Firth and Portman win Critics Choice awards

Colin Firth and Natalie Portman have taken the top honours at the Critics Choice Awards in Hollywood.

The pair, widely believed to be frontrunners for this year’s Academy Awards, picked up Best Actor and Best Actress for their roles in The King’s Speech and Black Swan.

“Knowing that tomorrow will be open season again, I appreciate this moment of love,” Firth, 50, joked in his acceptance speech on stage at the Hollywood Palladium.

He is also nominated in the Best Actor category at Sunday’s Golden Globes.

He promised: “I will be wearing this [award] around my neck as a talisman to give me magical powers as we all enter the fray again.”

Actress Natalie Portman, 29, who is expecting her first child with her fiance Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied, told the audience she’d been busy teasing director Darren Aronofsky.

“I keep telling Darren, you made me skinny and are indirectly responsible for getting me very fat as you introduced me to my love,” she laughed.

She added: “I am incredibly grateful for that most special of gifts.”

Portman also thanked her parents who were in the audience.

“If I am a shadow as good a parent, an echo, then I will be the best in the world, so thank you,” she said.

The Social Network took home this year’s Best Picture with Christian Bale taking Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter.

Melissa Leo won Best Supporting Actress for The Fighter, beating Helena Bonham Carter who had earlier insisted she did not take the award season too seriously.

“I’m just worried about staying on my feet,” she admitted, speaking on the red carpet.

“It’s better if you lose because then you don’t have to worry, then you can relax – whatever!” she laughed.