Of all the movies nominated, the only one to receive more than one nomination for acting was Michael Clayton (2007).
Set a new record for the number of films with acting nominations: 18.
The WGA writer's strike 2007/2008, which was supported by the SAG of which many of the nominated actors where members, ended only 11 days prior to the show.
First-time nominees Ruby Dee and Hal Holbrook were both born in Cleveland, Ohio within six months of each other. Dee is the older one.
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen win for Best Director marks only the second time that director-collaborators won directing Oscars. (The first time this happened was in 1962)
First-time nominee Hal Holbrook became the oldest male performer ever to be nominated for an acting Oscar. The distinction was formerly held by Ralph Richardson.
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen always edit their movies themselves under the pseudonym Roderick Jaynes. So, during the rundown of the Achievement in Film Editing nominees a picture of a Dust Bowl-era farmer was shown, instead of one of Joel and Ethan, which the Coens found in a book. The Coens insist so much on Roderick Jaynes being real, that, in case "he" had won the Best Editing Oscars, they would not have went up on stage and accepted it upon "his" behalf.