Golden Globes: As producer, Kevin Spacey knew 'Social Network' was Golden, but he's surprised by acting nod for 'Casino Jack'

The Golden Globe nominations were announced at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, and despite the early hour nominees had plenty to say about the 25 categories.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association will announce the winners at a televised ceremony at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Jan. 16. That night Robert De Niro will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement from Kevin Spacey, who received a nomination Tuesday as best actor for his role in "Casino Jack."

Here's what the nominees, including Spacey, were saying:

Spacey was calling from London where he was heading off to attend opening night of "A Flea in Her Ear" at the Old Vic, the theater company where he is artisitic director. The double Oscar-winning actor had double reason to celebrate. His Trigger Street Productions was behind "The Social Network," which had received six nominations, including one as best drama, and he got a nod as best actor in a comedy.

"I think this is the day you just quit show business," he laughed. "Just go, OK, just get out while we can."

While noms for "The Social Network" were expected, he was "surprised and delighted" about "Casino Jack," which opens Friday and is based on the true story of the rise and fall of lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

"It's only played at a couple of festivals ... so it's not really in the consciousness at all," he said. "And it's a film that needs all the help it can get because it's a small release. But it's a film I'm very proud of and for me today it's a lot about George Hickenlooper," the film's director, who died in October. "I miss him a lot. He'd be incredibly happy, and he'd want people to go see the movie. If this brings it a little attention for the weekend, I couldn't be happier."

As for "The Social Network," "it's one of those incredible experiences where all the elements came together and I'm incredibly proud of my producing partner who runs Trigger Street, Dana Brunetti. It was one of those remarkable wow times, where we figured out how to tell a story and we got a studio behind it. And it wasn't a film that you normally see in a lot of movies these days — basically a lot of people in rooms talking as Aaron (Sorkin, the film's writer) likes to say."

After the play, there will be a cast party, "so we'll be celebrating tonight anyway but I'm sure I'll raise a glass to my colleagues."

Sorkin, for his part, said in a statement. "I've had the time of my life working alongside my colleagues on 'The Social Network,' and I'm grateful to the HFPA for recognizing their great, hard work. On a personal note it's humbling to be nominated alongside six of the best screenwriters in town."