Eddie Redmayne will be hoping for a boost in his bid to win the best actor Oscar two years in a row as he vies for his second Screen Actors Guild Award.

The awards will be handed out at a star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday evening.

Preparations for the SAG Awards have begun in Los Angeles
Preparations for the SAG Awards have begun in Los Angeles (Rich Fury/AP)

The SAGs are generally seen as a testing ground for the Academy Awards as the last 11 stars to win the gong for male actor in a leading role also went on to pick up the best actor Oscar.

Last year, British actor Eddie continued the tradition by winning his first SAG Award and then his first Oscar for his role as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything.

Eddie Redmayne won a SAG Award in 2015
Eddie Redmayne won an SAG Award in 2015 (Vince Bucci/AP)

The British actor is nominated again this year for his role as transgender pioneer Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl.

He will be up against Johnny Depp for his role as gangster James “Whitey” Bulger in Black Mass, Leonardo DiCaprio for playing Hugh Glass in the epic revenge film The Revenant, Irish actor Michael Fassbender for his titular role in Steve Jobs and Bryan Cranston for his star turn as Dalton Trumbo in the film Trumbo.

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant (Fox)

The only one of these not to also be in the running for the best actor Oscar is Depp. Instead, the Academy has given the nod to Matt Damon for playing a stranded astronaut in The Martian.

Oscar nominees Cate Blanchett (Carol), Brie Larson (Room) and Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) will compete for the SAG Award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role.

Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn
Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn (Lionsgate)

They will also face competition from Sarah Silverman for her role in I Smile Back and Dame Helen Mirren for Woman in Gold.

Dame Helen will be hoping for an awards show sweep after picking up nominations in multiple categories.

As well as her leading actress nomination, she has also been recognised for her supporting role as Hedda Hopper in Trumbo.

Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren (Ian West/PA)

British actors Idris Elba and Mark Rylance will go head to head, competing against each other in two categories.

Idris was nominated for the award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries for his role as DCI John Luther in BBC drama Luther while Mark was honoured for his role in period drama Wolf Hall.

Idris Elba in Luther
Idris Elba in Luther (Steffan Hill/BBC)

Idris and Mark also scored nominations for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role in a motion picture.

Mark was nominated for his performance in Steven Spielberg’s espionage thriller Bridge of Spies while Idris received the nod for his terrifying depiction of Commandant in Beasts of No Nation.

Idris secured a third mention for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture for Beasts of No Nation.