Oscar nominees gather for annual luncheon

Topics: Movies ,; Celebrity

From left to right, filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius, actors Berenice Bejo and Jean Dujardin arrive at the 84th Academy Awards Nominations Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton hotel on Feb. 6, 2012, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

(Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

(CBS/AP) At the annual Oscar nominee luncheon Monday, George Clooney said he's made some new friends on the awards circuit this season and has also been happy to catch up with longtime friends such as Viola Davis and Brad Pitt.

Pictures: Oscar nominees luncheon 2012

"A lot of people at home think we all hang out together. ... The truth is I hadn't seen Brad in about a year" until they crossed paths at January's Golden Globes," Clooney told reporters before sitting down to lunch. "So it's fun to catch up, and it's fun to see people I like and haven't seen in a long time."

Both are up for the best-actor Oscar -- Clooney for "The Descendants" and Pitt for "Moneyball."

Pitt joked that like Clooney, awards season has allowed him to make a lot of new acquaintances.

"I met this guy named George," Pitt said, stumbling over the pronunciation of the name, "G-g-george, Jorge Clooney. Very nice guy. Very personable and very nice guy."

All 150 nominees gathered for the luncheon and posed for a group picture. The next time the 2011 nominees will gather is on Oscar night, Feb. 26. The 84th annual awards show will be televised live on ABC from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.