Oscars 2012: Live coverage of the 84th Academy Awards

•

The Artist triumphs with five Academy Awards

• Hazanavicius wins Best Director, Dujardin is Best Actor

•
Meryl overcomes 'Streep fatigue' to win best actress

•
Oscars 2012: best pictures from the ceremony

• Gallery: Hollywood's stars shine on the red carpet

• What were they thinking? The worst dressed list

11.56 Now, with the critics purring in delight at The Artist's success we shall leave you in - the theme du jour - golden silence.

And so I wind up this year's Oscar coverage with a wink, and an eloquent quote from director Michel Hazanavicius in praise of peace:

"Language is useful, but just that, useful. Yet it reduces communication as well. When a baby who can’t speak smiles at you, it touches you differently from an adult’s smile. Even with people you love, you don’t always use words to express important things. When you don’t need to talk it’s really powerful, I think.”

11.46 For the Telegraph's film critics one of the major victories last night in the smaller categories was a win for the Iranian film 'A Separation' about a family crisis in contemporary Tehran, which took best foreign picture.

Interestingly, the film, which deals with domestic turmoil, gender inequality, and the desire by many Iranians to leave the country, has been hailed as a nationalist triumph in state media today becuase it succeeded in "leaving behind" an Israeli film from the "Zionist regime."

11.29 There are some lovely pictures from the Governor's Ball. Clad appropriately in silver and gold, the winning actresses Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep had their awards engraved together:

11.15 Michelle Williams may have been beaten by Meryl Streep in the actress category, but the Telegraph's fashion critics have said that in the gown stakes, Williams was the night's big winner. Both were stylishly coordinated with the evening's events: Williams matched the carpet, Streep matched her trophy.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Streep, Angelina Jolie and Williams

Gold, white and red are all acceptable colours for the Oscars, according to the Telegraph's fashion columnist Belinda White. If you're going to wera gold, you'll only really pull it off if you're taking home a matching award.

11.01 Now that the UK is properly awake, let's take a look at how we fared. Overall, it was a bad night for British films, with Gary Oldman and Kenneth Branagh both missing out.

The only major winner for team GB was

The Shore

(still below), which won best live action short film.

The film was made by Belfast's Terry George who dedicated it to the people of Northern Ireland. It is said to tell the "story of two boyhood best friends - Joe (Ciarán Hinds) and Paddy (Conleth Hill) divided by 25 years of misunderstanding". Watch the trailer.

Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore tweeted a picture of himself with the crew last night

10.49 The cast and crew from The Artist were not the only ones nodding to Hollywood's past last night. According to the Telegraph's beauty commentators, the prevalent look was Old Hollywood glamour.

January Jones wore a classic Hollywood wave and strong red lip, and, hang on, is that beauty spot on her upper lip a subtle tribute to The Artist's Peppy Miller?

10:37 Pictures from the Vanity Fair after-party are now up, with the great and good from Hollywood there - and the Beckhams.

Everyone from Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes (above) to Mario Testino, Tom Ford and Vera Wang was there. Cameron Diaz wore dazzling orange (cinema's favourite colour these days: was this dress sponsored by you-know-who?).

10.08 We've taken a look back at the career highlights of Christopher Plummer (Beginners) who, at 82, has become the oldest ever Oscar-winner, nearly half a century after his memorable appearance as the captain in The Sound of Music. He gave a delightful speech too, darlings:

To anyone that missed it, Beginners by debut writer-director Mike Mills was one of the lovely underrated romances of last year. Belated recognition for smaller films like this one is surely one of the most satisfying things about these lavish awards ceremonies.

09.57 After Billy Crystal's wistful observation last night that "nothing can take the sting out of the economic crisis like watching millionaires give each other golden statues", there's an interesting industry piece at unofficialpartner.co.uk on what an Oscar can do to the box office - and why Harvey Weinstein (who, against the odds, backed The Artist last summer) is the king of the awards.

Harvey Weinstein tells them:

Chicago grossed $75m ‘and we ended up grossing $175m [in the US] and $350m worldwide, with the best picture win.” Likewise, The King’s Speech was produced for a budget of less than £15m and grossed more than $400m worldwide.

We were very slow on the pedal with The Artist and I won’t let anyone drive the car. I get a call and someone says, ‘It just got 11 Bafta nominations!’ And I say, ‘Don’t add any theatres. Just keep it where it is. We’re going to make the move … It’s coming but not yet.’

09.49 In the US, Telegraph commentator Tim Stanley takes us through the evening's highs and lows in his blog, remembering some of the more painful moments on the red carpet:

The pundit of the night was the fabulously English Louise Roe. Standing at ten feet tall with a blinding smile, she towered over an aged Christopher Plummer and said, “I think you’ve got a few years left in you” … then winked at the camera. Her face screamed, “I’m just happy to be here!” Which made a change from Nick Nolte, whose face asked, “And where am I exactly?”

09.39 Our film critic Robbie Collin's verdict on this year's awards is that the evening shows just how "daft" the whole event can be. He has warned us that his review "may contain trace amounts of sarcasm".

It’s a mark of just how gloriously daft the Oscars has become when the ceremony can make a victory for a French film – and a silent, black and white one, come to that – feel like a predictable self-administered slap on the back for the American film industry.

09.23 Crystal's edgy comedy was not sharp enough to eclipse Sacha Baron Cohen's stunt last night. The comic, who had been banned from the red carpet, thankfully did turn up.

He was dressed as his newest character General Aladeen and carried Kim Jong-il's ashes in an urn.

I think the last time we saw Baron Cohen on the red carpet, he was in Gucci or Prada...

...introducing us to the Austrian fashionista Brüno. This is as good a moment as any to remember the comedian's best lines, starting with Brüno:

As Brüno, to an American fashion designer: “In Austria, the costume director is a more important job than doctors. Is it the same here?” Designer: “No, fashion isn’t thought of as seriously as the medical profession here.” Brüno: “That’s ridiculous.”

Designer: “I think so.” Brüno: “Fashion saves a lot more lives than doctors.” Designer: “I think so.”

09.10 Billy Crystal returned, after eight years off, to host his ninth Oscars last night. How did the comedy veteran's nostalgic light-hearted jovial manner fare with the TV critics? Reviews are coming in now, and they're very mixed.

The Sun thinks his talent is "Crystal clear" (presumably they pre-wrote that headline); the Daily Mail says he snuffed it by making racial slurs, citing his joke about the Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer:

After I saw The Help I just wanted to hug the first black woman I saw, which from Beverly Hills is about a 45 minute drive

At the other end of the spectrum The Washington Post says he:

seemed to be overseeing a cruise ship dinner show designed to appeal to the over-50 travel club.

09.04 Telegraph's Arts Editor Sarah Crompton comments on a satisfying year for the acting categories, a triumph for real people, but not for Hollywood diets.

08.56 By far the most excitable acceptance speech of the night, here's The Artist's Jean Dujardin taking his Oscar for Best Actor. He has apologised for swearing in French.

08.44 Following Angelina Jolie's appearance on the red carpet in a jaw-dropping black dress, a Twitter account has been set up in honour of her right leg. It has already attracted more than 9,000 followers:

08.19 One of the few British winners, Terry George, whose film The Shore won the award for live action short film, has predicted the UK will be better represented at next year's Oscars. He said:

It’s great, you have up years and down years and next year they’ll be back with another King's Speech. We're going to be back. It may be a valley but there are more peaks ahead.

08.12 Here's a few words from Meryl Streep backstage after winning Best Actress for her portrayal of Baroness Thatcher.

I understand Streep Fatigue. It shocked me that it didn't override tonight ... It was like I was a kid again. I mean, I was a kid when I first won one. Two of the nominees weren't even conceived.

08.05 Robbie Collin has given his verdict on the best dressed ladies:

07.55 Journalist and Britain's Got Talent judge Piers Morgan has stopped by at the Vanity Fair party, and revealed he had an inkling that the French would dominate at the Oscars after finding a good omen in Arsene Wenger's win with Arsenal, after beating Tottenham Hotspur 5-2. He said:

I’m about to go in there, this is the party of the year. I didn’t predict a British Prime Minister would win Best Actress…it was such a home run for us...I had a feeling, if Arsene Wenger had had a good day, which he did yesterday, it was all heading France’s way.

07.35 The Best Supporting Actress Octavia Spencer, who starred in The Help, has arrived at the after party. She said:

I am over the moon. We’re coming to celebrate with team The Help. There will be a lot of celebrating tonight. I feel like I’m at the end of something spectacular.

07.26 She may have played the Iron Lady but today, Meryl Streep is a proud lady.

07.24 Observing the success of silent film The Artist, broadcaster and writer Matthew Sweet tweets:

07.20 Another British star, Kate Beckinsale has arrived at the Vanity Fair party. Asked about Meryl Streep's performance, she said it was "terrifying".

"That performance is so accurate," she added.

07.10 Sacha Baron Cohen made headlines for his publicity stunt, carrying the "ashes of Kim Jong Il" while dressed for his role in The Dictator. Asked about his outfit on the red carpet, he said: "I'm wearing John Galliano but the socks are from K-Mart. As Saddam Hussein once said to me 'socks are socks - don't waste money'."

^{Sacha Baron Cohen turns up as "The Dictator" and throws an urn marked "Kim Jong Il's ashes" over TV presenter Ryan Seacrest.}

06.55 Kenneth Branagh, who starred in My Week with Marilyn, has paid tribute to lead star Michelle Williams for her reprisal of Marilyn Monroe. He said:

When she turned around and walked away from us, we both looked at each other and saw this shimmering woman and thought 'we’re working with Marilyn Monroe'. Marilyn has affection in many people’s minds. I think people enjoyed an immersion back in time to a more innocent time.

^{Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe}

06.46 Last year's big winner Colin Firth has chatted to Sky News, and said this year was "a lot less stressful" than last year when he was named Best Actor for the King's Speech. He said he had a "huge amount of joy" for Meryl Streep, who won Best Actress.

06.44 (22.44) While the UK is waking up for breakfast, the stars in Los Angeles are tucking in to chicken pot pie with black truffle, and lobster tacos.

06.38 Flying the flag was Benedict Cumberbatch, who appeared in Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy, but is perhaps best known in the UK for his role in the popular series Sherlock. He has had an incredible year and said:

It’s been interesting, hasn’t it? It’s been great fun. I’m so proud to be part of that film and in 10 years time when people look back at the films that came out this year, that will be the one students go back to. It will have a longevity that will outlast tonight.

Asked about Sherlock, he added:

It’s been just wonderful. I wasn’t there for the last two...I didn’t quite take note of how much of an impact it had. It’s just been extraordinary. I haven’t been back since the third one aired. I’m so proud of what we do and long may we continue with it.

06.33 Tennis star Serena Williams has popped by on the Vanity Fair red carpet. She said:

It’s been really cool. I really was excited about a lot of the winners. I’m like the only person who hasn’t seen [The Artist] so I totally have to see it.

06.22 Not all the stars have made it to the after party, reveals The Artist's Jean Dujardin. Nick Allen reports:

A smiling Jean Dujardin has wandered backstage. Asked if he had dropped the French equivalent of the f-bomb at the end of his acceptance speech the actor blushed and admitted: "Yeah. I'm sorry." He says he has "had fun pretending to be a movie star." Dujardin says Uggie has gone to bed. Uggie's quite an old dog.

06.15 Here are some of the leading ladies in the fashion stakes on the red carpet. There are more photographs of Hollywood's best dressed in our gallery.

^{Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez on the red carpet.}

06.05 It's 22.05pm in Los Angeles and the Sky News team is starstuck on the red carpet at the Vanity Fair party, having spotted Gwyneth Paltrow, Minnie Driver and Donald Sutherland. David and Victoria Beckham were also in attendance, flying back to the US to be there. Mr Beckham looked dapper in his suit and told the cameras:

It’s always an amazing spectacle to watch.

05.55 Nick Allen is backstage listening to Meryl Streep:

Meryl Streep is clutching her Oscar which is the same colour as her dress. She reveals she's wearing a brand of shoes, Ferragamo, favoured by Margaret Thatcher. The actress says she has never met Baroness Thatcher.

She said: "I studied her and then the challenge was to imagine her present life. That was completely active imagination.There was a lot of freedom in that, but also a lot of responsibility to a person and to history. It was really satisfying as an artist to make a film that started out as a film about Margaret Thatcher and ends up being really about all of us. Streep described how she "morphed in my head and heart with her interest, her zeal, her sense of rightness."

She added: "When we first put the makeup on I thought I looked like my Dad. Maybe my Dad looked like Margaret Thatcher."

05.20 From Nick Allen:

Octavia Spencer has come backstage. She's not crying anymore. She serenaded the press singing "I was a nominee but now I'm a winner." She says: "I'm going to have a quarter glass of champagne and hang out. I'm going to live in this moment because it's never happened and lord knows it may never happen again."

05.01 Here's a full list of tonight's winners.

Best Picture: The Artist

Best actor: Jean Dujardin - The Artist

Best actress: Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady

Supporting actor: Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Supporting actress: Octavia Spencer - The Help

Adapted screenplay: The Descendants

Original screenplay: Midnight In Paris

Directing: Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist

Animated feature film: Rango

Art direction: Hugo

Cinematography: Hugo

Costume design: The Artist

Documentary (feature): Undefeated

Documentary (short subject): Saving Face

Film editing: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Foreign language film: A Separation (Iran)

Make-up: The Iron Lady

Music (original score): The Artist - Ludovic Bource

Music (Original Song): Man Or Muppet - The Muppets

Short film (animated): The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr Morris Lessmore

Short film (live action): The Shore

Sound editing: Hugo

Sound mixing: Hugo

Visual effects: Hugo

04.51 Here's Amy Willis:

Rather predictably the Artist scoops Best Picture, but let's not let the expectation-factor take away from the award. The win is a fantastic feat, making it the first silent film to win an Oscar since the awards ceremony began 83 years ago. It is also the film's fifth award of the evening, snatching both the Best Actor and Best Director prizes. The Artist has really given the industry a shake, proving that not everything has to be cutting edge to collect a prize.

04.42 Patrick Smith is triumphant, picking nine of the ten winners and ending the night £10 better off in a wager against his girlfriend.

He adds: "As if it was ever in doubt. The Artist is a deserved winner tonight - a genuinely heartwarming movie. I'm off to bed now. Night all."

04.34 Now, Best Picture: The Artist, The Descendents, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of LIfe, War Horse.

It's

The Artist.

Hazanavicius says: "I'd like to say very, very important things. I'd like to say hi to my kids. It's six in the morning in Paris so you should go to bed in thirty seconds."

He pays tribute to his wife, Bejo, saying: "You inspired the movie, you're the soul of the movie and the positive feeling of the movie."

The little dog is on stage too.

Robbie Collin says:

Strange to think that after three months of awards ceremonies, The Artist now seems like a predictable winner, but that doesn’t make it any less of a deserving one. It’s charmed and delighted audiences around the world and, I suspect, introduced a lot of people to the joys of silent cinema, so this is a Best Picture winner to be cherished.

04.24 Now best actress. Patrick Smith is backing Meryl Streep. Mrs Smith is gunning for Viola Davis from The Help. The other contenders are Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs, Rooney Mara in Dragon Tattoo and Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn.

Colin Firth plays tribute to Williams' skill and wisdom as a mentor. He aspired to be like her, he says. "We can leave aside the fact that you were 12 and I was 35"

It's Meryl Streep

for

Baroness Thatcher

in

The Iron Lady.

"Oh, come on!" she says. "Thankyouthankyou. When they called my name I had this feeling half of America were going, 'Oh come on, her again'. But... whatever. "

She thanks her husband and Roy Helland, her stylist. "I look up here and I see my life before my eyes. My old friends, my new friends... for this inexplicably wonderful career I thank you." But she does not mention Baroness Thatcher.

Robbie Collin says:

This is the first bona fide upset of the night, but it’s not unwelcome. No other actress in the business – or actor, come to that – could have done what Meryl Streep did in The Iron Lady, and even those who don’t regard it as the best performance of the year have got to acknowledge it’s the most remarkable one.

Amy Willis says:

Meryl Streep snatches the Best Actress Oscar from the grasp of Viola Davis. Despite it being Streep's third Oscar, no one seems bored of her winning just yet. It was well deserved and further cements her as Hollywood's sweetheart.

04.22 What could have been a big Brit win: here's Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor:

04.14 Best actor up next: It's Jean Dujardin, George Clooney, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt and Demian Bichir.

It's Jean Dujardin for The Artist.

"Ouais! I love your country," he says, thanking the Academy. "It's funny because in 1929 it was not Billy Crystal but Douglas Fairbanks who 'osted the first ceremony. Tickets cost $5 and it lasted fifteen minutes," he says. He adds Fairbanks inspired him for the role. He bounces around the stage with joy.

Here's what Robbie Collin thinks of the win:

Nobody’s going to grudge Jean Dujardin his win, and it’s certainly the most charming performance of the year. But more so than the other categories, Best Actor tends to be more of a ‘favourite character’ competition, which means low-key performances like Gary Oldman’s don’t get the recognition they perhaps deserve.

Amy Willis says:

Jean Dujardin wins Best Actor! Lots of excitement here in the viewing room - people actually leaping out of their seats with joy (well not the women in their pretty dresses). It certainly makes an interesting win - if Brad Pitt or George Clooney had won it would have been far too predictable making dull viewing.

04.08 Tim Robey emails:

Nerdy Oscar update: we're heading for a situation where HUGO and THE ARTIST end up with five wins each, unless Jean Dujardin loses Best Actor. There would be a precedent for this: back in 2004, MILLION DOLLAR BABY won Best Picture, but fewer trophies overall than its (also Scorsese-directed) runner-up, THE AVIATOR.

04.05 Esperanza Spalding, the afro-sporting winner of Best Newcomer at this year's Grammy Awards, has just performed a superb rendition of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World (writes Amy Willis). It is a fitting tribute to the dozens of entertainment industry professionals who died in the last 12 months, including Jane Russell, Whitney Houston, Elizabeth Taylor and Etta James.

04.04 More from Amy Willis:

What a fantastic night for Hugo. It has won five awards already and that's just for the technical categories. There are still six more nominations to go. Fellow vintage film The Artist is close behind with two early Oscars for its 10 nominations. We're all on tenter hooks here in the viewing room to see which old-age film scoops best picture although most suspect it will be The Artist.

04.01 Nick Allen reports:

Christopher Plummer is backstage. Confusion as a Canadian journalist asks a slightly unintelligible question. He appears to be asking Plummer if he thinks his Oscar is gay. Plummer is as perplexed as everyone else. The veteran actor, the oldest ever winner, says his win is a "renewal" for him. He adds: "I hope I can do it for ten more years at least. I'm going to drop dead wherever I am, on the stage or on set. You don't retire in our profession thank God."

04.00 Amy Willis says:

The mini skirts, shows and acrobatics seem to have gone down well with the people watching the Oscars here. One person tells me it is great to see the Academy finally stop pandering to get the youth vote and get down to what it does best – good old-fashioned show business.

03.55

Michel Hazanavicius

wins best director for

The Artist.

"I want to thank the crazy person who put money in that movie," he says. "It is full of life and bring us joy and happiness. Sometimes life is wonderful, and today is one of those days.

Patrick says:

What an unmitigated delight The Artist is: a charming and irresistible paean to the origins of cinema. For me, it's far superior to Scorsese's Hugo.

This is what Robbie Collin makes of the win:

03.40

Cast of Bridesmaids present award for

best live action short

. Their introduction is laced with sexual innuendo.

The Oscar goes to The Shore.

The documentary short Oscar

goes to

Saving Face,

by Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

Best animated short film

goes to

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore.

3.30 Best Original Screenplay won by Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris. Woody Allen was not there to pick up the award; "The academy accepts this award on his behalf," smiles Angelina Jolie.

Allen is the most-nominated screenwriter of all time and this is his fourth Oscar. Typically, he is not present to collect his award, having only attended the ceremony once in 2002 when he made a plea to film-makers to continue working in New York following the 9/11 attacks.

^{Fans get a glimpse of celebrity arrivals}

3.27

The

best

adapted screenplay Oscar

goes to Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash for

The Descendants

. It is the second award for Payne, who won the same award in 2005 for Sideways.

03.21

The Oscar for

Best Song

goes to

Bret McKenzie

for

"Man or Muppet"

in the Muppets

03.15

The Oscar for

Best Musical Score

goes to

The Artist

and

Ludovic Bource

. He was up against Enrique Iglesias for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Bource had no formal musical training, and learnt to play the acordian "Please accept me I have so much love to give to you," he says.

Busy Philipps and Michelle Williams take a photo during the ceremony

03.14 More on the f-bomb controversy from Nick Allen, who is in the press room at the Koak Theatre

Backstage the makers of Undefeated are bombarded with questions about the f-bomb. The perpetrator says: "I'd like to apologise. I don't think it was the classiest thing in the world. That said it did come from the heart. It was completely spontaneous and unexpected."

02.59 Now it's the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

It goes to

Christopher Plummer.

It makes him the oldest-ever Oscar winner, at 82, for 'Beginners'. In it he plays a gay man who comes out after his wife dies. Plummer played cruel Captain Von Trapp in the Sound of Music back in 1965.

Patrick Smith says the gong is well-deserved by the "wonderfully talented actor".

Tim Robey says:

Being proud to be nominated alongside Jonah Hill seems a little bit like polite overstatement, but even so: Christopher Plummer's win was hugely deserved, his speech majestic and touching.

02.55 Ben Spiller and The Help's Emma Stone are presenting the Oscar for visual effects.

It's another prize for Martin Scorsese's

HUGO

This is what Robbie Collin said about the three-star film:

For all its worthy intentions and technical brilliance, Hugo is a hard film to love: not only for children, who may find the largely immobile plot a slog, but also to viewers of any age who’d rather be charmed than merely wowed.

02.51 Patrick Smith notes the directors of Undefeated dropped the f-bomb. They said of their "inspirations" in the audience:

"They should be up here with us... that'd be f---ng wonderful... excuse my language!"

Nick Allen writes:

There was a tumbleweed moment when one of the winners of best documentary for The Undefeated dropped an f-bomb. There's always one. The Academy really doesn't like it though they seem to have forgiven Melissa Leo of The Fighter who did it before and is presenting an award this time.

02.45 Funnyman Chris Rock is hosting the animation prize. "UPS is hard work. Stripping wood is hard work. I've done animation. It's the easiest job in the world."

The Oscar goes to

Rango

- starring Jonny Depp.

Chris Rock goes down rather well. The other hosts do not. James Quinn tweets:

Gwyneth Paltrow pretending to ad lib for lame Robert Downey Jr sketch? For once in my life I feel sorry for Chris Martin

02.43

The Oscar for best documentary goes to

Undefeated

- a film about an underdog football team.

02.35 Now an interlude from Cirque du Soleil. The circus gymnasts have taken on an old-school cinema theme, performing aimpressive backflips in bell-boy outfits, cocktail dresses and tuxedos. A woman eats popcorn stood, one-footed, on a man's head. Top stuff.

02.28

Best sound mixing - it's another prize for

HUGO

. A film replete with sounds of all varieties, it seems.

We are being treated to pre-recorded comedic routines in between the prizes. One features a 1930s-style focus group reviewing films. Damian McBride, Gordon Brown's shamed former press officer, tweets:

That Wizard of Oz focus group skit was dismal. Why couldn't they give us 5 minutes of Tina Fey instead?

The Sunday Telegraph's Deputy Business Editor James Quinn adds

Total fail by #oscar2012 to have Tina fey on stage so long and not let her crack a single joke. Totally over-managed

02.25

Best sound editing goes to the team from

HUGO

.

02.19 Here's US comedian Tina Fey and Bradley Scott presenting the Oscar for achievement in film editing.

It goes to the team from

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

- Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. Last year they won for The Social network.

Tim Robey says:

We have a serious Oscar pundit in the room, Guy Lodge, who says nobody guessed the GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO editing win would happen. First big surprise of the night. It was supposed to be THE ARTIST or HUGO...

02.12

The Oscar for Best Supporting Actress goes to Octavia Spencer - the Help.

She is helped up the steps to the stage in a tremendous flowing gown. The audience are on their feet.

"Oh thank you," she weeps, her face crumpled. She thanks her family and the state of Alabama. She can't get the words out.

Here's what Robbie Collin has to say:

02.05

Now here's Sandra Bullock presenting

best foreign film.

She's delivering it in "Chinese" for the 1.2bn billion viewers in China - it's actually fluent German.

The gong goes to

A Separation

- it's the first Oscar to go to a film from Iran, we learn.

Asghar Farhadi, the director says it is a triumph for "a culture that has been hidden under the heavy dust of politics." There's raptuous applause.

^{Still from A Separation}

Tim Robey says:

A Separation, the deserving victor of Best Foreign Film, is probably the best film that'll win anything all night. It's also up for Best Original Screenplay, but will probably lose to The Artist or Midnight in Paris.

Patrick Smith adds:

A Separation is a worthy winner of Foreign Language Film. Set in modern-day Iran, it's a powerful and tense piece of film-making. Excellent performances, too.

01.59 It's the Oscar for Make Up

It's Brit Mark Coulier for the Iron lady.

He turned Meryl Streep into an aged Margaret Thatcher with the use of a lot of prosthetics.

01.54 Cameron Diaz and Jennifor Lopez are presenting the costume design Oscar.

It's Mark Bridges of The Artist

"I was just a kid from Niagra Falls who dreamed ate and slept movies," he says. It is a life-long dream come true.

^{Mark Bridges wins the costume Oscar.}

01.52 Here's Hollywood aristocracy Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Amy Willis says:

It was like the seas parting. The red carpet was cleared, the final calls for people to take their seats were being made and the stragglers were shovelled off into the theatre. Then from a flurry of activity and a flash of cameras, Hollywood royalty Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie emerged. Angelina Jolie kept within the theme of old-fashioned Hollywood glam with a stunning velvet black dress cut the the thigh. She upset a few of the photographers by failing to stop for them and seemed irritated as they shouted for her to come back. Brad Pitt was typically casual strolling down the red carpet with his hand in his pocket.

01.52 Rachel Ray says:

Oscars 2012 is a safe house. Sweetie pie comedian Billy Crystal comes back for a ninth time as host---he's no Ricky Gervais! And what better way to set the show's nonthreatening tone than having Tom Hanks as the very first presenter. Has there been an Oscars show in recent history when Tom wasn't a presenter?

We are now watching a montage of golden cinema moments - "Use the force!" "I love the smell of napalm in the morning! " - to fill the lengthy US ad-breaks.

01.45

Another gong.

Art Direction goes to the pair for HUGO. "This is for Martin, and for Italy," they say.

Oh, Sky Movies has gone to an ad break.

Dr Johnson comments:

Tim Robey says

One award down, and they've already made a terrible decision: HUGO's processed-cheese cinematography over Emmanuel Lubezki's glorious work on THE TREE OF LIFE? Oh dear. The HUGO art direction prize was rather more of a no-brainer.

01.42 George Clooney honours a man called Carl, a celebrity seat-filler at the Oscars of more than 50 years. He is presenting the gong for best cinematography.

Best Cinematorgraphy goes to Robert Richardson from

HUGO

.

01.30 The ceremony starts. Billy Crystal is hosting. Morgan Freeman makes the opening address.

Controversially, the running order has been leaked. It can't be verified, but the blogger, Yair Raveh, is pretty reliable.

There's a trailer featuring Crystal in a variety of nominees - including The Artist, The Help and George Clooney. And, oddly, Justin Bieber.

"Enjoy yourselves, because nothing can take the sting out the world's economic problems like watching millionaires present themselves gold statues," says Crystal. He's now doing a little musical number. Looking smart in white-tie.

Patrick Smith says:

It's great to have Billy Crystal back - he's previously presented the Oscars eight times. Within the first few minutes, he's already made me chuckle more times than last year's hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway, who were staggeringly bland.

01.25 Here's Meryl Streep resplendent in gold.

And this is her as Mrs Thatcher in 'The Iron Lady'

01.24 More from Nick Allen

Gary Oldman jumped the ropes to go talk to fans who are kept at arms length. George Clooney followed suit which sent security men scrambling wildly. I don't think they needed to worry, people here really like George Clooney. There seems to be a protocol as to who arrives last. Sandra Bullock is a very late arrival, but it looks like Anjelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are considered the most important of the VIPs.

Security is presidential in scale. There are security men every 3ft on the carpet. One I'm looking at is less than intimidating though. He's wearing trainers with pin laces.

01.21 Olivia Bergin has put together this gallery of the best-dressed stars.

01.15 Cameron Diaz is wearing Gucci. "It's not something you can throw together overnight. It's a thoughtful process."

Guy Adams of the Independent tweets:

01.11 Penelope Cruz is wearing Armani. "If you like the dress, I did nothing. They are amazing." Beautiful and modest.

Nick Allen sends this snap from the press bench. That's Sacha Baron Cohen channelling Muammar Gaddafi.

01.02 Rachel Ray in New York writes:

Wow, it's already such a stimulating evening for the Oscars fan. Jennifer Lopez tells us that Oscar night is so special because "we work so hard in film to make great films". But surely she's not including herself in that "we"? Jennifer is followed by Nick Nolte on the red carpet who doesn't really seem to be all there. He repeats every question the presenter asks him but she finally drags out of him that he's owned two pet crows. Sizzlin' hot insider H'wood stuff, y'all!

00.54 The ceremony is a mere 35 minutes away. Here's a fabulous graphic on our critics' predictions for who will take the coveted statuettes.

^{Veterans' Day: Christopher Plummer (L), best supporting actor nominee for his role in Beginners, greets actor Max von Sydow, best supporting actor nominee for his role in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close}

^{The Artist: actress Berenice Bejo and Director Michel Hazanavicius arrive}

00.43 Here's George Clooney and Stacy Keibler, wearing an outfit inspired by Quality Street.

00.38 Amy Willis sends a dispatch from the front line:

Someone is now hoovering up the white powder Sacha Baron Cohen threw on the red carpet in defiance of the Oscars 'ban'. Curious, that they had someone with a hoover on hand waiting in the sidelines.... i'm guessing it was pre-planned as part of the publicity stunt

We are now waiting for the big names to arrive: George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. They will probably be the last to arrive just before they make the final announcements to enter the theatre.

00.34 Two factoids from film critic Tim Robey:

There are two records that are likely to be broken tonight.

Much as everyone's selling The Artist's probable Best Picture win as a victory for the Hollywood in-crowd, shepherded by Harvey Weinstein's well-oiled publicity machine, it would actually be the first winner ever from a non-English-speaking country.

Also, if/when Christopher Plummer wins (or Max von Sydow, who's also 82), he'll be the oldest person who's yet won a competitive Oscar.

00.30 More on Sacha Baron Cohen. Nick Allen writes:

He's gone for it. Sacha Baron Cohen has arrived dressed as "The Dictator". He is accompanied by two women in khakii miniskirts, which are apparently standard issue for the Republic of Wadiya military.

Cohen started sprinkling some kind of powder on the red carpet but was stopped by a burly security man. It turns out it was the 'ashes of Kim Jong Il' - Ryan Seacrest, who gets a dusting, takes it in good humour. The Academy said they won't let him in if he did pull this stunt so we'll see what happens. Incredible promotion for his film though which is out in May. Let's hope it's better than Bruno.

Tim Robey adds: "And with that gesture, Sacha Baron Cohen gets a lifelong ban from presenting In Memoriam. Now Meryl's only real option is to come as Maggie. With Denis in an urn under her arm."

Ryan Seacrest is the presenter of E!'s coverage. He has gone to get changed, Patrick Smith has learnt.

^{Sacha Baron Cohen with his late friend, Kim Jong Il}

00.22 Olivia Bergin on fashion sends this critiques Mrs Rupert Murdoch:

Wendi Murdoch has crashed into the worst-dressed list with a jewel-encrusted dress which acts like a silky curtain to reveal her, erm, prized assets - sort of as if her chest were a set of crown jewels. As if that wasn’t enough, she reached for a pair of spangly purple earrings and a pink bag to complete her already fussy look. Disaster.

Amy Willis writes

The red carpet is now in full swing, and we are seeing a lot of old hollywood glamour. Plenty of reds, creams and blacks. Sequins, pleats and silks all very much the style of choice. The crowds are doing a great job of screaming every time someone of interest appears...

00.18 Sacha Baron Cohen has been turned away after turning up in costume as 'The Dictator', we learn.

Nick Allen writes:

Mother Dolores Hart, a nun, has arrived on the red carpet in her habit. In a former life Mother Dolores was a Hollywood starlet who kissed Elvis Presley on the silver screen. She's now the subject of a film which has been nominated and is the most popular arrival so far.

She's going in just ahead of Michelle Williams who has opted for a strapless orange number and cropped blonde hair. As the rather funny American entertainment correspondent next to me put it: "She's embraced her Bowie."

23.58 What's in the box? The results arrive.

Glenn Close is wearing a forest green dress and tux jacket. It's age appropriate, the commentary tells us.

How are you going to celebrate your award tonight, the hosts ask James Earl Jones. "By staying up later than usual."

23.43 Here's Milla Jovovich. Check out the size of those rocks!

Tonight is the night a dozen dreams will come true.. and many more will be shattered. One blogger has put together a 'gif wall' of footage of how Oscar hopefuls' acting skills momentarily fail as they learn they have not won. Cruel and utterly compelling.

23.29 Here's The Artist star Berenice Bejo.

The film is up for TEN gongs. Michel Hazanavicius, the director says Bejo, his partner, is also his muse.

Olivia Bergin says:

Star of The Artist, French actress Berenice Bejo, has bolstered the popularity of Elie Saab for this evening by picking a pale green gown from the designer's spring/summer 2012 haute couture collection. She attended his Paris fashion show back in January, so it turns out she was eyeing up an Oscar-worthy gown at the time. That makes two stars in the bag already for Saab - not bad going at all.

23.23 Patrick Smith, our culture reviewer, has sent his tips for tonight's winners. He has £10 riding on the outcome with Mrs Smith.

Best picture: The Artist
Best director: Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Best actor: Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Best supporting actor: Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Best actress: Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Best supporting actress: Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Best foreign-language film: A Separation
Best documentary feature: Hell and Back Again
Best original screenplay: Midnight in Paris
Best adapted screenplay: The Descendants

23.18 Some wonderfully snippy commentary on the AP live feed. Shailene Woodley is wearing a long sleaved gown with cuffs and a high neck.

"I like it... I think"

"It's probably warm."

The night has begun for real. George Clooney has arrived.

23.04 AP's correspondent say there have thankfully been no "fashion nos" so far tonight. Lots of green on the red carpet - including Berenice Bejo, the star of The Artist. She is wearing a bottle-sea green.

Olivia Bergin, assistant online fashion editor, writes:

Model turned actress Milla Jovovich scores points from the Telegraph fashion police by rocking up in a white, beaded and sequinned asymetric haute couture gown by Lebanese designer Elie Saab. Jovovich kept accessories to a discreet minimum, but we noticed that she co-ordinated her nails with her gown. We expect Saab to be dressing half of Tinseltown tonight -

read more about him here.

Wim Wenders, director of Pina, says the entire population Wuppertal, the German town where the film is set, is watching.

23.02 Nick Allen on the red carpet writes:

As anticipation mounts the crowds are already going wild whenever they see an American television presenter, some of whom are more glamorous than the stars themselves. Amongst the press all the talk is about whether Sacha Baron Cohen will defy the Acadamy and turn up in character as The Dictator. The usual showbusiness snideness has already started. A comment I just overheard: "That woman's wearing a lovely dress but she's done nothing with her hair.

Brunson Green, the producer, has tipped The Artist for Best Picture.

Penelope Cruz will be wearing sky-blue Armani, we learn.

22.52 Amy Willis writes from the red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre:

The crowds are screaming, the dresses are fabulous, and the cameras are clicking away at any hint of glamour. We're not even expecting the celebrities to arrive on the red carpet for another 10 minutes or so.

Word is that the inside of the Hollywood and Highlands Centre (aka the old Kodak Theatre) has been dressed with an old-fashioned Hollywood theme to match nominations for vintage-themed films Hugo and The Artist.

22.28 Here's Daily Telegraph's film critic Robbie Collin's take on which films deserve a statue, and which should be given a fat raspberry.

22.24 A tremendous video here of preparations at the Oscars ahead of tonight's awards.

^{(If it doesn't run at first hit refresh on your browser)}

22.22 Here's the culture team's essential guide to tonight's awards:

Braveheart? Crash? What were they thinking?

The worst Best Picture winners

Unforgivable omissions:

Top 20 great films with zero nominations

His n hers gongs:

Director and star couples in film

"I'm having an old friend for dinner"

Best lines in winning Best Films