Oscar winners

Oscar winners in our list below and catch the highlights of the Oscars show on Monday 23rd February at 10pm on Sky1 and Sky1HD. Sean Penn was named best actor for his part in Milk, and Heath Ledger was awarded a posthumous Oscar for his role in The Dark Knight, collected by his family on his behalf. Elsewhere, it's been a fantastic night for British film Slumdog Millionaire, which bagged eight gongs, including best director for Danny Boyle, and best film.

Winners in the other top categories were equally predictable, including best actor Sean Penn for his moving turn as Harvey Milk in "Milk," best actress Kate Winslet as a Nazi concentration camp guard in "The Reader" and supporting actor Heath Ledger, who won posthumously for his maniacal performance as the Joker in the "The Dark Knight." Penelope Cruz won in the tight supporting-actress category for her fiery role in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

Previous winners introduced this year's nominees — Sophia Loren, Shirley MacLaine, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman and Halle Berry, for example, shared the stage to sing the praises of the women up for best actress — and Winslet got hugs and kisses from them all as she joined their sorority. Tina Fey and Steve Martin, meanwhile, had some teasing exchanges as they announced the nominees for original and adapted screenplay.