'Joker' earns Joaquin Phoenix his maiden Oscar: Here's full list of winners
Los Angeles: Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix finally ended his dry run at the Oscars as he picked up the best actor trophy for his performance in and as "Joker" at the 92nd Academy Awards.
The 45-year-old actor had earlier bagged a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his turn as a failed, unhinged stand-up comedian who descends into chaos.
In a lengthy and rambling speech, Phoenix touched upon racism, climate change and gender inequality. He also remembered his brother River Phoenix, who died of a drug overdose at the age of 23 in 1993.
"When he was 17, my brother wrote this lyric. He said, 'run to the rescue with love and peace will follow'," Phoenix said.
At the Academy Awards and the entire Hollywood award season, Phoenix had emerged as an undisputed frontrunner even though he was up against the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio ("Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"), Adam Driver ("Marriage Story"), "Antonio Banderas ("Pain & Glory") and Jonathan Pryce ("The Two Popes").
An Oscar had eluded Phoenix for the most part of his career, despite his successful collaborations with Ridley Scott ("Gladiator"), James Mangold ("Walk The Line") and Paul Thomas Anderson ("The Master"), all of which had earned him nominations.
But as Arthur Fleck aka The Joker, Phoenix finally managed to break that jinx and became the second actor to win an Oscar for playing the DC comic book villain after the posthumous best supporting actor win to Heath Ledger in 2008.
As Joker, Phoenix took a deep dive into character, capturing its essence as well as maniacal spirit in both body and soul. He lost 52 pounds to get into the physicality of Fleck and turned to a pathological disorder to get his distinct laughter right.
Phillips wrote the part keeping Phoenix in mind though the actor took some convincing to play the role. Phoenix started the film's festival circuit tour on a positive note at Cannes last year that followed by stops at Venice and Toronto.
The film had also courted controversies, owing to its theme of gun violence in the movie as well as Phoenix's temperamental press tour that saw him walking out of an interview midway. But critics and the fans loved the actor's riveting turn in the movie and his pointed speeches.
At the Golden Globes, he called out the industry for its insensitivity towards climate change and pulled up his peers for using private jets for travel, while at the SAGs, he joked how he would always lose a role to DiCaprio and asked Christian Bale to deliver a bad performance for once in his career.
In his acceptance speech at the BAFTAs, Phoenix acknowledged the lack of diversity in the nominations, calling himself a part of the problem.
Phoenix's career most praised performances include "Signs ", "We Own the Night", "Two Lovers", "The Immigrant", "Her", "You Were Never Really Here" and "Inherent Vice".
Full list of winners"
Best Actor - Joaquin Phoenix for 'Joker'
Best Actress - Renee Zellweger for 'Judy'
Best Supporting Actor - Brad Pitt for 'Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood'
Best Supporting Actress - Laura Dern for 'Marriage Story'
Best Director - Bong Joon-ho for 'Parasite'
Best Picture - Parasite
Best International Feature - Parasite (South Korea)
Best Original Screenplay - Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won for Parasite
Best Adapted Screenplay - Taika Waititi for 'Jojo Rabbit'
Best Animated Feature - Toy Story 4
Best Documentary Feature - American Factory
Best Documentary Short - Learning To Skate In A Warzone (If You're A Girl)
Best Live Action Short - The Neighbors' Window
Best Animated Short - Hair Love
Best Original Score - Joker
Best Original Song - (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again from Rocketman
Best Production Design - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Best Sound Mixing - 1917
Best Visual Effects - 1917
Best Cinematography - 1917
Best Makeup and Hair - Bombshell
Best Costume Design - Little Women
Best Film Editing - Ford v Ferrari
Best Sound Editing - Ford v Ferrari
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India moving towards becoming global economic powerhouse: Kovind
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Amritsar (PTI): Former president Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said that with digital transformation, economic reforms and a strong focus on the ease of doing business, India is moving towards becoming a global economic powerhouse.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 19th edition of the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) in Amritsar.
The former president said that this 19th edition of PITEX is being organised at a time when India is recognised as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) the former president, while referring to Punjab, said the state is a living example of courage, sacrifice and enterprise.
"The spiritual light of Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) inspires peace and humanity across the world. The heritage of Punjab is deep and inspiring," Kovind said, according to a statement issued by the PITEX.
The former president congratulated the PHDCCI for hosting the 19th edition of PITEX and suggested that the chamber should expand PITEX outside Punjab.
He proposed that a similar event should also be held in New Delhi.
