Hollywood prepares for Oscar gala

The stage is set outside Hollywood's Kodak Theatre Preparations are in full swing for the Academy Awards ceremony which takes place in Hollywood on Sunday night. The red carpet has been laid outside the Kodak Theatre which will welcome this year's hopefuls and a whole host of famous names from the film world. Hollywood is speculating that the gala, to be hosted by actor Hugh Jackman, will have a different feel. Beyonce and Zac Efron are teaming up with Jackman for an opening musical number, according to reports. A more glitzy, entertaining feel to proceedings may be adopted in a bid to boost ratings for the ceremony, which have slipped in recent years. Award hopefuls High School Musical star Efron and Twilight actor Robert Pattinson are expected to appear at the gala in an effort to bring fresh blood and younger audiences to the Oscars. But the main business of the night remains the coveted awards, with frontrunner The Curious Case of Benjamin Button holding 13 nominations. Pitt is up for best actor for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Slumdog Millionaire, from Britain's Danny Boyle, is close behind with 10 nominations, including best film. The Dark Knight and Milk received eight nominations, with the late Heath Ledger receiving a best supporting actor nod. Meryl Streep has scored a 15th Oscar nomination for her role in the film Doubt, alongside Kate Winslet for best actress in Stephen Daldry's The Reader. Benjamin Button and Slumdog Millionaire are joined by Milk, The Reader and Frost/Nixon as contenders for the coveted best picture prize. Aside from Streep, Winslet's rivals include Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married, Melissa Leo for Frozen River and Angelina Jolie for The Changeling. Jolie's real-life partner Brad Pitt leads the best actor nominations for his role as Benjamin Button - a man who ages in reverse. MOST NOMINATED FILMS The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttton - 13 Slumdog Millionaire (pictured) - 10 The Dark Knight - 8 Milk - 8 Wall-E - 6 Doubt - 5 Frost/Nixon - 5 The Reader - 5 Changeling - 3 Revolutionary Road - 3 Pitt goes head to head with Frank Langella, for his role as disgraced US president Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon, Sean Penn, as gay rights activist Harvey Milk in Milk, Richard Jenkins for The Visitor and recent Golden Globe winner Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler. Rourke, whose return to form after years in the doldrums has startled critics, is considered favourite to win. Slumdog Millionaire's Danny Boyle receives his first nomination for best director, alongside Britain's Stephen Daldry for The Reader and Benjamin Button's Fincher. Milk's Gus Van Sant and Frost/Nixon's Ron Howard complete the best director nominees. Actor Michael Shannon makes an unexpected appearance among the best supporting actor nominees - the only actor to be nominated from the cast of Revolutionary Road, despite award hopes for both Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Ledger, who received the nomination on the anniversary of his death, remains the favourite to win.