’s, where we flew in Friday and then flew right back out. I’m getting to know Delta very well.”

--On attending the Oscars

Oscar nominations: Natalie Portman’s 10-year plan

Oscar nominations: ‘Black Swan’ producer Scott Franklin felt the pressure to deliver

Oscar nominations: ‘Black Swan’ director Aronofsky happily expecting more spoofs  (Fox Searchlight / EPA)

“I’ve been kind of lying low frankly. I’d told [Harvey Weinstein] I’d prefer to be best supporting mom than best supporting actress.”

On working the award season circuit

Oscar nominations: Helena Bonham Carter, best supporting mom  (Stuart Ramson / Associated Press)

“I do not believe that of the 6000 plus Oscar members that everybody saw the movie. We have to get them all to see the movie.”  (Michael Buckner / Getty Images)

“I’m really looking forward to [‘127 Hours’ star James Franco] introducing me as an adapted screenplay nominee.”   (Jason Merritt / Getty Images)