BEIJING, Feb. 10 --  Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie led an all-star cast at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), where "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" were the favourites to win.

U.S. actor Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie arrive for the 2009 BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London Feb. 8, 2009.

The Hollywood couple were joined on the red carpet in London on Sunday by Penelope Cruz, Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, Robert Downey Jnr and a cigarette-smoking Mickey Rourke for Britain's leading film and television awards.

Spain's Penelope Cruz poses with the award for Best Supporting Actress during the 2009 BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London Feb. 8, 2009.

Winslet arrived fresh from her double victory at the Golden Globes, where she won best actress for her portrayal of a frustrated 1950s suburbanite in "Revolutionary Road" and best supporting actress for "The Reader," where she plays a former Nazi camp guard.

    She has been nominated for her role in both films in the best leading actress category in London, in competition with Jolie for "The Changeling," Kristin Scott Thomas for "I've Loved You So Long" and Streep for "Doubt."

U.S. actress Meryl Streep arrives for the 2009 BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London Feb. 8, 2009.

The nominees almost mirror those of this year's Academy Awards. Jolie and Kate Winslet go head to head in the Leading Actress category. Pitt and Rourke are both nominated for Leading Actor.

    The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) hosts the annual awards show and some view it as the British equivalent to the Oscars, and believing that winners are often the stars to go on to win at the Oscars held later in the month.

Chinn and James Marsh pose with the award for outstanding British film for "Man on Wire" during the 2009 BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London Feb. 8, 2009