Stars in their eyes

Stars in their eyes

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The world’s top actors and actresses gathered for the Academy Awards on March 2 to see who would be honoured with the most coveted prizes in film.

Viewers around the globe tuned in to watch the proceedings, and a self-portrait taken on the big night of host Ellen DeGeneres and stars including Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper quickly became the most shared photo ever on Twitter.

. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

The award for Best Picture went to drama "12 Years a Slave," directed by Steve McQueen (right).

It made history as the first movie from a black director to win the film industry's highest honour in 86 years of the Oscars.

McQueen’s unflinching portrayal of pre-Civil War American slavery won two other Oscars, including best supporting actress for newcomer Lupita Nyong'o (second left) and best adapted screenplay based on the memoir of Solomon Northup, a free man tricked and sold into slavery in Louisiana.

"Everyone deserves not just to survive but to live. This is the most important legacy of Solomon Northup," said McQueen in his acceptance speech.

. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

The space thriller “Gravity” racked up the most Oscars of the night with seven, including the best director honour for Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, a first for a Latin American director.

The film starring Sandra Bullock as an astronaut lost in space swept the technical awards like visual effects and cinematography, a reward for its groundbreaking work on conveying space and weightlessness.

Referring to the "transformative" experience he and others undertook in the years spent making "Gravity," Cuaron said, "For a lot of these people, that transformation was wisdom. For me, it was just the colour of my hair."

. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Matthew McConaughey (right) won the Oscar for best actor for his role in "Dallas Buyers Club" as a homophobic, rodeo-loving Texan who contracts AIDS and becomes an unlikely saviour for gay patients and drug addicts desperate for treatment.

McConaughey lost some 50 pounds (23 kg) for the role, looking gaunt as real-life crusader Ron Woodroof, a cowboy who fought the U.S. government during the early AIDS epidemic of the 1980s to provide patients with medicines he imported from foreign countries.

McConaughey beat rival Oscar nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (left), who played the lead in “The Wolf of Wall Street," a tale of financial greed directed by Martin Scorsese.

. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Lupita Nyong'o won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her performance as the slave Patsey in drama "12 Years a Slave," capping a breakout awards season for the Yale-trained Kenyan actress.

Nyong'o, 31, won the Oscar in her first feature film role, earning a thunderous standing ovation from the Hollywood audience. She beat fellow frontrunner Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal of a loopy housewife in caper "American Hustle" in one of the most closely-watched Academy Award races this year.

"It doesn't escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else's, and so I want to salute the spirit of Patsey, for her guidance,” Nyong'o said.

. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Comedienne and talk show star Ellen DeGeneres hosted the awards, bringing her deadpan affability, and free pizza, to the Oscar night while also poking fun at Hollywood royalty.

She handed a faux consolation prize - a pair of lottery tickets - to "American Hustle" star Bradley Cooper after he lost his bid for best supporting actor and ushered a pizza delivery guy into the auditorium to hand out slices to the stars. Actor Brad Pitt even helped to distribute paper plates.

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Meryl Streep, best actress nominee for her role in "August: Osage County," arrives at the 86th Academy Awards.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Mike Blake

Meryl Streep, best actress nominee for her role in "August: Osage County," arrives at the 86th Academy Awards.

Figure skater and commentator Johnny Weir’s shoes sparkle as he arrives on the red carpet.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Figure skater and commentator Johnny Weir’s shoes sparkle as he arrives on the red carpet.

Jared Leto, who won the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in “Dallas Buyers Club”, arrives at the 86th Academy Awards.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Jared Leto, who won the best supporting actor Oscar for his performance in “Dallas Buyers Club”, arrives at the 86th Academy Awards.

Actress Olivia Wilde, wearing Lorraine Schwartz drop earrings, winks next to her partner Jason Sudeikis as they arrive at the Oscars.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

Actress Olivia Wilde, wearing Lorraine Schwartz drop earrings, winks next to her partner Jason Sudeikis as they arrive at the Oscars.

Jennifer Lawrence, best supporting actress nominee, peeks around an Oscar statue.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

Jennifer Lawrence, best supporting actress nominee, peeks around an Oscar statue.

Ellen Degeneres hosts the show at the start of the Academy Awards.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Ellen Degeneres hosts the show at the start of the Academy Awards.

The singer Pink performs a tribute to "The Wizard of Oz.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

The singer Pink performs a tribute to "The Wizard of Oz.

Matthew McConaughey accepts the Oscar for best actor.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Matthew McConaughey accepts the Oscar for best actor.

Best actress winner Cate Blanchett looks back as she leaves the photo room with her Oscar.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Best actress winner Cate Blanchett looks back as she leaves the photo room with her Oscar.

Director David O. Russell (left) runs away with the Oscar won by director Spike Jonze (back 3rd left) as they joke on the carpet at the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscars Party in West Hollywood.
. WEST HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

Director David O. Russell (left) runs away with the Oscar won by director Spike Jonze (back 3rd left) as they joke on the carpet at the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscars Party in West Hollywood.

Actress Portia de Rossi (left) and her wife, Oscar host Ellen Degeneres, arrive at the party.
. WEST HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

Actress Portia de Rossi (left) and her wife, Oscar host Ellen Degeneres, arrive at the party.

Actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the Governor’s Ball after the 86th Academy Awards.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

Actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the Governor’s Ball after the 86th Academy Awards.

Spike Jonze, winner of best original screenplay for the film "Her", kisses director Alfonso Cuaron.
. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

Spike Jonze, winner of best original screenplay for the film "Her", kisses director Alfonso Cuaron.

List Of Key Oscar Winners

BEST PICTURE

"12 Years a Slave"

BEST ACTOR

Matthew McConaughey in "Dallas Buyers Club"

BEST ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett in "Blue Jasmine"

BEST DIRECTOR

Alfonso Cuaron for "Gravity"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Jared Leto in "Dallas Buyers Club"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Lupita Nyong'o in "12 Years a Slave"

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

"12 Years a Slave"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

"Her"

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

"The Great Beauty," Italy

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

"Frozen"

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

"20 Feet from Stardom"

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"Let It Go" from "Frozen"

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

"Gravity"

BEST COSTUMES

"The Great Gatsby"

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

"Gravity"

BEST MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING

"Dallas Buyers Club"

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

"Gravity"

. HOLLYWOOD, United States. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

The winners of Hollywood’s most prestigious acting prizes stand together: (left to right) Matthew McConaughey, who won the Oscar for Best Actor, Cate Blanchett for Best Actress, Lupita Nyong'o for Best Supporting Actress and Jared Leto for Best Supporting Actor.