"The Artist" leads Golden Globe nominees

Silent movie "The Artist" painted a pretty picture at the Golden Globe nominations on Thursday, leading all movies with six nods overall including best film comedy or musical.

Following "The Artist" among top nominees for the Hollywood awards were "The Descendants," starring George Clooney as a man struggling to keep his family together, and civil rights movie "The Help" with five nods each, including both in the key category of best film drama.

Joining "Descendants" and "The Help" among the films vying for top drama were director Martin Scorsese's 3D "Hugo" and Steven Spielberg's "War Horse," baseball movie "Moneyball" and Clooney's political film "The Ides of March."

The Golden Globe Awards, which are given out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are among the most widely-watched honors programs leading up to the Oscars in February.

But unlike the Oscars, Golden Globes movie nominations are grouped into two categories, dramas and musicals or comedies, where "The Artist" faces competition from director Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," cancer comedy "50/50," box office hit "Bridesmaids" and "My Week with Marilyn," starring Michelle Williams in the role of screen siren Marilyn Monroe.

Actresses vying for best work in a drama are Meryl Streep portraying Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady," Glenn Close playing a woman masquerading as a male butler in "Albert Nobbs," Viola Davis as a black maid in "The Help," newcomer Rooney Mara for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and Tilda Swinton for "We Need to Talk About Kevin."

Best dramatic actor nominees include Clooney in "The Descendants," Leonardo DiCaprio as FBI boss J. Edgar Hoover in "J. Edgar," Michael Fassbender portraying a sex addict in "Shame," Brad Pitt in "Moneyball" and Ryan Gosling for "The Ides of March."

The Golden Globe Awards will be given out in a gala ceremony on January 15, hosted by British comedian Ricky Gervais and telecast live on the NBC network.