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South African Oscar-winner Charlize Theron will return to the Academy Awards stage next month to present one of the coveted golden Oscar statuettes, organisers announced on Tuesday.
The ice-blond beauty, 30, who won the best actress statuette for 2003's "Monster," in which she played a serial killer, is nominated again this year for her leading role as a female miner in "North Country."
Theron, who arrived in Hollywood just a decade ago as a ballet dancer and model who spoke barely a word of English, is now one of Tinseltown's hottest properties.
She joined a star-studded list of presenters of cinema's highest honours, including "Pulp Fiction" and "Kill Bill" actress Uma Thurman, Australian Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman and double Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks.
Also presenting this year are the 2005 best actress and best actor winners, Hilary Swank and Jamie Foxx, who took home statuettes for "Million Dollar Baby" and "Ray" respectively.
Also announced as presenters are "Crash," "Speed" and "Miss Congeniality" actress Sandra Bullock and the 2005 best supporting actor, Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman.
Hollywood darling Jennifer Aniston, star of the hit US television show "Friends" and the ex-wife of screen heartthrob Brad Pitt, and starlet Jessica Alba are also confirmed as presenters.
Country music queen Dolly Parton has signed up to perform at the show and will sing her Oscar-nominated original song "Travelin' Thru" from the movie "Transamerica," the story of a transgender woman's journey toward a sex change.
Also performing at the March 5 Oscars ceremony in Hollywood will be Kathleen "Bird" York, who will sing "In the Deep" from the nominated movie film "Crash," for which she is nominated for writing the music and lyrics.
Nominations for the Oscars were announced on January 31 and the glittering ceremony will take place at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre in less than two weeks.
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AFPEntertainment-US-film-Oscars-Theron
AFP 211928 GMT 02 06
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