Fifteen of the 20 nominees in the acting categories were among the more than 100 nominees from 24 categories who gathered at noon for the traditional pre-Academy Awards fete when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored this year’s Oscar contenders at its annual Nominees Luncheon on Monday (February 13), at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

From the Leading Actor and Actress categories Philip Seymour Hoffman, Terrence Howard, Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix, Felicity Huffman, Keira Knightley, Charlize Theron and Reese Witherspoon attended. Amy Adams, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams, George Clooney, Matt Dillon, Jake Gyllenhaal and William Hurt represented the supporting categories.

This was the 25th time that the Academy has hosted the Nominees Luncheon. The first was held on March 9, 1982.

More than 100 nominees from 24 categories gathered at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California Monday, February 13, 2006 for the 25th Annual Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Oscar Nominees Luncheon. (View Larger Image)