Pix & Vids

Jan. 23, 2007 | 04:00 PM EST

Oscar Reactions: Who's More 'Thrilled'?

Wahlberg and Hudson Photo by: Rick Maiman / AP; Steve Azzara / Corbis
Oscar Reactions: Who's More 'Thrilled'? | Jennifer Hudson, Mark Wahlberg
As soon as the Academy Award nominations were announced on Tuesday, many of the newly-minted nominees expressed their gratitude – and surprise – at the news.

Take a look at what Mark Wahlberg, Will Smith, Jennifer Hudson and other Oscar hopefuls have to say about being nominated.

• "I'm sitting here in shock right now. I can't believe it. To be able to be here today and be a part of such greatness, there are no words for it. It's hard to even get past this moment right now. I don't want to get to crying, but this is so far beyond anything."
Jennifer Hudson, Best Supporting Actress, Dreamgirls, on the Today show

• "I was able to put my real-life experiences with the Boston police to good use after all. After all the torture I have put them through, to know they cried happy tears today – I'll think about that for a while."
Mark Wahlberg, Best Supporting Actor, The Departed, to Variety

• "I am thrilled in a way that no one can possibly imagine. It's extraordinary that anyone in the actor's branch is even speaking to me, nevermind nominating me yet again. I'm very, very grateful."
Meryl Streep, Best Actress, The Devil Wears Prada, in a statement

• "I've been laughing, crying, hollering, whooping and leaping around. ...This isn't supposed to happen to a girl who grew up in a tiny town. I was told the only way I'd have a career as an actress would be if I could settle for playing fat girls."
Kate Winslet, Best Actress, Little Children, to Variety

• "I was just really stunned, to be honest with you. I called my mother in Tokyo. She said: 'I'm very, very, very happy.' I guess my family already heard the news right away. They were just in a state of joy. And that made me very happy."
Rinko Kikuchi, Best Supporting Actress, Babel, to PEOPLE

• "It was such a delight. People had been intimating about the possibility and that had been a surprise, but it was an absolute delight. Not just for me personally but more than that, for the film itself which got six nominations. That is really, really extraordinary for a film of that sort of budget. It says so much for the American public and the American film industry that they would nominate it."
Helen Mirren, Best Actress, The Queen, to PEOPLE

• "I'm very pleased. I'm in frighteningly good company. It is very nice of the Queen to allow me in for a minute."
Judi Dench, Best Actress, Notes on a Scandal, in a statement

• "Congratulations to all of the nominees. It is a great honor to be considered among this caliber of performers. No competition, all celebration. Let the parties begin."
Will Smith, Best Actor, The Pursuit of Happyness, in a statement

• "If you fail the first time, try try try try try try try again."
Peter O'Toole, Best Actor, Venus

• "I'm honored to receive this nomination from the Academy – especially in a year full of such worthy nominees. ... I am also thrilled for Djimon (Hounsou), Mark (Wahlberg) and Marty (Scorsese) who are all so deserving of this recognition."
Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Actor, Blood Diamond