Stars arrive on the Oscars red carpet

Anna Kendrick and America Ferrera were amongst the first actresses to walk the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, followed by Patricia Arquette, Josh Hutcherson and Common, along with British hopefuls Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones and Rosamund Pike.

Patricia Arquette, hot favourite to be named best supporting actress for her role in Richard Linklater’s epic drama Boyhood, was an early arrival, telling E! the film was the work of a director who “really wanted to honour his mum”.

Felicity Jones, nominated for best actress for her portrayal of Stephen Hawking’s first wife Jane in The Theory Of Everything, told presenter Ryan Seacrest that she “screamed a lot” when she found out about her Oscar nomination, adding it “was a very nice wake-up call.”

Her co-star Eddie, who is hotly tipped to scoop the best actor prize, joked this year’s ceremony feels more relaxed because he doesn’t have to perform. The 33-year-old actor took to the Oscars stage alongside Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried and Samantha Barks to perform a live set in 2013.

“Last time I was here, I knew I had to sing. My vocal chords can’t act that so tonight feels relatively chilled in comparison,” he said.

He said the strong British presence at this year’s ceremony feels “extraordinary”.

“What is lovely is that a few of us like Ben Cumberbatch and Sienna Miller… We all kind of started out together years ago and… It’s always extraordinary when you get to see friends in the most extreme of circumstances and this is a pretty extreme circumstance,” he continued.

Dakota Johnson, who stars in the Fifty Shades Of Grey, stunned in a red Yves Saint Laurent dress, with jewelled shoulder.

She revealed that her parents Melanie Griffiths and Don Johnson hadn’t watched her major big-screen debut in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s big-screen adaptation of EL James’ erotic novel, which also starred Jamie Dornan.

Meanwhile, Michael Keaton, who is up for best actor for his performance in Birdman (Or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance), said he is still pinching himself over his first Oscar nomination.

“I’m shocked. I was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy, and I presented here many many years ago. But it’s (the ceremony) changed so much since then,” he said, adding: “I never get tired, bored with it or take it for granted. You appreciate it more. I don’t know how to explain it but I’m very present in the whole thing.”

Marion Cotillard, who is up for best actress for her role in Two Days, One Night, said she never thought she would become a part of the “American family of cinema”.