Oscar nominations 2013: 85th Academy Award nominations to be announced Thursday by Seth MacFarlane

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — For the first time in 40 years, the host of the Academy Awards will help announce the Oscar nominations.

Academy officials say Oscar host Seth MacFarlane will join actress Emma Stone Thursday to reveal the nominees for the 85th annual Academy Awards. This is the first time since 1972 that an Oscar host has participated in the nominations announcement. Charlton Heston was the only other show host to announce Oscar nominees.

MacFarlane and Stone will reveal the contenders early Thursday morning from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' headquarters in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Academy Awards will be presented Feb. 24 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

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Films hoping to win a coveted Academy Award had an extra day to possibly earn some votes.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) extended the voting from 5 p.m. PST January 3 to 5 p.m. PST January 4.

According to an AMPAS press release, the transition to online voting contributed to the need for the extension. This is the first year the Academy is offering members the opportunity to vote online.

"By extending the voting deadline we are providing every opportunity available to make the transition to online balloting as smooth as possible," said Academy Chief Operating Officer Ric Robertson. "We're grateful to our global membership for joining us in this process."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, some members who opted to e-vote reported having issues with their password. The publication said the problem was not a generational one of older members used to paper ballots not being able to figure out how to vote online.

""There's even some young-farts like myself that are having problems,"Super Size Me" filmmaker Morgan Spurlock told The Hollywood Reporter."It's not like it's the first time I've ever logged on to a computer."