'The King's Speech'dominates Oscar Awards

Colin Firth (R), Best Actor Nominee for the film "The King's Speech" arrives with wife Livia Giuggioli for the awarding ceremony of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California, the United States, Feb. 27, 2011. (Xinhua/Qi Heng)

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- The air at the Kodak Theatre was thick with royal atmosphere as "The King's Speech" claimed four trophies on the Oscar night, taking home best picture, actor, director and screenplay as the top winner at the event.

Natalie Portman was named best actress for her role as a tortured ballet dancer in the psychological thriller "Black Swan," while Melissa Leo and Christian Bale took home supporting acting prizes for their work in "The Fighter."

"The King's Speech," a vivid account about King George VI of England struggling to overcome a hereditory stammer, came out on top of the 10-film field of best-picture nominees, topping critics' favorite "The Social Network."

Tom Hooper, won the best-director Oscar for helming the period piece. This was his first nomination -- and he gave the credit to his mother.

"My mom in 2007 was invited by some Australian friends ... to a fringe theater play reading of an unproduced, unrehearsed play called 'The King's Speech,"' he said onstage. "Now she's never been invited to a play reading before."

The top acting prizes all went as expected, with each of the winners already having added Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards to their mantles.

Firth, 50, won best actor on his second nomination. He got a nod last year for "A Single Man."

"I have a feeling my career has just peaked," he joked as he took the Kodak Theatre stage to accept the Oscar. "My deepest thanks to the Academy. I'm afraid I have to warn you that I'm experiencing stirrings somewhere in the upper abdominals which are threatening to form themselves into dance moves."

The actor also thanked the cast and crew of "The King's Speech," including Hooper for "immense courage and clear-sightedness."

Portman, on her second nomination, won the Oscar. She was nominated for supporting actress for "Closer" in 2004.

"This is insane," the 29-year-old pregnant actress said. "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. I'm so grateful to get to do the job that I do. I love it so much."

The actress, who was expecting a child, also thanked her parents who presented at the gala, for giving her life and the opportunity to work at an early age.

Melissa Leo and Christian Bale garnered supporting actress and actor Oscars for their work, respectively.

Melissa Leo, 50, who already had Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild wins under her belt for her work in boxing flick "The Fighter," still was virtually speechless when she accepted the Oscar for supporting actress.

"Oh, wow. Really, really, really, really, really truly wow," a visibly moving Leo said on stage at the Kodak Theater. "I know there's a lot of people that said a lot of real real nice things to me for several months now, but I'm just shaking in my boots here."

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