THIS Tuesday a small number of hotly tipped actors, including Daniel Day-Lewis, Angelina Jolie and Julie Christie, will learn whether they have been short-listed for next month’s Academy Awards in Hollywood.

Yet this acclaimed trio may be burdened with a dilemma of rather greater significance than the usual difficulties over the selection of an outfit and a suitable partner for the ceremony on February 24.

All the stars are hoping the Hollywood writers’ strike, Tinseltown’s most acrimonious labour dispute in 50 years, will be resolved in time so they do not have to choose between crossing a picket line outside the Kodak theatre and missing the most important night of their professional lives.

Last week film directors signed a pay deal with studios, putting more pressure on the writers to settle their grievances. But Oscar organisers are not taking any chances on a swift deal.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed that it was working on two alternative plans for Hollywood’s biggest party night - the usual four-hour marathon and an “Oscars Lite” if the writers and studios cannot make peace.

Gilbert Cates, the veteran producer of Oscar broadcasts, quashed speculation that the 80th annual Oscar show might not go on. “Sets are being built at the Kodak right now,” said the 73-year-old impresario.

“We’re going to do it. I can’t elaborate on how we’re going to do it because I do not want anyone to deal with the elaboration in a way that might impact its success.”

According to insiders, the options being considered include a drastically shortened show, which for up to 1 billion television viewers may come as a blessed relief.

The stars may be offered the opportunity to thank their colleagues, family and friends by live satellite link - common when actors are filming abroad - or to put their acting skills to the test by prerecording emotional acceptance speeches on video without actually knowing if they have won.

The video option was mooted as a way to salvage this month’s Golden Globe awards, which were reduced to a 32-minute televised press conference when actors such as Keira Knightley and George Clooney decided they would not cross the writers’ picket line.

As a result of the writers’ dispute, the Bafta film awards at the Royal Opera House next month have now become the most glamorous spectacle of an awards season that culminates in the Oscars. In Hollywood, the Academy Awards organising committee will make its final decisions three weeks before the ceremony.

Actors may be wary, concerned that “canned” thank you speeches will be less spontaneous than the shock and delight that mark memorable Oscar acceptances. Some of their agents are willing to discuss this option, however. “As a last resort, and if my clients were willing to do it, I would be there back-stage holding on to the video clip with my life,” joked one veteran. “If my clients lost, I would eat the tape before shooting myself.”

Following Dame Helen Mirren’s Oscar for best actress last year for The Queen, bookmakers are expecting a repeat of British success this year.

Knightley is favoured for her sexually charged role in the war-time drama Atonement, as is her co-star James McAvoy.

Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson are picking up votes from the academy’s 5,800 members for portraying lawyers in Clooney’s corporate thriller Michael Clayton, and Julie Christie is much admired for her role as a woman suffering from Alzheimer’s disease in Away From Her.

The writers downed pens 11 weeks ago in a strike that has stopped production of dozens of television series and films. They want a bigger share of the profits to be made by showing films and television programmes on the internet.

Despite talks held in secret locations last week, frustrations are starting to show. Discussing the threat to the Oscars, Ben Silverman, the youthful new entertainment chief at the NBC network, said some writers were jealous of Hollywood stars.

He added: “It feels like the nerdiest, ugliest, meanest kids in the high school are trying to cancel the prom.”

Additional reporting: Sara Hashash

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