British film The King’s Speech has been crowned best picture at the Oscars, with star Colin Firth named best actor.
Tom Hooper was named best director for the film, which also won for best original screenplay at the ceremony last night.
Its best picture rival, The Social Network, won for adapted screenplay, film editing and score. Natalie Portman won best actress for Black Swan.
Briton Christian Bale and Melissa Leo won supporting acting awards for boxing drama The Fighter.
Firth, who had been firm favourite to win for his portrayal of King George VI battling a stammer, joked: “I have a feeling my career’s just peaked.”
The success of The King’s Speech denied director David Fincher and his film The Social Network, the story of the creation of Facebook that was considered its closest rival at the ceremony in Los Angeles’ Kodak Theatre.
The King’s Speech had led the nominations, competing in 12 categories, ahead of the ten nominations for True Grit – from which the Coen brothers’ Western won nothing.
There had been eight nominations each for Inception and The Social Network, the adapted screenplay for the latter winning an Oscar for The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin.
Portman had been the favourite for the best actress prize for her performance as a disturbed ballet dancer in Black Swan.
“This is insane, and I truly, sincerely wish that the prize tonight was to get to work with my fellow nominees – I’m so in awe of you,” said the pregnant actress. (BBC)
