'American Hustle' and '12 Years a Slave' lead the Golden Globes 2014 nominations with seven nods each.

David O. Russell's American crime drama 'American Hustle' is up for a slew of the top prizes, including Best Director for O. Russell, the prestigious Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy award and Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for Amy Adams.

Critically acclaimed historical drama '12 Years a Slave' - based on the real life story of Solomon Northup, a free African/American who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841 - is up for Best Motion Picture Drama and Best Screenplay, while lead male star Chiwetel Ejiofor is competing for Best Actor in a Drama and Steve McQueen is in line for Best Director in a Motion Picture among the film's other nods.

'Nebraska' follows close behind with five nominations, including Best Actor in a Musical of Comedy for Bruce Dern.

The space odyssey 'Gravity', which stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, earned four nominations, as did Somali pirate thriller 'Captain Phillips'.

Competing against Chiwetel in the Best Actor in a Drama category are Idris Elba for 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom', Tom Hanks for 'Captain Phillips', Matthew Mcconaughey for 'The Dallas Buyers Club' and Robert Redford for 'All Is Lost'.

Meanwhile, the Best Actress in a Drama category will be contested between Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Dame Judi Dench, Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet for 'Blue Jasmine', 'Gravity', 'Philomena', 'Saving Mr. Banks' and 'Labor Day' respectively.

The awards are considered to be an important precursor to the Oscars and the films are voted for by members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which organises the ceremony.

The Golden Globes ceremony - aired by NBC - will take place on January 12, 2014, and will be hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

 

Select nominations for the Golden Globes 2014:

 

Best Motion Picture Drama:

12 Years a Slave

Captain Phillips

Gravity

Philomena

Rush

 

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:

American Hustle

Her

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska

Wolf of Wall Street

 

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama:

Chiwetel Ejiofor,12 years a Slave

Idris Elba, Mandela

Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips

Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Robert Redford, All is Lost

 

Best Actor in a motion picture, Musical or Comedy:

Christian Bale, American Hustle

Bruce Dern, Nebraska

Leonardo Dicaprio, Wolf of Wall Street

Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis

Joaquin Phoenix, Her

 

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama:

Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock, Gravity

Judi Dench, Philomena

Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks

Kate Winslet, Labour Day

 

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy:

Amy Adams, American Hustle

Julie Delphy, Before Midnight

Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Enough Said

Meryl Streep, August Osage County

 

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture:

Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle

Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave

Julia Roberts, August Osage County

June Squibb, Nebraska

 

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:

Bradley Cooper, American Hustle

Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave

Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Daniel Bruhl, Rush

Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

 

Best Director in a Motion Picture:

Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips

Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave

Alexander Payne, Nebraska

David O. Russell, American Hustle

 

Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture:

Spike Jonze, Her

Bob Nelson, Nebraska

Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan, Philomena

John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave

David O. Russell and Eric Singer Warren, American Hustle

 

Best Original Score for a Motion Picture:

All Is Lost

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Gravity

The Book Thief

12 Years a Slave