Olivia Colman wins her first Oscar

"The Favourite" star Olivia Colman was teary-eyed as she was announced the winner of the Best Actress in a Leading Role category at the 91st Academy Awards, marking her first Oscar.

It was the first major upset of the night that came about three hours into the show -- Colman won over Glenn Close, who dominated trophies throughout award season and was favored by many to win for "The Wife". Close hit a zero for seven Oscar nominations, the Washington Post said.

"It's genuinely quite stressful... This is hilarious. I got an Oscar," Colman said in a wobbled way as she came to terms with her victory.

Colman was competing with Yalitza Aparicio ("Roma"), Close ("The Wife"), Lady Gaga ("A Star Is Born") and Melissa McCarthy ("Can You Ever Forgive Me?").

In her acceptance speech, in which she tried to balance her tears with her humour, Colman thanked her costars, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, calling them "the two loveliest women in the world to fall in love with and to work with every day".

Colman also ensured mentioning how Close was the frontrunner for the award in pre-Oscar talks. "Glenn Close, you've been my idol for so long... This is not how I wanted to it," the British actress said.

Colman plays Queen Anne in "The Favourite", which has Weisz and Stone play royal cousins who are scheming rivals. It is a witty costume drama from director Yorgos Lanthimos.

It is being released in India by Fox Star Studios on March 1.

--IANS

rb/in