2009 Oscar winners

film awards,Hugh Jackman,Film,oscars,hollywood 2009 Oscar winners Join handbag.com as we reveal all the winners from the 81st Academy Awards. Did Kate Winslet win? Has Mickey Rourke completed his incredible comeback? How will 2009\'s ceremony be remembered? Let\'s find out...

Best supporting actor: Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

film awards,Film,heath ledger,oscars,the dark knight,hollywood Best supporting actor: Heath Ledger\'s family

Nominees: Josh Brolin - Milk; Robert Downey Jr - Tropic Thunder; Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt; Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road

 

Overwhelming favourite Heath Ledger becomes just the second man to win an acting Oscar posthumously. His award is accepted by his parents and sister who in a moving speech describe the award as "humbling".

Best supporting actress: Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona

Penelope Cruz,film awards,Film,oscars,hollywood Penlope Cruz wins the 2009 Best supporting actress Oscar Nominees: Amy Adams - Doubt; Viola Davis  - Doubt; Taraji P Henson - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button; Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler

 

Penelope delivered half her acceptance Spanish but helpfully revealed later what she had said. "I said I wanted to dedicate my award to all the actors in my country," she explained in her press conference. "And all the people who are now watching there who are feeling this also belongs to them."

Best animated feature film - Wall-E

film awards,Film,oscars,hollywood,wall-e Wall-E wins the 2009 Best animated feature film Oscar Nominees: Bolt; Kung Fu Panda

 

After Toy Story, Ratatouille and the like no one would bet against animation studio Pixar in the best animated category. Writer/Director Andrew Stanton looked pleased as punch with his award.

Best documentary feature - Man On Wire

film awards,Film,oscars,hollywood 2009 Best Documentary feature winners James Marsh and Philippe Petit for their film Man On Wire Nominees: The Betrayal; Encounters At The End Of The World; The Garden; Trouble The Water

 

The amazing and inspirational tale of French tightrope walker Philippe Petit\'s 1974 attempt to walk across a highwire between New York\'s World Trade Center Twin Towers was a shoe-in for the best doc award. Star Philippe showed he still had all of his good balance with some neat chin tricks!

Best adapted screenplay - Slumdog Millionaire

film awards,Film,oscars,hollywood 2009 best adapted screenplay winner Simon Beaufoy Nominees: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button; Doubt; Frost/Nixon; The Reader

 

It was second time lucky for writer Simon Beaufoy - he was previously nominated for The Full Monty - but his work adapting Vikas Swarup\'s book for the big screen won him the Oscar nod this time and continued Slumdog Millionaire\'s incredible award season. 

Best actress: Kate Winslet - The Reader

Kate Winslet,film awards,Film,oscars,hollywood 2009 Best actress Oscar winner Kate Winslet Nominees: Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married; Angelina Jolie - Changeling; Melissa Leo - Frozen River; Meryl Streep - Doubt

 

Kate wins the award at the sixth time of asking (she has previously been Oscar nominated for her roles in Sense And Sensibility, Titanic, Iris, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and Little Children). After calling all her fellow nominees "godesses" Kate admitted she\'d been practising her Oscar acceptance speech since she was eight years old. Despite thanking her husband Sam Mendes and her two children. she manages to keep the tears at bay.

Best actor: Sean Penn - Milk

film awards,Film,oscars,sean penn,hollywood 2009 Best actor Oscar winner Sean Penn Nominees: Richard Jenkins - The Visitor; Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon; Brad Pitt - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button; Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

 

After wins at the Baftas and this weekend\'s Independent Spirit Awards, Mickey Rourke was odds-on favourite for the Best actor award. But it was Sean Penn\'s portrayal of gay rights activist Harvey Milk that won out on Oscar night. During his speech Sean took the chance to speak out against California\'s controversial Proposition 8 law that bans same sex marriage and told anti-gay protesters who had demonstrated outside this year\'s awards to "find their better selves".

Best director: Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire

film awards,Film,oscars,hollywood 2009 Best director Oscar winner Danny Boyle Nominees: Stephen Daldry - The Reader; David Fincher - The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button; Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon; Gus Van Sant - Milk

 

Another award for the incredible Slumdog Millionaire as director Dannny Boyle adds an Oscar to the Bafta, Critics Choice, Director\'s Guild, Golden Globe and numerous other awards he\'s won for the film. "We tried to make the film like a family unit," he explained to press after his latest win. "It makes the night deeply special for all of us."

Best picture - Slumdog Millionaire

film awards,Film,oscars,hollywood 2009 Best Picture winner Slumdog Millionaire Nominees: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button; Frost/Nixon; Milk; The Reader

 

Who else?! Slumdog Millionaire capped an incredible night by winning the Best Picture Oscar making it eight out nine awards it was nominated for. The cast were understandably delighted with their prize that marks the end of an incredible haul of over 70 wins this award season.

Find out who won and lost in this year\'s red carpet fashion stakes

Check out 2009\'s best Oscars hair and beauty looks