Hilary turns the tables on Annette

Five years ago, Annette Bening was the odds on favourite to win the Best Actress Oscar for her standout performance as Kevin Spacey’s uptight wife in American Beauty, but lost out to surprise winner Hilary Swank, who wowed voters with her cross-dressing role in Boys Don’t Cry.

Now the roles are reversed with Swank hotly tipped to win her second statuette for Million Dollar Baby on Sunday and Bening the underdog for her portrayal of a stage diva in Being Julia.

Kate Winslet, nominated for Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and marvellous in Finding Neverland, is predicted to be bypassed for the fourth time.