Live Text: The Oscars 2009

By Justin Parkinson of BBC News

0055 The stars are out in force now. Meryl Streep and Robert Downey Jr are doing interviews.

0052 The BBC's Neil Smith writes: "James Bond is here," says one TV commentator excitedly as Daniel Craig turns up. Queen Latifah is here too, reportedly to sing I'll Be Seeing You during the death reel. Anne Hathaway and Evan Rachel Wood look like old-time movie stars in shiny white gowns. Amy Adams, though, is wearing a necklace that looks like something she made herself out of second-hand marbles.

0051 Spare a thought for Mike Myers. His film The Love Guru has won three Golden Raspberry Awards - a sort of anti-Academy Awards celebrating the worst offerings of the year. Sir Ben Kingsley, a previous Oscar winner, was among those "honoured" for his role alongside the former Wayne's World star. He's here on the red carpet, though, with pride seemingly intact.

0047 The BBC's Neil Smith writes: Mamma Mia's Dominic Cooper is here; will he perform as has been mooted online? So is Natalie Portman in perky pink. Mllk star James Franco looks dashing, though I think he's wearing the same suit from the Spirits. (Oddly, his director Gus Van Sant and Slumdog composer A R Rahman have gone for almost exactly the same shade of ivory tie.) Supporting actor candidate Josh Brolin is doing the rounds with his partner Diane Lane.

0039 More on host Hugh Jackman. He has been using near-the-knuckle UK comedian Ricky Gervais - creator of The Office - to come up with gags. How blue can Hugh go, one wonders, without upsetting Hollywood sensibilities. Does the Oscars do David Brent-like embarrassed silences?

0034 What are you doing to celebrate Oscars night? Across the UK many people are holding all-night parties, with a devil-may-care attitude to work on Monday. Let us know what you are up to using the form in the top right-hand corner of this page.

0030 About half an hour to go until the ceremony starts. Still no sign of Mickey Rourke or Kate Winslet. Will they have time for any interviews. Will Rourke feel like doing any? James Franco, star of Pineapple Express and the Spider-Man films is here. Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker is here. Major nominee alert: Milk's Sean Penn is on the carpet.

0027 Slumdog Millionaire's Danny Boyle, nominated for best director, tells the BBC the film's success is really down to the actors. Will he let them go to the podium on his behalf if he wins, then?

0025 What kind of a show are we in for? Amid concern over falling viewing figures in recent years, there is speculation that we might be in for a little more pazazz. Host Hugh Jackman, no stranger to musical theatre, is reportedly planning to get things under way with a song-and-dance routine involving the efforts of Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann. Will a little bit of Australian stardust give the Oscars a lift?

0023 The BBC's Neil Smith writes: Said hi to best actress outsider Melissa Leo, who was so gracious at the Spirit Awards on Saturday I almost hope she wins. (She won't, of course. Even she wouldn't bet on herself.) Supporting actress hopeful Viola Davis, nominated for Doubt, is positively glowing in a golden gown. Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame have turned up together, which is sure to get the Twitterverse twittering. Oh, and there's best actor nominee Richard Jenkins looking distinguished.

0020 The BBC's Rajini Vaidyanathan writes: We've been given a copy of the menu the stars will tuck into at the Governors Ball, the official Oscars after-party. It is lavish and includes lobster, sushi, poached shrimp, lobster tails, crab legs and mussels. 1500 guests are expected to attend.

0015 The red carpet is swarming. Sir Anthony Hopkins is meeting and greeting.

Perry, Stevenage, UK, says: Oscar does like to shock people. Slumdog, Rourke, Winslet and Ledger may be clear favourites for major honours, but I'm pretty sure they won't all win. Slumdog will win the Screenplay award, as the "indie hits" always do.

0009 A Hollywood legend is here. Mickey Rooney is doing interviews, with the same aplomb as the days when he and Judy Garland were two of the biggest names in film.

0007 It's 80 years since the first Academy Awards, but does 2009 also mark the 70th anniversary of the greatest ever? The year 1939 saw Gone With the Wind take best film, beating the likes of The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights, Mr Smith Goes to Washington and Goodbye, Mr Chips. How does 2009 compare?

0001 One of the big nominees has arrived - The Visitor's Richard Jenkins, who is up for best actor. He's probably the least recognisable of all the main nominees.

Miley Cyrus

InStyle.com tweets: Miley Cyrus arrived wearing an ivory silk chiffon beaded V-neck ball gown from Zuhair Murad's Haute Couture Spring 2009 collection. Read InStyle.com tweets

thefashioncult tweets: Miley Cyrus looks like a sugar coated Disney character. Read thefashioncult tweets

2347 Will it finally be Kate Winslet's year? She has been nominated for awards five times in the past without once winning. If she ends up as a runner-up in the best actress category this time round she will enter the record books as a six-times loser, matched only by Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter. She must be a little nervous.

2347 The BBC's Neil Smith writes: And we're off. The Slumdog Millionaire crew have arrived, director Danny Boyle flanked by around 10 members of his cast and crew. (Rather delightfully, they include the film's young stars, who have been flown in specially from India.) Supporting actress hopeful Taraji P Henson is also here blowing kisses at the camera, as is Sharon Stone in a red dress that matches the carpet. Milk actor Emile Hirsch is here, looking rather smarter than he did at the Spirits yesterday. And look, there's previous best actor winner Anthony Hopkins. Oh, I could murder a nice Chianti.

2341 The BBC's Rajini Vaidyanathan writes: Helicopters circling above here as celebs arrive on the red carpet. No sign of the credit crunch here as everyone here looks incredibly glamorous. The men from PricewaterhouseCoopers have walked past with two very important cases. The results are inside. Soon they'll be revealed.

2340 The BBC's Neil Smith writes: Greetings from Hollywood! After several queues, three metal detectors and countless security checkpoints, I am at last ensconced back stage at the Kodak Theatre in what the powers that be call the press interview room. It's from here I'll be filing reports on this year's ceremony, peppered with quotes from the winners as they file through to face what I'm sure will be a grilling the Spanish Inquisition would be proud of. Outside on the red carpet, a sea of black jackets and glamorous gowns mill about expectantly waiting for the great and good to arrive. I'm sure it's very exciting down there, as my colleagues will no doubt attest. That said, we're the ones with the rolling buffet.

2327 With almost two hours to go until the ceremony begins, the red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles is looking quite busy. But no major celebs spotted yet. The fashions also seem a little sombre - rather a lot of credit crunch-conscious black dresses. Is this to be the austerity Oscars? What do you think of the stars' attire this year? Send us your thoughts using the postform on the right.

2336 So who and what are the favourites for this year's big awards? The smart money seems to be on Britain's Kate Winslet for The Reader winning best actress and Mickey Rourke best actor for The Wrestler. Slumdog Millionaire is the pundits' favourite for best film. It would also be a major upset if the late Heath Ledger did not take best supporting, making him only the second dead actor to win an Oscar, following Peter Finch's honour for Network in 1977.

2334 The BBC's Peter Bowes writes: In a brave move by the organisers the tent over the Academy's red carpet has been removed. Brave because the dark clouds hovering over LA look ominous and it's already drizzling in parts of the city. The California sun will not be shining on Oscar this year.

2330 Hello and welcome to our live text coverage of the 81st Academy Awards. We will be bringing you up-to-the minute coverage of the film world's glitziest night of the year - from arrivals on the famous red carpet right through to the post-ceremony parties. Join us for all the news, gossip and on-the-spot updates from the BBC's correspondents. Please send us your comments using the form on the top right-hand corner of this page.