OSCAR WINNERS

Awarded Hollywood’s highest honour by their peers for what were deemed 2013’s best screen performances, the acting quartet of (from left) Matthew McConaughey, Cate Blanchett, Lupita Nyong’o and Jared Leto show off their Academy Awards in the press room at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Alfonso Cuarón snagged the golden statue as Best Director for helming the sci-fi drama Gravity.

Best Director nominees: Alexander Payne, Nebraska; David O Russell, American Hustle; Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street; Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave

With cast and crew looking on, 12 Years A Slave director Steve McQueen (at microphone) gives the acceptance speech after the drama was announced 2013’s Best Picture at last Sunday’s awards ceremony.

Best Picture Nominees: American Hustle; Captain Phillips; Dallas Buyers Club; Gravity; Her; Nebraska; Philomena; The Wolf of Wall Street

An overjoyed Cate Blanchett — a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winner for her role as Katherine Hepburn in 2004’s The Aviator — won Best Actress honours for her brilliant performance in the drama Blue Jasmine.

Best Actress Nominees: Amy Adams, American Hustle; Sandra Bullock, Gravity; Judi Dench, Philomena; Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

Jared Leto won his first Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role as a transgender AIDS patient in Dallas Buyers Club.

Best Supporting Actor Nominees: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips; Bradley Cooper, American Hustle; Michael Fassbender,12 Years A Slave; Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street

Yale Drama School grad Lupita Nyong’o won Oscar gold in the Best Supporting Actress category for her breakthrough role in 12 Years A Slave.

Best Supporting Actress Nominees: Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine; Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle; Julia Roberts, August: Osage County; June Squibb, Nebraska

Matthew McConaughey’s critically acclaimed turn as an AIDS activist Ron Woodroof led him to the podium to claim the Best Actor trophy.

Best Actor nominees: Christian Bale, American Hustle; Bruce Dern, Nebraska, Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street