Firth and Portman expected to get Oscar nods

The nominations for this year’s Oscars are being announced today at the headquarters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills.

Among the names being tipped for gongs is Colin Firth, considered a frontrunner to land the best actor prize at the ceremony next month for his role as stammering monarch King George VI in 'The King's Speech'.

The movie is expected to land a best film nomination, but faces tight competition from David Fincher's 'The Social Network'.

Tom Hooper, who made the movie, is expected to be nominated for best director, against fellow Briton Christopher Nolan for box office smash 'Inception'.

Helena Bonham Carter is being tipped for the best supporting actress category for her role as Queen Elizabeth in the film, set in Britain on the cusp of the Second World War.

Christian Bale is being considered a favourite for best supporting actor for his role as a boxer turned crack addict in 'The Fighter'.

In the best actress category, Natalie Portman is considered a shoo-in for her role as a disturbed ballerina in the thriller 'Black Swan'.

Her rivals Annette Bening and Julianne Moore are also being tipped for their roles in comedy drama 'The Kids Are All Right', about a lesbian couple whose children are conceived using a sperm donor.

Firth, 50, who has just won a Golden Globe for best actor, has been Oscar-nominated once before. He was in the running for best actor last year for A Single Man but went home empty-handed.

'The King’s Speech' recently upped its chances of winning the best film Oscar after being crowned best movie at the Producers Guild of America (PGA) awards.

The past three PGA winners, 'The Hurt Locker', 'Slumdog Millionaire', and 'No Country For Old Men', went on to take the Academy Award for best film.

Today’s nominations will be announced by actress Mo’Nique, who won the best supporting actress gong last year for 'Precious', and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak.

They will reveal 10 of the 24 categories for the 83rd Academy Awards.

The Oscars, hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway, take place on Sunday February 27 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.