It's freebies and florists at dawn as Elton and Madonna battle it out for the 'best party' Oscar

It's not just the nominees who will be battling it out at tonight’s glamorous Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles.

Behind the scenes at the Kodak Theatre, a war has been waging between two of the world’s biggest stars, Sir Elton John and Madonna, who are throwing rival post-Oscar parties at the same time, two miles from each other in Hollywood.
In a battle of A-list egos, the feuding stars have spent the days leading up to the 84th Academy Awards ceremony trying to outshine one another in a desperate attempt to host the best Oscars party in town. 

Star Wars: Sir Elton will compete with Madonna as both hold post-Oscar parties at the same time

Sir Elton, 64, and civil partner David Furnish are holding their annual Oscar dinner party at the Pacific Design Centre in aid of the Elton John Aids Foundation.

Tickets to the event cost $3,500 (£2,200) and last year it raised $4 million (£2.5 million).
Katy Perry, Chace Crawford, Dita Von Teese, Heidi Klum and Jessica Alba are among the invited guests.
But Madonna, who is engaged in a long-running spat with Sir Elton, is determined to upstage his dinner. The 53-year-old has poached Sir Elton’s favourite LA florist, Eric Butterbaugh, and has promised guests she will sing live at her party.
Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Britney Spears, Natalie Portman, Sean Penn, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Lopez and Tom Cruise are reportedly confirmed to attend the party at her manager Guy Oseary’s house.
The singer, whose film W.E. has been nominated in the Oscar’s costume design category, has apparently even phoned Penelope Cruz, Bradley Cooper and Cameron Diaz to personally invite them to the party, which she usually co-hosts with Demi Moore, who is recovering from a breakdown.

A Oscar statue is seen on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony in Los Angeles

New home: The ceremony is being held at the Kodak Theatre

‘Madonna wants to make sure she has better guests than Elton. The war between them has now become quite personal,’ said a source.
‘Madonna has been calling people up asking them to attend. Most of the big names will go to the Vanity Fair party, then they will head to Madonna’s after that.’
Stars and nominees attend the post-Academy Award’s dinner, the Governors Ball, before taking their pick of glamorous after-parties.
According to one source, Madonna is so keen to ensure her party is well attended she been calling in favours from contacts so that her guests get to leave with a goodie bag. 

Final preparations continue as media outlets set up for their coverage. The show is broadcasted in over 200 countries

Madonna and Elton first fell out at the Q Awards in 2004 when Madonna won Best Live Act and Elton accused her of lip-syncing. ‘Anyone who lip-syncs in public on stage, when you pay £75 to see them, should be shot,’ he said at the time.
He reignited their feud recently when he said Madonna would not sing live at the Super Bowl earlier this month. He also said she had  ‘no ****ing chance’ of winning a Golden Globe for W.E. – before she took home the award.

Watch the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, 26 February on Sky TV from 11.30pm

84TH ACADEMY AWARDS NOMINEES

BEST PICTURE	BEST ACTOR	BEST ACTRESS
The Artist	Demian Bichir - A Better Life	Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
The Descendants	George Clooney - The Descendants	Viola Davis - The Help
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close	Jean Dujardin - The Artist	Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help	Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy	Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Hugo	Brad Pitt – Moneyball	Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn
Midnight In Paris
Moneyball	SUPPORTING ACTOR	SUPPORTING ACTRESS
The Tree Of Life	Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn	Berenice Bejo - The Artist
War Horse	Jonah Hill - Moneyball	Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
	Nick Nolte - Warrior	Jessica Chastain - The Help
DIRECTOR	Christopher Plummer - Beginners	Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist	Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close	Octavia Spencer - The Help
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Martin Scorsese - Hugo	ADAPTED SCREENPLAY	ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen - Midnight In Paris	The Descendants	The Artist
Terrence Malick - The Tree Of Life	Moneyball	Margin Call
	Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy	Bridesmaids
	Hugo	Midnight In Paris
	The Ides Of March	A Separation

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2106521/Oscars-2012-Elton-John-Madonna-battle-best-post-Academy-Awards-party.html#ixzz1nWSZQ7Yg