Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Elle Fanning, Denis Villenueve, Selena Gomez, Edward Norton, Whoopi Goldberg - the stars were out tonight as Hollywood's A-listers hit the red carpet for the 97th Academy Awards. 

Disney+ to stream live the 97th Oscars

Stars assemble for Oscars as 'Anora,' 'Conclave' vie for top prize

Who will win the Oscar? The 10 best picture nominees

Joint favorites "Anora" and "Conclave" are poised for a showdown for the best picture prize in a nail-biter Oscars not seen in recent years.

"Both sides are feeling more nervous than confident... that should be an indicator that this is really a nail-biter," The Hollywood Reporter's awards expert Scott Feinberg told AFP.

Sean Baker's "Anora" -- about a New York stripper and escort who weds a wealthy Russian playboy, only to learn that her dream marriage is a nightmare illusion -- won the Cannes festival's Palme d'Or last May.

But, Coley says, "it is a little bit polarizing because of the sex worker aspect."

"Conclave" -- a film about the secretive and cutthroat election of a new Catholic leader, lent an uncanny timeliness by the real-life Pope Francis's health woes -- appears to have won over many late voters.

Director Edward Berger told reporters on the red carpet that the intrigue was what gave the movie its power, not the setting.

"The movie could have taken place anywhere -- it could have taken place in a company where the CEO position is suddenly empty," he said.

The film starring Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini earned top honors from Britain's BAFTAs, and the Hollywood actors' SAG Award for best cast.

One Oscars voter told AFP they had voted for "Conclave" because "it's just more of a traditional, classic 'best picture' film." With Agence France-Presse