Actress Swank to present an Oscar

Swank stars in the forthcoming thriller The Black Dahlia

Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank will present an Academy Award at the 78th annual awards on 5 March.

Swank, who picked up the best actress award last year for Million Dollar Baby, is the first presenter to be announced for the 2006 awards.

The 31-year-old actress previously won a best actress Oscar for her performance in Boys Don't Cry in 2000.

Nominations for the forthcoming Academy Awards will be announced in Los Angeles on 31 January.

The actress is currently shooting the drama Freedom Writers, with Imelda Staunton and Scott Glenn.

Horror film

She recently completed work on the horror film The Reaping and Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia, opposite Scarlett Johansson and Josh Hartnett.

Last week, the actress announced she is separating from her husband of more than eight years, actor Chad Lowe.

Organisers will announce further presenters for the Academy Awards in the run-up to the awards in March.

Brokeback Mountain, a love story set in Wyoming, is tipped to dominate the awards after winning four Golden Globes.