Oscars 2015: Benedict Cumberbatch, Reese Witherspoon and the other actors Google wants to see win Academy Awards

Benedict Cumberbatch is the internet's darling in the Best Actor category

Benedict Cumberbatch is Google's favourite of the Best Actor nominees (Black Bear Pictures)

Film critics have been offering up their predictions on the movies, actors and actresses with the best chances of Oscars glory on Sunday.

But were the Academy Awards recipients decided by the public, the winners list would likely look quite different with several underdogs proving most popular in search engine data (see charts below).

Google can analyse global trends to reveal the top names in search traffic, which could to some degree predict the stars who may leave with golden statuettes.

So before things get underway in Hollywood this weekend, let's take a look at the most-searched nominees of the past 30 days.

Best Picture

Boyhood and Birdman are hotly-tipped to take the big prize this year but the latter did not even make the Top 5 in terms of search traffic. Instead it is British Alan Turing biopic The Imitation Game in pole place by a clear margin, a result that quite possibly has a lot to do with its internet darling lead star...

Google wants The Imitation Game to win Best Picture

Best Actor

No surprises here. Mr Benedict Cumberbatch has soared into the lead in Google search this month and we suspect Sherlock and his marriage may take some of the credit. However, American Sniper's Bradley Cooper has had the most searches on average over the last month, with industry favourites Eddie Redmayne and Michael Keaton only narrowly ahead of outsider Steve Carell.

Google wants Benedict Cumberbatch to win Best Actor

Best Actress

This category looks to be anyone's game with competition fierce between the five leading females. Wild's Reese Witherspoon is currently most popular but Gone Girl's Rosamund Pike, Still Alice's Julianne Moore and The Theory of Everything's Felicity Jones have all garnered spikes in interest over the past 30 days.

Google wants Reese Witherspoon to win Best Actress

Best Supporting Actor

JK Simmons might have all but taken home the Oscar for Whiplash, but the internet seems to have no real favourite. Both Simmons and Birdman actor Edward Norton have the most searches since late January with The Judge's Robert Duvall trailing the pack, but it doesn't look like any fanbase will be particularly disappointed.

Google wants Edward Norton to win Best Supporting Actor

Best Supporting Actress

It's Birdman's Emma Stone who has won Google's heart this past month, but The Imitation Game's Keira Knightley is hot on her tail. Laura Dern has had comparatively few searches while critics' favourite Patricia Arquette is in fourth place.

Google wants Emma Stone to win Best Supporting Actress