'The King's Speech' wins big at Academy Awards

"The King's Speech" was the big winner at the 83rd annual Academy Awards, taking home four major prizes, including the best picture award. Colin Firth won the best actor award and Tom Hooper won the Oscar for best director, beating out David Fincher for "The Social Network" and Darren Aronofsky for "Black Swan," among others.

Great Neck's David Seidler took the Oscar for best original screenplay, also for his work on "The King's Speech." As a first-time nominee at 73, he quipped that his father always told him he'd "be a late bloomer."

Natalie Portman, another winner with Long Island roots, was awarded the best actress Academy Award for "Black Swan," the film in which the star played a tortured ballerina.

Christian Bale won the supporting actor Academy Award for his work in "The Fighter," while Melissa Leo, also from "The Fighter," won the supporting actress award. Network censors bleeped Leo for dropping the F-word during her speech. Backstage at the Kodak Theatre, Leo jokingly conceded it was "probably a very inappropriate place to use that particular word."

"Those words, I apologize to anyone that they offend. There is a great deal of the English language that is in my vernacular," Leo said.

"I'm just shaking in my boots here," Leo said. "Yeah, I am kind of speechless."

Aaron Sorkin took home the prize for best adapted screenplay for "The Social Network."

SEE PHOTOSNatalie Portman

"Toy Story 3," last year's top-grossing release and a contender for best picture, won the fourth-straight animated-feature Oscar for Disney's Pixar Animation unit. Pixar has produced six of the 10 Oscar recipients for animation since the category was added, including "Finding Nemo," ''WALL-E" and last year's winner, "Up." 

The Lewis Carroll update "Alice in Wonderland" won the first prize at the Academy Awards, claiming the art direction Oscar over a field including best-picture winner "The King's Speech."

Sunday's show opened with co-hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco inserted into a montage scenes from best-picture nominees, built as a series of dream sequences a la Oscar contender "Inception."

Franco started off telling Hathaway how beautiful she looked. Hathaway shot back, "You look very appealing to a younger demographic, as well."

SEE PHOTOSSee photos of Anne Hathaway through the years

Earlier on the red carpet, many stars wore looks that had a bit of a dancer vibe. Natalie Portman wore a Rodarte violet-colored draped gown in silk chiffon with Swarovski crystals, while co-star Mila Kunis wore a very low-cut, lingerie-style Elie Saab gown in lavender with lace details.

Others with dancer-inspired looks included Mandy Moore in a gold-beaded, illusion gown by Monique Lhuillier and Hailee Steinfeld’s custom-made Marchesa. Steinfeld accessorized her crystal-covered, hand-embroidered, tea-length tulle dress in pale pink with a ballerina style, diamond-and-platinum Fred Leighton headband.

The Oscar attendees and nominees chatted on the red carpet before the ceremony.

"I never expected this after 48 years of acting," said supporting actress nominee Jacki Weaver. "I can't believe it. I'm so thrilled. It's such an honor."

Kevin Spacey got a big reaction from fans once he removed his sunglasses.

"I love her, I adore her," he remarked about best actress nominee Annette Bening, his co-star in "American Beauty," which earned him an Oscar (Bening lost her Oscar bid for that film). "I was sorry not to see her take it home then. She's one of the great actresses we've ever produced."