Who will come away with a coveted statuette this year? (Picture: AP)
The glitziest night in the showbiz calendar is finally here as the Oscars take place later on today (Sunday March 12) at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the night will see a lot of heavyweight nominees do battle at what is considered the pinnacle of awards season.
Going in, films such as Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Banshees of Inisherin and All Quiet on the Western Front are considered Academy Award frontrunners thanks to their hauls of nominations.
Everything Everywhere and All Quiet have also dominated other recent awards shows, but it’s all still to play for, especially in a best actor category including favourites Colin Farrell, Austin Butler and Brendan Fraser, alongside popular outside chances from Bill Nighy and Paul Mescal.
Will Michelle Williams finally get an Oscar on her fifth nomination, or will it be Michelle Yeoh triumphing first time, 40 years into her career? Or will Cate Blanchett nab her third gong from her eighth nod?
Ahead of the action, Metro.co.uk has made predictions on who could be walking away with a coveted statuette – and whether there will be any shocks alomg the way.
Best picture
Everything Everywhere All at Once is the most-nominated film, with 11 nods (Picture: Allyson Riggs/A24 via AP)
With the Academy opting to have the maximum possible number of nominees in this category at 10, it’s unsurprisingly absolutely stacked.
Following on from recent successes, many may assume that Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Banshees of Inisherin and All Quiet on the Western Front are the ones to beat, but anything could happen.
Todd Field is back with his first movie in 16 years with Tár, while Women Talking is a powerful and intelligent meditation on abuse, and Triangle of Sadness could just be the wacky upset outsider.
Last year, the award went to Coda.
Top Gun: Maverick
All Quiet on the Western Front
Tár
Elvis
Avatar: The Way of Water
Women Talking
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
The Banshees of Inisherin
Triangle of Sadness
Prediction: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Wild card: The Fabelmans
Best actor
Some fans of Colin Farrell were bereft when he didn’t win the Bafta (Picture: Jonathan Hession./Searchlight Pictures via AP)
This is possibly the most closely-fought category with favourites Butler, Farrell and Fraser all winning awards for their performances this season already.
They each provide a winning backstory to voters too, all first-time nominees known to be charming and accomplished.
Farrell has been plugging away for 25 years to get his first taste of Oscars glory, while Fraser has mounted an incredible Hollywood comeback, after some tough years and shirking of the spotlight, with The Whale.
Meanwhile Butler has captivated fans with his uncanny take on the king of rock ‘n’ roll, Elvis Presley.
Mescal and Nighy are perhaps less likely winners, but never say never as their performances stil shone.
Last year, rather, um, memorably, the award went to Will Smith for King Richard.
Austin Butler
Colin Farrell
Brendan Fraser
Paul Mescal
Bill Nighy
Prediction: Colin Farrell
Wild card: Austin Butler
Best actress
Best actress is considered a lock between Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh (Picture: Florian Hoffmeister/Focus Features)
There’s been a fair bit of controversy around the best actress category at the Oscars this year after the Academy launched an investigation into campaigning tactics on behalf of Andrea Riseborough.
Although no disciplinary action was taken, this has likely unfortunately damaged the first-time nominee’s chances at glory.
Ana de Armas’ turn as Marilyn Monroe was praised by many, even if the film, Blonde, was not, while Michelle Williams turned in yet another reliably great performance in The Fabelmans for her fifth acting nomination.
However, the smart money seems to be on a two-horse race between Yeoh and Blanchett, who both delivered stellar work.
Last year, the award went to Jessica Chastain for The Eyes of Tammy Faye.
Cate Blanchett
Ana de Armas
Andrea Riseborough
Michelle Williams
Michelle Yeoh
Prediction: Michelle Yeoh
Wild card: Cate Blanchett
Best director
The Fabelmans hasn’t converted many nominations into wins yet this season, but Steven Spielberg could edge it (Picture: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
All of the nominated directors at this year’s Academy Awards also have a nomination for best film, stopping anyone from using that rule of thumb.
The Daniels and McDonagh have received the most awards attention this year, but we wouldn’t put it past the Academy to show Spielberg some love for The Fabelmans.
Or maybe even surprise with a shock win for outsiders Field or Östlund?
Last year, the award went to Jane Campion for The Power of the Dog.
Martin McDonagh
Daniel Kwan & Daniel Schienert
Steven Spielberg
Todd Field
Ruben Östlund
Prediction: Martin McDonagh
Wild card: Steven Spielberg
Best supporting actor
Ke Huy Quan (2nd from L) came back to acting as an adult after decades away, meaning an Oscar would tie-up his return with a big, irresistible bow (Picture: Allyson Riggs/A24 via AP)
Best supporting actor has provided some tough competition for each nominee so far.
Barry Keoghan triumphed at the Baftas against co-star Brendan Gleeson, while Ke Huy Quan has been having a fairytale time of things with wins at the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards and Independent Spirit Awards.
It’s possible the Academy won’t want to end that run as Quan is re-embraced by an industry he left for lack of opportunity 20 years ago.
However, there’s also some fresh blood in the category with Brian Tyre Henry and Judd Hirsch nominated for Causeway and The Fabelmans, respectively.
Last year, the award went to Troy Kotsur for Coda.
Brendan Gleeson
Brian Tyre Henry
Judd Hirsch
Barry Keoghan
Ke Huy Quan
Prediction: Ke Huy Quan
Wild card: Judd Hirsch
Best supporting actress
Can Angela do the thing and get the Oscar? (Picture: Annette Brown/Marvel)
Many expect this year’s best supporting actress award to go to Angela Bassett, making her the first person to win an acting Academy Award with a performance in a Marvel movie.
And she would definitely have done the thing.
However, Kerry Condon won out at the Baftas and Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu both kicked ass in Everything Everywhere All at Once (sometimes literally) with their powerful performances.
Hong Chau could be an interesting choice too for her overlooked turn opposite Brendan Fraser in The Whale.
Last year, the award went to Ariana DeBose for West Side Story.
Angela Bassett
Hong Chau
Kerry Condon
Jamie Lee Curtis
Stephanie Hsu
Prediction: Angela Bassett
Wild card: Stephanie Hsu
Best song
There are a few contenders for best original song, including from Rihanna (Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Another year, another best song Oscar shortlist featuring 14-time nominee (and still without a win) Diane Warren.
However, Warren was awarded a much-deserved honorary accolade last year, meaning voters could have been swayed away from giving it to her just because she’s been nominated so many times.
There’s some pop music icons in this category too, with Lady Gaga a returner and Rihanna here for the first time.
More: Trending
RRR’s high-energy earworm Naatu Naatu is the one to beat, and would mean MM Keeravaani and Chandrabose follow in the footsteps of AR Rahman and Gulzar as Indian Academy Award winners for best song.
Rahman won with Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire in 2009.
Last year, the award went to No Time to Die from No Time to Die (music and lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell).
Applause from Tell It like a Woman (music and lyric by Diane Warren)
Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick (music and lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop)
Lift Me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler)
Naatu Naatu from RRR (music by MM Keeravaani; lyric by Chandrabose)
This is a Life from Everything Everywhere All at Once (music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne)
Prediction: Natu Natu from RRR
Wild card: Lift Me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
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And the Oscar goes to…