Bening v Swank at the Oscars

Annette Bening has downplayed speculation she is plotting Oscars revenge on Hilary Swank, to whom she lost the best actress statuette five years ago.

Bening had been tipped to win best actress in 2000 for her role in American Beauty, but was pipped at the post by Swank for her role as a gender-conflicted woman in Boys Don't Cry.

Bening, nominated again for playing an ageing actress in Being Julia, faces a rematch against Swank, nominated for her role as a boxer in Million Dollar Baby. At a luncheon for this year's nominees, she minimised any potential Oscars night dust-up. "It is just a funny coincidence," she said of the fact that both women face each other again for the award.