Ethan Hawke has branded the Oscars "destructive" and "fake" in a scathing criticism of the Hollywood awards season just days before the movie industry's biggest prizegiving.

The two-time Oscar nominee, who received nods for 2001's "Training Day" and 2004 romance "Before Sunset," fears the annual tradition of handing out prizes is detrimental to the industry because it encourages such a fiercely competitive culture.

He is also convinced the Academy Awards have very little value because they have been won by so many "stupid movies" and "mediocre performers" over the years.

In an interview with America's Gotham magazine, which has emerged online just days before Sunday's Oscars ceremony, Hawke says, "People want to turn everything in this country into a competition... It's clear who the winner is and who the loser is. It's why they like to announce the grosses of movies, because it's a way of saying, 'This one is No. 1.' It's so asinine..."

"If you look at how many forgettable, stupid movies have won Oscars and how many mediocre performers have Oscars above their fireplace. Making a priority of chasing these fake carrots and money and dubious accolades, I think it's really destructive."