Crime saga No Country for Old Men, directed by the Coen Brothers, and historical epic There Will Be Blood led with eight Academy Award nominations each Jan. 22, among them best picture and acting honors for  Daniel Day-Lewis and Javier Bardem — but it remained in doubt whether any stars would cross striking writers' picket lines to attend the ceremony.

Nominees are already saying they would stay away in support of writers if the strike lingers until Oscar night Feb. 24.