Best actor: Kevin Spacey, for American Beauty

Picking up one of the movie's five statuettes for his part as Lester Burnham, Spacey took one of his cynical lines from the movie to joke: "This is the highlight of my day. I hope it is not all downhill from here." But on a more serious note he added: "I am very proud to be an actor and I have tried very hard to protect my work and I'm stunned and I'm a bit speechless."

Best supporting actress: Angelina Jolie for Girl, Interrupted

Michael Caine is overcome as he wins his second Oscar

The 24-year-old actress confessed to being "in shock" when her name was read out for her portrayal of a seductive sociopath committed to a mental hospital. But on accepting her trophy, her thoughts turned to her family - in particular her Oscar-winning father Jon Voight.

She said: "My dad, you're a great actor, but a better father." Jolie went on to pour praise on her brother, saying: "He and I were each other's everything, always. He's always been my strongest support. He's the funniest person I know and the sweetest person. He's just a great person. He's my friend."

Best supporting actor: Michael Caine for The Cider House Rules

British movie icon Caine, 67, who won a supporting actor Oscar for Hannah and Her Sisters in 1987, seemed overwhelmed by the applause that greeted the announcement by Dame Judi Dench. But Caine, who plays a doctor who carries out abortions in a New England orphanage in the movie then managed to saluted his fellow nominees.

"I'm basically up here guys to represent you as what I hope you will all be - a survivor," Caine told the Shrine Auditorium audience.

"I was watching all the others [nominees] and thinking back when I saw all the performances.

"Thinking how the Academy has changed the phrase from, 'And the winner is' to 'the Oscar goes to.'

"If ever there was a category that this applies to it is this one, because I do not feel like a winner."

Caine thanked his fellow nominees by name and, addressing Magnolia actor Tom Cruise joked: "Tom, if you had won this one, your price would have gone down fast. Have you any idea what supporting actors get paid? We only get one motor home, a small one.

Best foreign language film: All About My Mother, by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar:

Accepting his award, an elated Almodovar paid tribute to his countrymen who had sacrified their sleep to watch.

"Let me dedicate this to the Spanish people who are watching TV now," he said. "I mean, this is for Spain."

A laughing Almodovar had to be dragged from the stage after a lengthy series of thank-yous that included a litany of saints and relatives.

Irving Thalberg award for lifetime achievement: Warren Beatty

In his accceptance speech Beatty, 62, referred to his former life as a Hollywood bachelor, his political aspirations, and to actress Annette Bening, the woman who finally tamed him and became his wife.

"If you had the choice and you could say get the Thalberg award or the White House, I think I woud stick with this," he joked.

"To those of you who may have heard rumours here or there of my life in Hollywood as a single man the poet wrote only solitary men know the true joy of friendship.

"Others have a family. But to a solitary man his friends are everything. So I want to thank you my friends for leading me through those days and finally in fact for leading me to Annette."

Best actress: Hilary Swank for Boys Don't Cry

Swank, 24, won her Oscar for her powerful portrayal of Teena Brandon - a young woman who yearns to be a man in the independent true-life movie Boys Don't Cry.

Accepting her first Academy Award , Swank said: "We have come a long way. I think this movie wouldn't have been made three and a half years ago.

"We made it for under $2m and now this, it's quite remarkable. I want to thank Brandon Teena for being such an inspiration to us all.

"His legacy lives on through our movie to be ourselves, follow our hearts and not conform. I pray for the day when we not only accept our differences, but celebrate our diversity."