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Universal’s Les Misérables Earns Eight Oscar Nominations

Universal Pictures’ Les Misérables earned three top awards at the Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 13, including Best Picture. The film also took home the award for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy (Hugh Jackman) and Best Supporting Actress – Musical or Comedy (Anne Hathaway). It was the only film to win three awards.

Les Misérables, which hit theaters Christmas Day, has also earned eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced nominations for the 85thAnnual Academy Awards on Thursday, Jan. 10.  In addition to Best Picture, Les Misérables received the following nominations:

• Best Actor in a Leading Role (Hugh Jackman)

• Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Anne Hathaway)

• Best Costume Design (Paco Delgado)

• Best Production Design (Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson)

• Best Makeup and Hair Styling (Lisa Westcott)

• Best Original Song ("Suddenly," Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil)

• Best Sound Mixing (Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson, Simon Hayes)

The Academy Awards are scheduled for February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.  Seth MacFarlane (Universal Pictures’ Ted) will host the Academy Awards for the first time.

Universal Pictures first brought the musical epic Les Misérables to the big screen on December 25, 2012, delivering audiences the world-renowned stage experience as they have never seen it before.

The film had an incredible opening, grossing an estimated $18 million, making it the 2nd highest Christmas Day opening in history behind Sherlock Holmes, which opened in 2009 with $24.6 million. Les Misérables now holds the record for the biggest non-weekend Christmas Day opening in history, besting Marley & Me, which opened on a Thursday in 2008 with $14.4 million. It is also the highest ever opening day for a musical.

The film also helped Fandango, the nation’s leading moviegoer destination, set a new record for single day ticket sales. More tickets were sold on Tuesday, Dec. 25 than on any other day in the company’s 12-year history.

Universal has assembled an award-winning cast to bring Les Misérables to life. Featuring an all-star cast led by Hugh Jackman, Oscar winner Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables is the latest exciting film in 100 years of classic moviemaking at Universal Pictures.

About the Film:

Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe — and is still breaking box-office records in its 27th year. Helmed by The King’s Speech Academy Award-winning director, Tom Hooper, the Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman, Oscar winner Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit and Samantha Barks. Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, Les Misérablestells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption — a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever. On Dec. 25, the world’s longest-running musical brought its power to the big screen in Tom Hooper’s sweeping and spectacular interpretation of Victor Hugo’s epic tale. With international superstars and beloved songs — including "I Dreamed a Dream," "Bring Him Home," "One Day More" and "On My Own" — Les Misérables, the show of shows, is now reborn as the cinematic musical experience of a lifetime.