LOS ANGELES, Jan 11, 2013 (AFP) – Here are reactions from directors or actors involved in all nine of this year’s best film Oscar candidates, after the announcement of nominations for the 85th Academy Awards on Thursday.

(Sources: Hollywood Reporter, CNN, ORF, BBC, Europe 1 radio.)

- Steven Spielberg, director, “Lincoln”:

“It’s been an absolutely thrilling morning. I was awoken by (my publicist) telling me about our multiple nominations. It’s the best wake up call I’ve had in 14 years! I’m always surprised by recognition. I’m deeply grateful.”

- Ang Lee, director, “Life of Pi”:

“I am deeply honored and frankly a little overwhelmed by all of the nominations,” said Lee. “Everything about this movie was an uphill battle. And it was a very difficult movie to make, so I didn’t really get to celebrate when we finished. I felt more like Pi, lost and exhausted.”

- David O. Russell, director, “Silver Linings Playbook”:

“It just means everything to me that we got the film made after five years and that it is finding audiences… If you’ve ever struggled, you are very grateful when you are getting into work that feels good… It just inspires you to keep doing good work,” he told CNN.

- Hugh Jackman, actor, “Les Miserables”

“It’s very exciting but all a bit surreal, and it hasn’t fully sunk in yet. This is a brilliant awards year that has been defined by an eclectic list of stories that have been told by incredibly talented and courageous filmmakers.”

“It’s an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as the other nominees in the Best Actor category.”

- Mark Boal, producer and writer, “Zero Dark Thirty”

“Thank you to the writers who have honored me today with their generosity and to the Academy for the Best Picture nomination. None of us would be so honored today without the genius and remarkable talent of Kathryn Bigelow, and to her, we are forever grateful.”

- Michael Haneke, director, “Amour”:

“Of course we’re very happy. We were hopeful, as we’d been sort of tipped as favorites… so of course I hoped we’d get more than one nomination. That we got five is evidently a very pleasant surprise.”

“Nowadays, so many nominations go to big blockbusters, with very famous names so it’s nice that a European film d’auteur can compete with that,” he told Austria’s ORF public broadcaster.

- Emmanuelle Riva, French actress (at 85 the oldest ever nominated for best actress), “Amour”:

“I am just extremely happy… I have never thought about prizes, no, it hardly even occurred to me. I think about something completely different when I work. In any case, I’m not alone in this work, it’s great news for the whole team.”

- Alan Arkin, supporting actor, “Argo”:

“It’s thrilling. ‘Argo’ is a brilliant film in every way, brilliantly directed. It’s really the work of an old master, rather than a young director. It’s about important things — solving an international crisis with creativity, without a single shot fired in the process.”

- Quentin Tarantino, director “Django Unchained”:

“I don’t think we’re going to win best film. But the recognition, being invited to the party, is a lot of fun,” he told the BBC.

– Quvenzhane Wallis, actress (at nine the youngest ever nominated for best actress), “Beasts of the Southern Wild”:

“Everyone who made ‘Beasts’ happen is so happy! Thank you to all you Oscar folks, from me, my mom and my dad. … Beast it!”

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