Uggie to star in Oscars, favorite for Golden Collar

The competition is hot for the movie world's top acting award.

No, not between George Clooney and Brad Pitt. And not between Meryl Streep and Viola Davis.

It's not the race for the Oscar — it's competition for the Golden Collar, the award for the best performance by a dog.

The favorite is Uggie, the Jack Russell terrier who steals the show in "The Artist" and who has a Facebook campaign that has attracted 10,000 supporters. Uggie, 10, also had a starring role in "Water for Elephants."

Although no Oscars are awarded to dogs, there are reports that Uggie will appear in a sketch at the Oscar awards show with host Billy Crystal. Some wags say Uggie will be one of the 10 biggest stars attending the awards ceremony.

But Uggie does face some competition for the Golden Collar. Actor Christopher Plummer is campaigning for Cosmo, his canine co-star Cosmo in "Beginners." And Martin Scorsese has appeared on television promoting Blackie, the Doberman Pinscher in his film, "Hugo."

Why is Uggie such a favorite?

Take a look at his recent television appearance with Ellen Degeneres: