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In the run up to the Oscars we’ve been asking the stars who they would like to see holding a golden statuette on Hollywood’s biggest night.

Will Avatar’s blue-skinned aliens rule supreme? Or will Kathryn Bigelow’s Iraq bomb drama Hurt Locker blow up the opposition?

Will An Education’s Carey Mulligan and Precious star Gabourey Sidibe be able to grapple the statue from the grasp of hot favourite Sandra Bullock?

Here’s what they told us:

[On best actress category, speaking two weeks ago] I haven’t done my voting yet. I haven’t decided between Carey or Gabourey.

That’s actually one of the tougher ones and I don’t think I know what I’ll choose until the last second.

The five who end up being nominated are so deserving, but then so are so many people who don’t get recognised.

But Meryl Streep [nominated for Julie and Julia] is just the queen… It’s so crazy to be in the same category as her, it’s bizarre.

I’d like to see all the Brits win, I’d like to see Colin [Firth] win and Carey win.

I thought Saoirse Ronan deserved an Oscar nomination this year – I thought she was magnificent in The Lovely Bones with almost no dialogue. One of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen.

I thought Sam Rockwell was phenomenal in Moon.

It’s a year when they sound the death knell for British film and they say none of these things will ever be financed next year.

But whatever the truth, it’s an incredible crop of British films, so eclectic and such individual voices – they can all hold their heads up on the world stage.

Avatar was an amazing experience craft-wise, but Kathryn Bigelow knows how to make people so tense that your knuckles are white by the end.

I loved The Hurt Locker. I saw it over a year ago. It just grabs you by the throat and pins you to the wall.

[Best actor] Jeff Bridges – just take it away…

[Best actress] Meryl – I just love Meryl Streep. Always have – always will.

I saw Precious, I’d like to have seen Hurt Locker.

I think Avatar was great, I enjoyed it but is it the best film of the year when there are also films like Precious? Precious wasn’t a perfect film but it was about something very real and the film-making in it is interesting.

[On best director] With Avatar there’s a million people in charge of their area of that film, with James Cameron at the top.

But with Precious there’s a director [Lee Daniels] whose vision that film is, who had to raise the money for it and cast some incredible actors, who give some really extraordinary performances.

He would be my best director above Cameron, because I think that’s his film.

…I’m never working with Cameron now, am I? [Bursts out laughing] Oh well, never mind. [more laughter]

I’m really pleased for Sandra Bullock.

She’s a great comic actress and that doesn’t often get the prize and she’s also big box office which is considered "non-U" in awards circles. I think she’s a tremendous actress and I’m really glad that she’s on this wave.

But of course I have profound loyalty to the astonishing performance of Carey Mulligan.