British actress Naomie Harris found out she had been nominated for her first Oscar with a phone call from her brother, because she was too nervous to watch the announcement herself.

Naomie, 40, has earned a best supporting actress nod for her role as a crack addict in the Barry Jenkins drama, Moonlight.

Naomie Harris
Naomie got her first nomination (Chris Pizzello/AP)

The film, which documents the life of a young man growing up in an undesirable Miami neighbourhood, has earned a total of eight Oscar nominations, second only to La La Land which leads the way with a total of 14.

Naomie told the Press Association: “I am completely numb. When the announcements were made, I told everyone to turn them off because I couldn’t take the tension any more.

“I was preparing myself for the worst, for not being nominated and thought I have to be ready, to be at peace with whatever happens, whether I’m nominated or not.”

The role has already seen the Skyfall and Spectre actress nominated for a Bafta and a Golden Globe this year.

Despite the recognition, Naomie said she had “no expectations” when she took on the role.

“This was a passion project, which I flew in to do in three days and it was just something I was really passionate about being part of,” she said.

Naomie Harris
Naomie starred in Moonlight (Ian West PA Wire/PA Images)

“I thought it was a beautiful script. I’ve been in this industry for 31 years now and I know you can never predict these things, you never know which way it will go, you just have to follow your own gut and what you’re passionate about doing and that’s what I did with Moonlight.”

Jenkins has been nominated in the coveted best director category, alongside the likes of Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge) and La La Land’s Damien Chazelle.

Her Moonlight co-star Mahershala Ali has also been nominated and will go up against her fellow Briton Dev Patel in the best supporting actor category.

Mahershala Ali
Mahershala Ali is also nominated for Moonlight (Chris Pizzello/AP)

Naomie said she was “over the moon” that they had both been recognised, adding: “I think working on Moonlight was one of my best acting experiences, if not the best because of the environment he created.

“It is a very unusual way he works, and it certainly wouldn’t work for everyone, but it’s completely in line with the way I like to work.

“He gave me this part but he never once checked up on me to see how my process was going, how I was getting on with the accent. He just has ultimate faith in his actors and respect for their individual process, and so it means that you can go on this journey totally liberated and free to create a character in a way you see fit.”

Barry Jenkins
Moonlight director Barry Jenkins (Jordan Strauss/AP)

The actress will join Hollywood’s finest at the star-studded ceremony being hosted by Jimmy Kimmel in Los Angeles on February 26.

She said she would definitely be taking her mum with her to the ceremony and would go on a walk in the English countryside to celebrate her nomination.

She said: “Just to just take it all in and just ground myself a bit, that’s what I need most and then celebrations to come in the evening.”