Also eschewing the traditional limo ride will be last year's best actress Oscar-winner, Charlize Theron, 2005 acting nominees Morgan Freeman and Natalie Portman, Salma Hayek as well as Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson, according to environmental group Global Green USA.

"With global warming threatening us all, driving a fuel efficient car like a hybrid is something that everybody can do to protect our planet," said Mexican-born movie star Hayek, who will present an Oscar statuette.

British "Lord of the Rings" heartthrob Orlando Bloom, who will also hand out one of the golden guys on Sunday, added: "People can choose to change the way they drive to help reduce our impact on the environment."

A growing number of Hollywood stars are publicly movine to transform the Oscars red carpet into a green carpet by arriving in small-but-economical hybrid Toyota Prius cars to draw attention to global warming.

The Oscars arrivals are broadcast across the world and are watched by up to a billion television viewers, giving celebrities a chance to show off their environmentally-friendly credentials.

"By foregoing gas-guzzling limos Oscar attendees show their support for fuel efficient cars to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels, reduce air pollution, and stem climate change," said Matt Petersen, president of Global Green, the US arm of ex-Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev's Green Cross.

Other stars who have in the past chosen to conspicuously slip their small electric-fuel hatchbacks into the queues of stretch-limousines at the Academy Awards include Harrison Ford and Tim Robbins and Susuan Sarandon.

Earlier this week, a group of green stars including Kate Bosworth, Tim Robbins, Julie Delpy and Dennis Hopper attended a green pre-Oscars gala in Los Angeles at which they appealed to US President George W. Bush to support a "smart climate agenda."

Some 3,300 stars and other guests are expected to attend the 77th annual Academy Awards show that gets underway at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre at 5:00 pm Sunday (0100 GMT Monday).

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