'The King's Speech' Actors, Director Overjoyed By Oscar Nods

"The King's Speech" leads all films with 12 nominations for next month's 83rd Academy Awards. The Tom Hooper-directed flick scored Oscar nods for Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role and Actress in a Supporting Role, to name a few.

The movie's lead actor, Colin Firth, expressed his excitement over his nod in a statement to MTV News. "Currently celebrating with my colleagues three feet above the ground," said Firth, who also received a best-actor nomination last year for "A Single Man." "Not used to this much joy, or this much champagne at this hour."

Firth also

target="_blank">spoke to the "Today" show shortly after the nominations were announced early Tuesday morning (January 25). "It seems like I was fired out of a cannon this time last year," Firth said about his Actor in a Leading Role nod. "And now it's like I'm orbiting Pluto."

And after receiving news of her Best Supporting Actress nomination, Helena Bonham Carter's statement to MTV News was equally ecsstatic. "Of course, I am thrilled to receive an Oscar nomination," she said. "As my 3-year-old daughter said, 'Yay!' I couldn't put it any better myself."

His co-star Geoffrey Rush opened up about his Actor in a Supporting Role nom to MTV News. "As an Australian, I'm as excited to be recognized and honored by the Academy as my character must have been when his London speech-therapy business flourished when the future King of England happened to pop by one day," Rush said in a statement.

"This story has struck such a rich resonant chord with audiences of all ages, which is very exciting — to have your work honored by your industry peers is even better."

Hooper, who picked up a nod in the Directing category, also issued a statement to MTV. "I am absolutely overwhelmed by the twelve Oscar nominations for 'The King's Speech.' I am so grateful to the Academy,"

Hooper said. "I am incredibly proud of my extraordinary cast and crew.

This is a day I will remember for the rest of my life."

Composer Alexandre Desplat was grateful for his Original Score nod, too. "Writing the music for 'The King's Speech' has been a delight, and I thank our brilliant director, Tom Hooper, for offering us and the audience such an inspiring and beautiful film," he said in a statement. "I also wish to congratulate all the other talented nominees for our movie."

Check out everything we've got on "The King's Speech."

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