Sunday's ceremony could see a number of historic firsts and an all-white actor winner podium that has revived the #OscarsSoWhite debate.

Brad Pitt, Elton John, Charlize Theron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Scarlett Johansson and Martin Scorsese are among the A-List nominees, alongside the little-known cast of Korean-language drama "Parasite," which threatens to steal the thunder from Hollywood's biggest names.

All eyes are on the coveted best picture prize, which award watchers believe is a three-way race between independent social satire "Parasite," British director Sam Mendes' immersive World War One movie "1917" from Universal Pictures, and Quentin Tarantino's love letter to show business, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," from Sony Pictures.