LOS ANGELES – “The King’s Speech” was crowned best picture Sunday at an Academy Awards ceremony as precise as a state coronation, the monarchy drama leading as expected with four Oscars and predictable favorites claiming acting honors. Colin Firth, as stammering British ruler George VI in “The King’s Speech,” earned the best-actor prize, while Natalie Portman won best actress as a delusional ballerina in “Black Swan.”
The King's Speech was named best picture of the year. Colin Firth is official Hollywood royalty: He has won the best-actor Academy Award as stammering monarch George VI in "The King's Speech," while Natalie Portman is the best-actress winner as a delusional ballerina in "Black Swan."
It’s easy to see why audiences have fallen in love with “The King’s Speech,” a period drama starring Colin Firth as a British monarch who overcomes a debilitating stammer. The film has everything going for it – intelligence, wit, sensitivity, charming accents, even a bit of underdog appeal. All of which helps explain why it seems predestined to win the Academy Award for best picture tonight.