UK hopefuls line up for awards night

Gary Oldman leads British hopes for an Oscar tomorrow as the sexual harassment scandal that has rocked Hollywood is likely to dominate the ceremony.

The star takes on countrymen Daniel Day-lewis and Daniel Kaluuya for the best actor prize and is the presumed frontrunner for the gong - having already picked up a Golden Globe, a Bafta and a Screen Actors Guild award for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.

The Shape Of Water, Guillermo Del Toro’s fantasy romance, leads the nominations with 13, including a best actress nod for Sally Hawkins and one for best picture.

Hawkins would have to beat frontrunner Frances Mcdormand to take home the trophy, as well as Irish actress Saoirse Ronan for Lady Bird.

Mcdormand is nominated for her blistering turn as a grieving and vengeful mother in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, alongside Margot Robbie for I, Tonya and Meryl Streep for The Post.

Joining Oldman, Day-lewis and Kaluuya in the best actor category are Denzel Washington for Roman J Israel, Esq and newcomer Timothee Chalamet, 22, who would be the youngest winner of the category for Call Me By Your Name.

Others in the running include Lesley Manville, nominated for supporting actress for her role opposite Day-lewis in Phantom Thread. She is up against Mudbound’s Mary J Blige, Lady Bird’s Laurie Metcalf, The Shape Of Water’s Octavia Spencer and Allison Janney in I, Tonya.

Christopher Nolan is nominated for best director for war film Dunkirk.