Does Brad Pitt Have Any Oscar Fighting Words for George Clooney?

Best friends both nominated for Oscars; is there any friendly competition?

Who do we have to thank for this beautiful, beautiful competition? Seriously, could you think of two handsomer Oscar nominees if you tried?!

Now that the Academy has recognized both Brad Pitt and George Clooney as Best Actor contenders—for Moneyball and The Descendants, respectively—we had to wonder if there is some serious friendly competition between the BFFs:

"Man, of course. Of course," Brad told us exclusively at the Producers Guild Awards over the weekend.

We thought as much. Especially with the stakes so high: neither dude has taken home the trophy for Best Actor before (George has a Supporting Actor win and Brad hasn't nabbed a little gold man yet).

"But we're also—" Brad continued before Angelina Jolie (all dolled-up in a lacy black dress) interrupted to pop in to whisper in her man's ear that she'd meet him at the bar.

To which we too must interrupt and say: Awww! Maybe Brangelina is using award season as their extended date night? Must be one of the ways the full-time parents are handling Hollywood "on their own terms."

But back to the Oscar biz:

"But he's my friend. I meet so many smart and really interesting people and he's just at the top of the heap," Brad gushed about his pal. "I can't say enough great things about him. I say give him all the trophies. I say, when they run out of trophies, invent some new ones and give him those, too."

So does Mr. Pitt have any fighting words for his formidable competition?

"Hell no," he laughed.

Hmmm, maybe he knows just how stiff the competition is. See, even though we thought Brad delivered in Moneyball, we think George's touching performance in The Descendants might just steal the show come Oscar night.