Our Bret hits golden chord
The winners
The main awards went to: Best Picture: Theartist. Actor: Jean Dujardin, The Artist.
Actress: Meryl Streep, Theironlady.
Best director: Michel Hazanavicius for Theartist
Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners.
Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, Thehelp.
Original Song: Manor Muppet, Bret Mckenzie from Themuppets.
BRET MCKENZIE has carved his name alongside Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor as a Kiwi Oscarwinner.
The Flight Of The Conchords star won best original song for Man or Muppet, from The Muppets film, at the star-studded ceremony in Hollywood yesterday.
He beat out only other nominated tune, Real in Rio, from animated film Rio.
Mckenzie started his acceptance speech by recalling his New Zealand upbringing.
‘‘Wow, thank you academy, I grew up in New Zealand watching The Muppets on TV. I never thought I’d get to work with them. I was genuinely starstruck when I got to meet Kermit the Frog. Like many of the stars here, he’s shorter in real life.’’
Mckenzine then thanked his wife, Hanna, and his ‘‘parents for never encouraging me to get a real job’’.
The Artist won five Academy Awards including best picture, becoming the first silent film to triumph at Hollywood’s highest honours since the original Oscar ceremony 83 years ago.
Among other prizes for the black-and-white comic melodrama were best actor for Jean Dujardin and director for Michel Hazanavicius.
The other top Oscars went to Meryl Streep as best actress for The Iron Lady, Octavia Spencer as supporting actress for The Help and Christopher Plummer as supporting actor for Beginners.
The Artist is the first silent winner since the World War I saga Wings was named outstanding picture at the first Oscars in 1929 had a silent film earned the top prize.
‘‘I am the happiest director in the world,’’ Havanavicius said, thanking the cast, crew and canine co-star Uggie. The win was Streep’s first Oscar in 29 years, since she won best actress for Sophie’s Choice. She had lost 13 times in a row since then. Plummer, 82, became the oldest acting winner ever.