Two black actors win Oscar awards

In Los Angeles, Denzel Washington took the Oscar for best actor for his role in Training Day at the 74th annual Academy film awards.

Halle Berry, who picked up the best actress Oscar for Monster’s Ball, became the first black star to take the title.

A Beautiful Mind took the best picture Oscar and also scooped the best director award for Ron Howard.

Halle Berry made an emotional acceptance speech.

‘‘This moment is so much bigger than me,’’ she finally blurted out.

‘‘This is for every nameless, faceless woman of colour who now has a chance tonight because this door has been opened.

‘‘I’m so honoured and I thank the academy for choosing me to be the vessel.

But the star, honoured for her performance in Monster’s Ball, eventually got into her flow to thank everyone she could think of.

By the time she got to thanking her lawyer, she was being encouraged to leave the stage.

But she continued: ‘‘Wait a minute, 74 years here, I’ve got to take this time.’’

Denzel Washingtonwas calmer in his acceptance.

‘‘Two birds in one night. God is good, God is great, from the bottom of my heart,’’ he said.

‘‘40 years I’ve been chasing Sidney (Poitier) and what do they do? they give it to him the same night.

‘‘I’ll always be chasing you Sidney, I’ll always be following in your footsteps - and there’s nothing I’d rather do.’’

Washington, who won a best supporting actor title in 1990 for Glory, thanked his wife and children and told them: ‘‘I told you if I lost tonight I would come home and celebrate and I told you if I won tonight I’d come home and celebrate. Well I’m coming home, we’re celebrating.’’

Unfortunately for Ireland, Enya did not win in the best song category for her theme to the Lord of the Rings.

Also the two Irish nominees in the best animated short film, Fifty percent Grey and Give up your aul sins, did not win.

Here is a full list of winners for the 74th annual Oscars:

:: Supporting actress - Jennifer Connelly, A Beautiful Mind

:: Film editing - Black Hawk Down.

:: Make-up - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

:: Costume design - Moulin Rouge.

:: Cinematography - The Lord of the Rings.

:: Documentary feature - Murder on a Sunday Morning.

:: Documentary short - Thoth.

:: Art direction - Moulin Rouge.

:: Gordon E. Sawyer award (Oscar statuette): Edmund M. Di Giulio.

:: Animated film - Shrek.

:: Sound - Black Hawk Down.

:: Sound editing - Pearl Harbour.

:: Supporting actor - Jim Broadbent, Iris.

:: Visual effects - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

:: Jean Hersholt humanitarian award - Arthur Hiller.

:: Original score - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Howard Shore; :: Live action short film - The Accountant.

:: Animated short film - For the Birds.

:: Original song - If I Didn’t Have You (Monsters, Inc.), Randy Newman.

:: Adapted screenplay - Akiva Goldsman, A Beautiful Mind.

:: Original screenplay - Julian Fellowes, Gosford Park.

:: Foreign film - No Man’s Land.

:: Actress - Halle Berry, Monster’s Ball.

:: Actor - Denzel Washington, Training Day.

:: Director - Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind.

:: Best Picture - A Beautiful Mind.

:: Honorary awards - Sidney Poitier and Robert Redford.