Meryl Streep in 'The Iron Lady' is bookies' favourite for Best Actress Oscar

London, Jan 25 (ANI): Meryl Streep and George Clooney are the bookmakers' favourites to win the top acting honours at the Oscars this year.

Streep is streets ahead with the bookies after she got nominated for her performance as Margaret Thatcher in 'The Iron Lady'. For the Best Actor category, Gary Oldman, nominated for his role as British spymaster George Smiley in 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy', faces a tough challenge to beat Golden Globe winner George Clooney for 'The Descendants'.

"There are some very strong favouites here and Meryl Streep is one of the strongest," the Telegraph quoted Rupert Adams, spokesperson for the bookmakers William Hill, as saying.

Williams Hill's Oscar odds are:est Actress: 1/3 Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady), 3/1 Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn), 7/2 Viola Davis (The Help), 20/1 Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs), 25/1 Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)

Best Actor: 1/3 George Clooney (The Descendents), 2/1 Jean Dujardin (The Artist), 10/1 Brad Pitt (Moneyball), 25/1 Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soilder Spy), 25/1 Demian Bichir (In A Better Life)

Best Film: 1/4 The Artist, 4/1 The Descendents, 12/1 War Horse, 12/1 Hugo, 25/1 Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, 33/1 Moneyball, 33/1 The Help, 33/1 Midnight In Paris, 33/1 Tree Of Life

Best Director: 4/7 Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist), 2/1 Martin Scorsese (Hugo), 5/1 Alexander Payne, (The Descendants), 14/1 Terrance Malik (The Tree Of Life), 14/1 Woody Allen (Midnight In Paris)

First Animal to win an Oscar: 2/1 Dog; 4/1 Monkey; 5/1 Horse; 6/1 Whale/Dolphin; 8/1 Cat; 10/1 Fish; 16/1 Sheep; 20/1 Pig

The 84th Academy Awards take place on Sunday 26 February at the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood. They will be presented by actor and comedian Billy Crystal. (ANI)