King’s Speech crowned big winner at Oscars

Firth accepts an Oscar for his role in “The King’s Speech” during the 83rd Academy Awards, February 27, 2011


“The King’s Speech” won four Oscars including best film today (Sunday night local time) during Hollywood’s biggest night when many front-runners claimed glory including Colin Firth and Natalie Portman for best actor and actress.

The world’s top film honours from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences came packed with a lot of comedy onstage from show hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco but the attention, as always, was on awards and winners.




Portman was named best actress for her role as a young ballerina who grows into womanhood in “Black Swan.” She wiped tears from her eyes onstage collecting her Oscar as she thanked her family, co-stars and director Darren Aronofsky.

“This is insane and I truly, sincerely wish the prize was to get to work with my fellow nominees,” she said.

Firth won best actor for playing stammering British King George VI in “The King’s Speech,” in which the monarch must overcome his speech impediment to lead his country.

“I have a feeling my career just peaked,” Firth joked.

When Tom Hooper was named best director, he thanked his mom for being first to suggest he make “The King’s Speech.”

“The moral of the story is, listen to your mother,” Hooper said.

Melissa Leo and Christian Bale, playing a tough-minded mom and her drug-addicted son in boxing movie “The Fighter,” won supporting actress and actor, while “King’s Speech” writer David Seidler” won for best adapted screenplay and Aaron Sorkin with “The Social Network” earned best original screenplay.

Franco and Hathaway, the first man and woman team to host the Oscars, got the show off to a comic start and continued to make audiences laugh. While they provided a youthful edge to the programme — Hathaway, 28, was the youngest host ever — many of the show’s sequences harkened back to Hollywood’s history.

And top actresses dazzled on the red carpet with bright and colourful fashion choices, a turnaround from more muted styles of recent years that reflected the world’s economic woes.

King’s Speech crowned big winner at Oscars

Firth accepts an Oscar for his role in “The King’s Speech” during the 83rd Academy Awards, February 27, 2011


“The King’s Speech” won four Oscars including best film today (Sunday night local time) during Hollywood’s biggest night when many front-runners claimed glory including Colin Firth and Natalie Portman for best actor and actress.

The world’s top film honours from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences came packed with a lot of comedy onstage from show hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco but the attention, as always, was on awards and winners.




Portman was named best actress for her role as a young ballerina who grows into womanhood in “Black Swan.” She wiped tears from her eyes onstage collecting her Oscar as she thanked her family, co-stars and director Darren Aronofsky.

“This is insane and I truly, sincerely wish the prize was to get to work with my fellow nominees,” she said.

Firth won best actor for playing stammering British King George VI in “The King’s Speech,” in which the monarch must overcome his speech impediment to lead his country.

“I have a feeling my career just peaked,” Firth joked.

When Tom Hooper was named best director, he thanked his mom for being first to suggest he make “The King’s Speech.”

“The moral of the story is, listen to your mother,” Hooper said.

Melissa Leo and Christian Bale, playing a tough-minded mom and her drug-addicted son in boxing movie “The Fighter,” won supporting actress and actor, while “King’s Speech” writer David Seidler” won for best adapted screenplay and Aaron Sorkin with “The Social Network” earned best original screenplay.

Franco and Hathaway, the first man and woman team to host the Oscars, got the show off to a comic start and continued to make audiences laugh. While they provided a youthful edge to the programme — Hathaway, 28, was the youngest host ever — many of the show’s sequences harkened back to Hollywood’s history.

And top actresses dazzled on the red carpet with bright and colourful fashion choices, a turnaround from more muted styles of recent years that reflected the world’s economic woes.

Melissa Leo wins first Oscar for ‘The Fighter’

Melissa Leo won her first Academy Award yesterday for her supporting role in “The Fighter,” a movie that propelled the 50-year-old actress into the mainstream for the first time in her career.

Leo was considered a favourite for the prize, but faced strong competition from both co-star Amy Adams and Helena Bonham-Carter for “The King’s Speech.” All played real-life characters.

But Leo seemed overwhelmed when she stepped up to receive her Oscar and let a rare “F-word” slip out on the movie industry’s biggest night.

“Will you pinch me?”, she asked presenter Kirk Douglas.





“Oh my god! Oh wow!. Really, really, really truly wow. I know there have been a lot of people saying some real, real nice things to me for several months now. But I am just shaking in my boots here,” she said.

Leo starred in “The Fighter” as Alice Ward, the feisty mother of two New England boxing heroes played by Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, who picked up the best supporting actor award later in the show.

While her characterisation of the brassy matriarch was not exactly sympathetic, Leo has gone out of her way during awards season to paint Ward as an unsung heroine with a good heart.

Leo got the first language “bleep” of the awards show telecast, while thanking the members of the Ward family on whose story “The Fighter” was based.

She later apologised backstage for using the “F-word” — a rare incident at the live ceremony for the movie industry’s highest honours.

“I apologise to anyone they offend. There is a great deal of the English language that is in my vernacular. I did not mean to offend, and (it was) a very inappropriate place to use that particular word,” Leo told journalists.

Leo was nominated for an Oscar two years ago for her lead role in “Frozen River,” an arthouse drama that grossed just US$2.5 million at the North American box office. “The Fighter,” by contrast, has earned about US$88 million to date.

Leo thanked the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who had voted for her, adding that the Oscars are about “selling motion pictures and respecting the work.”

The other supporting actress nominees were Hailee Steinfeld for “True Grit” and Jacki Weaver for “Animal Kingdom”.

Melissa Leo wins first Oscar for ‘The Fighter’

Melissa Leo won her first Academy Award yesterday for her supporting role in “The Fighter,” a movie that propelled the 50-year-old actress into the mainstream for the first time in her career.

Leo was considered a favourite for the prize, but faced strong competition from both co-star Amy Adams and Helena Bonham-Carter for “The King’s Speech.” All played real-life characters.

But Leo seemed overwhelmed when she stepped up to receive her Oscar and let a rare “F-word” slip out on the movie industry’s biggest night.

“Will you pinch me?”, she asked presenter Kirk Douglas.





“Oh my god! Oh wow!. Really, really, really truly wow. I know there have been a lot of people saying some real, real nice things to me for several months now. But I am just shaking in my boots here,” she said.

Leo starred in “The Fighter” as Alice Ward, the feisty mother of two New England boxing heroes played by Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, who picked up the best supporting actor award later in the show.

While her characterisation of the brassy matriarch was not exactly sympathetic, Leo has gone out of her way during awards season to paint Ward as an unsung heroine with a good heart.

Leo got the first language “bleep” of the awards show telecast, while thanking the members of the Ward family on whose story “The Fighter” was based.

She later apologised backstage for using the “F-word” — a rare incident at the live ceremony for the movie industry’s highest honours.

“I apologise to anyone they offend. There is a great deal of the English language that is in my vernacular. I did not mean to offend, and (it was) a very inappropriate place to use that particular word,” Leo told journalists.

Leo was nominated for an Oscar two years ago for her lead role in “Frozen River,” an arthouse drama that grossed just US$2.5 million at the North American box office. “The Fighter,” by contrast, has earned about US$88 million to date.

Leo thanked the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who had voted for her, adding that the Oscars are about “selling motion pictures and respecting the work.”

The other supporting actress nominees were Hailee Steinfeld for “True Grit” and Jacki Weaver for “Animal Kingdom”.

Christian Bale wins Oscar for ‘The Fighter’

Welsh-born actor Christian Bale won the Academy Award yesterday for his supporting role as a washed-up former boxing champ in “The Fighter”.

Bale, 37, dominated the various awards shows leading up to the Oscars, but pundits had said he might face some strong competition from Geoffrey Rush for “The King’s Speech”.




It marked the first win and first nomination for Bale, who lost 30 pounds (13.5 kg) to play the real-life role of Dicky Eklund, a former regional Welterweight boxing champion who succumbs to a cocaine addiction.

Bale is perhaps best known for his title role in the latest Batman films, though he was often overshadowed by co-stars such as posthumous Oscar-winner Heath Ledger. With “The Fighter,” he stole the thunder of headliner Mark Wahlberg who played Dicky’s pugilist younger brother, Micky Ward.

He becomes the third Welsh actor to win the best actor Oscar, after Ray Milland and Anthony Hopkins.

Besides Rush, Bale’s other rivals were John Hawkes for “Winter’s Bone”, Jeremy Renner for “The Town” and Mark Ruffalo for “The Kids Are All Right”.

Christian Bale wins Oscar for ‘The Fighter’

Welsh-born actor Christian Bale won the Academy Award yesterday for his supporting role as a washed-up former boxing champ in “The Fighter”.

Bale, 37, dominated the various awards shows leading up to the Oscars, but pundits had said he might face some strong competition from Geoffrey Rush for “The King’s Speech”.




It marked the first win and first nomination for Bale, who lost 30 pounds (13.5 kg) to play the real-life role of Dicky Eklund, a former regional Welterweight boxing champion who succumbs to a cocaine addiction.

Bale is perhaps best known for his title role in the latest Batman films, though he was often overshadowed by co-stars such as posthumous Oscar-winner Heath Ledger. With “The Fighter,” he stole the thunder of headliner Mark Wahlberg who played Dicky’s pugilist younger brother, Micky Ward.

He becomes the third Welsh actor to win the best actor Oscar, after Ray Milland and Anthony Hopkins.

Besides Rush, Bale’s other rivals were John Hawkes for “Winter’s Bone”, Jeremy Renner for “The Town” and Mark Ruffalo for “The Kids Are All Right”.

Mila Kunis almost nipslip with big breasts

Adding fuel to the rumors that Justin Timberlake’s penis accepted Mila Kunis‘ friend request (Don’t ever let me do that again.), he conveniently showed up to the Oscars sans Jessica Biel only to turn around and present an award with 95% of Mila’s breasts. Again, this could all be circumstantial evidence thanks to their new movie coming out, but it’s getting a little too suspicious. Next we’re going to find out “really good friends” knock each other up all the time and then marry each other for the tax credits. Doesn’t mean Jessica Biel’s a lesbian. Ha! Did her girlfriend tell you that? She’s a character.

Mila Kunis almost nipslip with big breasts

Adding fuel to the rumors that Justin Timberlake’s penis accepted Mila Kunis‘ friend request (Don’t ever let me do that again.), he conveniently showed up to the Oscars sans Jessica Biel only to turn around and present an award with 95% of Mila’s breasts. Again, this could all be circumstantial evidence thanks to their new movie coming out, but it’s getting a little too suspicious. Next we’re going to find out “really good friends” knock each other up all the time and then marry each other for the tax credits. Doesn’t mean Jessica Biel’s a lesbian. Ha! Did her girlfriend tell you that? She’s a character.

Portman named Best Actress for ‘Black Swan’ role

 Portman poses on the red carpet as she arrives at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California.


Natalie Portman won the best actress Academy Award today (Sunday night local time) for her role as an unhinged ballerina in “Black Swan.”

The 29-year-old Israeli-American was considered the strong favourite for the award, having dominated the various awards shows leading up to the Oscars.


Portman trained five hours a day for six months to prepare for “Black Swan,” a project she and director Darren Aronofsky first discussed about nine years ago. When they started shooting the film in 2009, it had not secured any financing.

Her character, desperately insecure and possibly still a virgin, contends with professional jealousies and rivalries as she secures the dual lead roles in “Swan Lake.”

The film was a commercial and critical hit, with worldwide ticket sales of more than US$200 million (RM600 million). As a bonus, Portman last year announced she was pregnant and would marry the baby’s father, a dancer she met on the “Black Swan” set. She previously received an Oscar nomination in 2005, for her supporting role in “Closer.”

Portman’s rivals were four-time nominee Annette Bening for “The Kids Are All Right,” previous Oscar winner Nicole Kidman for “Rabbit Hole,” Jennifer Lawrence for “Winter’s Bone,” and Michelle Williams for “Blue Valentine.”

Portman named Best Actress for ‘Black Swan’ role

 Portman poses on the red carpet as she arrives at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California.


Natalie Portman won the best actress Academy Award today (Sunday night local time) for her role as an unhinged ballerina in “Black Swan.”

The 29-year-old Israeli-American was considered the strong favourite for the award, having dominated the various awards shows leading up to the Oscars.


Portman trained five hours a day for six months to prepare for “Black Swan,” a project she and director Darren Aronofsky first discussed about nine years ago. When they started shooting the film in 2009, it had not secured any financing.

Her character, desperately insecure and possibly still a virgin, contends with professional jealousies and rivalries as she secures the dual lead roles in “Swan Lake.”

The film was a commercial and critical hit, with worldwide ticket sales of more than US$200 million (RM600 million). As a bonus, Portman last year announced she was pregnant and would marry the baby’s father, a dancer she met on the “Black Swan” set. She previously received an Oscar nomination in 2005, for her supporting role in “Closer.”

Portman’s rivals were four-time nominee Annette Bening for “The Kids Are All Right,” previous Oscar winner Nicole Kidman for “Rabbit Hole,” Jennifer Lawrence for “Winter’s Bone,” and Michelle Williams for “Blue Valentine.”

Oscar 2011 The winners of the shortest frocks and celebrity oscar pictures.

 Different shades of black: Kate Beckinsale keeps it classy in black - unlike Jena  Malone who wore a see-through lace number

 Alone: Jessica Biel arrived at the party solo after her boyfriend Justin Timberlake took his mother rather than her to the Oscars ceremony earlier in the evening - but her singer boyfriend joined her later

 Young love: Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber were also on the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party at the Sunset Tower in Los Angeles last night

 Still together: Jessica and boyfriend Justin Timberlake cosy up on the sofa at the Vanity Fair party

Back to black: Kate Beckinsale and her husband Len Wiseman looked loved up in matching black at the glitzy bash

 Party people: Mick Jagger and his model girlfriend L'Wren Scott were also on the red carpet, along with Jude Law and his friend Robert Downey Jnr and wife Susan

 

 Golden couples: True Blood's Stephen Moyer and his onscreen and offscreen partner Anna Paquin and Camila Alves and Matthew McConaughey 

 Bobbydazzlers: Taylor Swift, left, shimmered in a short gold strapless gown with matching shoes, whereas Cameron Diaz, right, was wearing a tight off-the-shoulder monochrome print dress with black shoeboots

 All that glisters: Golden girl Taylor made a grand entrance in her sparkling gold frock

 Ladies in red: Previous Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock looked stunning in vivid scarlet while comedy actress Leslie Mann was classy in claret 

 Time to shine: Glee star Lea Michele, Emma Roberts and Claire Danes all had different ideas of red carpet glamour 

 Contrasts: Emma Stone, who stars in the forthcoming The Amazing Spider-Man, wore an interested purple patterned dress, whereas former Road House and Drugstore Cowboy star Kelly Lynch kept it simple in black

Purple patch: 77-year-old Joan Collins looked glamorous as ever in a lilac gown and Rita Wilson was feeling the colour in a patterned silk frock too  

She's got legs: The star was one of the most dazzling at the magazine's post Academy Awards event

 Hot ticket: Colin Firth arrives with his Best Actor Oscar and wife Livia Giuggioli

 Just swell: A beaming Natalie Portman arrived at the bash proudly holding her Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Black Swan

 Past and present: Mick Jagger poses with Justin and then the teen star excitedly shows the snap to girlfriend Selena

 Odd choices: Designers Donna Karan, left, and Diane Von Furstenberg, both missed the mark when it came to style despite their day jobs

 Cam here often? Ms Diaz wasn't shy to show off her stunning physique at the West Hollywood party

Going for gold: Gwyneth Paltrow looked stunning in a shimmering gold asymmetric gown

Black tie, white tie: Mad Men star Jon Hamm and girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt looked the business at the bash as Cameron caught up with friend Jude Law 

Young love: Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber were also on the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party at the Sunset Tower in Los Angeles last night