Agencies have Julianne Moore, Patricia Arquette and JK Simmons as certs to win Oscars today

IF there’s an Oscars sweep in your office today, these are the stars you want to be backing. Three actors are such a sure thing they have almost even odds.

This photo provided by courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics show Julianne Moore as Alice in the film, "Still Alice." Moore is nominated for an Oscar for her depiction of a woman suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s disease. The 87th annual Academy Awards are presented on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Sony Pictures Classics, Linda Kallerus)

JULIANNE Moore, Patricia Arquette and J.K. Simmons are dead certs to take home an Oscar, but that’s where the certainties end as Hollywood primps and preens in the final hours before its night of nights.

The 87th Academy Awards kick off at 12.30pm AEDT today.

Betting agencies have five-time nominee Moore at all but even money (Sportsbet.com.au $1.02, Ladbrokes $1.01,) to finally win Best Actress for her performance in Still Alice, well ahead of Gone Girl’s Rosamund Pike ($21/$31)and Wild star Reese Witherspoon ($23/ $19).

It’s a similar story in the Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories, where Simmons ($1.02) and Arquette ($1.04/$1.01) are at unbeatable odds.

Sure bets ... Arquette, Simmons and Moore have each picked up just about every award on the circuit this year, including the Independent Spirit awards yesterday.

The race is more heated in the other big categories, with The Theory of Everything’s leading man Eddie Redmayne firming ($1.25) as favourite for Best Actor in front of Birdman veteran Michael Keaton ($3.75/$3.40).

The odds have Birdman’s Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ($1.67/$1.65) just pipping Boyhood helmer Richard Linklater for Best Director. Birdman ($1.62/$1.60) and Boyhood ($2.20) are also neck and neck for the night’s final award, Best Picture.

Selma, Whiplash and The Theory of Everything may as well stay home, with their Best Picture odds out to 101-1 at Ladbrokes.

LEIGH PAATSCH: Interactive Oscars formguide

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Winners and losers ... Wild star Reese Witherspoon will likely walk home empty-handed, but JK Simmons is the favourite to win in his category for Whiplash. Picture: Getty Images

Only two Aussies – sound mixer David Lee (Unbroken) and visual effects artist Tim Crosbie (X-Men: Days of Future Past) – have been nominated this year, with Sportsbet.com.au reporting late last week that Lee was a $21 chance, with Crosbie at $34.

But even if he does win, Lee won’t be there to accept his gong. He’s hard at work on the Gold Coast on the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

AUSSIE NOMINEES: David Lee and Tim Crobie

Laid back ... Australia's Oscar nominee David Lee at his home in Scotts Head, NSW. He was nominated for his sound mixing work on Angelina Jolie's directed movie Unbroken, but even if he wins, he won’t be there to accept the trophy. Picture: Lindsay Moller

On Friday, the Academy announced a record high voting turnout, meaning every vote really will count in tight categories such as Picture and Director.

Meanwhile, this year’s Academy Awards host is making light of the job many consider to be a poison chalice.

“Rehearsals are intense for the Oscars,” tweeted Neil Patrick Harris. “And by intense, I mean me singing into a hairbrush in front of a mirror.”

He also joked that the team building the set for the big night had “installed a second layer of Kanye-proofing, just in case,” after rapper Kanye West continued his habit of stage invasions at the Grammys.

Flying high ... Michael Keaton may not win best actor for Birdman, but expect to hear lots about this year’s buzz film at today’s Oscars.

Harris was handed Hollywood’s most difficult job after successfully hosting TV’s Emmys and theatre’s Tony Awards ceremonies several times.

He has said his style will be more Billy Crystal than Seth MacFarlane: “I skew kinder. I want to keep it a classy show,” he told USA Today. “To make jokes at (nominees) is just not my style.”

The team behind the 2014 Best Song Oscar-winner Let it Go, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, have written a new song for Harris to perform during the ceremony. Adam Levine, Lady Gaga, Anna Kendrick, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend and Common, Rita Ora and Jack Black will also perform.

In a late-night talk show appearance, Harris also promised surprise guests.

As the 2014’s Best Actress, Cate Blanchett will present this year’s Best Actor statuette. Other Aussies taking the stage as presenters will be Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie and Naomi Watts.

The Academy Awards screen live on Channel 9 from 12.30pm. Follow all the action at our live blog.

Mr Nice Guy ... Neil Patrick Harris says it’s not his style to take the piss out of the stars.

Originally published as Agencies have Julianne Moore, Patricia Arquette and JK Simmons as certs to win Oscars today