Kate Winslet 'is NOT pregnant but was simply letting Cate Blanchett and Brie Larson feel the material of her dress when they touched her tummy at the Oscars'

The rumour mill went into overdrive on Sunday night when Cate Blanchett and Brie Larson were pictured excitedly touching Kate Winslet's tummy at the Oscars.

After social media users speculated that she could be expecting her fourth child, a slightly more simple explanation for the exchange has since emerged.

A source close to the actress told TMZ that 'the star is NOT pregnant but was actually letting her friends feel the beautiful fabric of the dress.'

The set of the candid snaps, taken at the major movie event, featured Kate, 40, Cate, 46, and Brie , 26, excitedly chatting to one another. In the pictures, the trio of Oscar nominees are seen standing in a circle, smiling and talking.

In the first of the series of shots, Kate has her hand on the waist of a rapt-looking Brie, her mouth open as she tells the Room actress something.

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In the next shot, Carol star Cate's eyes get wide with surprise, as she seems to be full of excitement over whatever it was that Kate had just said.

She then leans in to place a hand on Kate's stomach, resting it at the top of her abdomen. Finally, Brie gives Kate an enthusiastic hug.

The sweet set of images were immediately seized upon by beady-eyed social media users, with some internet sleuths speculating that Kate may have told the other stars that she is pregnant and expecting a fourth child.

'Did Kate Winslet just tell Cate Blanchett and Brie Larson that she's pregnant or am I just looking into it too much?' tweeted @SouDamnTrue after the show last night, while sharing the set of images from the awards ceremony.

Titanic star Kate already has a 15-year-old daughter with ex-husband Jim Threapleton, whom she divorced in 2001, Mia Honey Threapleton, a 12-year-old son with her second ex-husband, director Sam Mendes, Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes, and a two-year-old son, Bear Blaze Winslet with her current husband Ned Rocknroll.

Kate and Ned, who are extremely private, are reported to have tied the knot in New York in December 2012, in an intimate ceremony among their nearest and dearest.

Kate's super-shiny Ralph Lauren gown threatened to reveal every last bump — but Kate also looked quite svelte on the red carpet.

Fans also speculated that she may have been remarking on how slim Kate looked, comforting her stomach ache, or feeling the high-shine fabric - which TMZ's source claims was in fact the case.

But while the reason for the sudden outburst of excitement between the star, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Steve Jobs but lost out to Alicia Vikander, and her friends is not known, there is no doubt that it was an emotional and unbelievably happy night for Kate on every level.

The actress watched on with a joyous expression as her former co-star and long-time friend Leonardo DiCaprio won his first Oscar, scooping the Best Actor award for his role in The Revenant.

As Leo gave his acceptance speech, during which he took the opportunity to share a warning about global warming, the cameras panned to the audience to show a visibly-emotional, and very teary-eyed, Kate, who appears to have attended the ceremony without her husband, sitting with her hands clasped together in front of her face.

Daily Mail Online has reached out to Kate Winslet's team for comment.

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The Beauty Tools You Aren't Cleaning but Should

You already know the importance of cleaning and disinfecting your makeup brushes. But what you might not consider is the bacteria and germs festering on other makeup tools too. Just ask yourself, when was the last time you cleaned your eyelash curler or the inside of your makeup bag? They're full of gunk, yet we do nothing about it. Not because we don't care but because we don't think about it. That's why we turned to two celebrity makeup artists for a little reminder. After all, they have two jobs: making their clients look good and keeping their tools bacteria-free to avoid breakouts and contamination. Here's what they have to say:

Tweezers

Makeup artist Stella Kae has worked on celebrities like Alyssa Milano and Patricia Arquette, and one tool she always uses is her trusty tweezers to apply lashes. Afterward, she says she cleans them with alcohol and sometimes places them in sterilizing bags.

Eyelash Curler and Pencil Sharpener

We likely don't have to explain why it's important to clean your eyelash curler since there's usually leftover mascara on it. Not only should you change the rubber strip on it every three to six months, but celebrity makeup artist Lusine (she works regularly with Victoria Justice) says she cleans it regularly between each client, along with another tool, her pencil sharpener. "They need to be placed in a state-board-approved disinfection solution for a certain amount of time to ensure that they are disinfected," she says. For those of us who aren't makeup artists, a rubdown with alcohol works too.

Makeup Sponges

Just like makeup brushes, sponges come directly into contact with our skin and makeup. Not only does that transfer bacteria, but Kae says, "it will muddy the colors you're trying to use!" Brush cleanser works on sponges or you can use gentle baby shampoo.

Makeup Bag

Yes, the inside of your makeup bag counts as a beauty tool. And the last time we looked in ours, it was a hot mess. Lusine says, "Anything that can come close to any opening of your face should be cleaned and sanitized. This includes anything that carries these products such as makeup bags or travel bags." Looks like it's time to give it a good scrub!