Film stars gather ahead of Oscars

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood are gathering ahead of the Oscars.

Stars including Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne are among the stars that have been seen out and about on the party circuit in Los Angeles ahead of the awards.

Daniel Day-Lewis who is hot favourite to complete an historic hat-trick. The actor is nominated for best actor for his performance in US historical drama Lincoln – his fifth nomination in the category which he has already won twice – in 1989 for 'My Left Foot' and in 2007 for 'There Will be Blood'.

Another win will make him the first man to win three best actor Oscars – and the bookmakers expect him to take the award with William Hill offering odds of 1-50 on him triumphing.

That will take him past the achievements of two-time winning Hollywood legends including Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman – who are both scheduled to present awards on the night.

Other presenters on the night include Jane Fonda, Kristen Stewart, Liam Neeson, Reese Witherspoon and Samuel L Jackson.

Day-Lewis is shortlisted alongside Les Miserables star Hugh Jackman, Denzel Washington, Joaquin Phoenix and Bradley Cooper.

Adele’s nomination for best original song for the 'Skyfall' theme tune was one of five for the movie, which was also shortlisted for cinematography, music (original score), sound editing and sound mixing.

'Silver Linings Playbook' got eight nominations, with 11 for 'Life Of Pi' and 12 for 'Lincoln'.

Naomi Watts said she was “truly honoured” her portrayal of tsunami survivor Maria Belon had been recognised in 'The Impossible'.

She said: “I am so thrilled and humbled with this morning’s wonderful news. The journey of telling Maria Belon’s miraculous story of survival has been an incredible experience and I am so grateful for this acknowledgement of our film.”

She faces competition from US stars including Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence who were recognised for their roles in 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'Silver Linings Playbook' respectively. Also nominated are Quvenzhane Wallis and Emmanuelle Riva.

'Les Miserables', directed by 'The King’s Speech' filmmaker Tom Hooper, is in the running for best picture but Hooper failed to get a nomination in the directing category which he won in 2010.

Also nominated for best picture are Ben Affleck’s 'Argo', set during the Iran hostage crisis, 'Beasts Of The Southern Wild' and Quentin Tarantino’s western 'Django Unchained'.

'Life Of Pi', 'Amour', 'Lincoln', 'Silver Linings Playbook' and 'Zero Dark Thirty' complete the shortlist.

Adele’s nomination for best original song puts her up against Oscars host Seth MacFarlane, who is nominated for 'Everybody Needs A Best Friend' from his film 'Ted'.

The other nominees include Suddenly from 'Les Miserables', which was co-written by London journalist Herbert Kretzmer.

Hollywood veterans Alan Arkin, Tommy Lee Jones and Robert De Niro were all named in the supporting actor category, with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Christoph Waltz.

Anne Hathaway’s performance in 'Les Miserables' saw her nominated for supporting actress along with Amy Adams, Lincoln star Sally Field, Helen Hunt and Jacki Weaver.

Eric Fellner, from Working Title, the company behind Les Miserables, said he was “so pleased” for Jackman and Hathaway.

He said: “They did unbelievable work. They both gave the performances of their lives.”

He added it was “a shame” Hooper had not been recognised in the directing category, but said he was pleased with the film’s overall success and that another of the firm’s films, Anna Karenina, had four nominations.

Hathaway is odds on to win best supporting actress at this year’s ceremony in Los Angeles tonight.

AND THE NOMINEES ARE…

Actor in a Leading Role:

Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook

Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln

Hugh Jackman in Les Miserables

Joaquin Phoenix in The Master

Denzel Washington in Flight

Actor in a Supporting Role:

Alan Arkin in Argo

Robert De Niro in Silver Linings Playbook

Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master

Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln

Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained

Actress in a Leading Role:

Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty

Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook

Emmanuelle Riva in Amour

Quvenzhane Wallis in Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Naomi Watts in The Impossible

Actress in a Supporting Role:

Amy Adams in The Master

Sally Field in Lincoln

Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables

Helen Hunt in The Sessions

Jacki Weaver in Silver Linings Playbook

Directing:

Michael Haneke for Amour

Benh Zeitlin for Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Ang Lee for Life Of Pi

Steven Spielberg for Lincoln

David O Russell for Silver Linings Playbook

Music (Original Score):

Dario Marianelli for Anna Karenina

Alexandre Desplat for Argo

Mychael Danna for Life Of Pi

John Williams for Lincoln

Thomas Newman for Skyfall

Music (Original Song):

J Ralph for Before My Time from Chasing Ice

Walter Murphy and Seth MacFarlane for Everybody Needs A Best Friend from Ted

Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri for Pi’s Lullaby from Life Of Pi

Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth for Skyfall from Skyfall

Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil for Suddenly from Les Miserables

Best Picture:

Amour

Argo

Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Django Unchained

Les Miserables

Life of Pi

Lincoln

Silver Linings Playbook

Zero Dark Thirty