Colin Firth won the Oscar for best actor for his performance in “The King’s Speech.” (Mike Blake/Reuters)

WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A. – The British drama “The King’s Speech” won the Oscar for best picture at the 83rd Academy Awards on Feb. 27 at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also rewarded Colin Firth with the Oscar for best actor for his interpretation of King George VI, father of current Queen Elizabeth II, who fights to overcome his stuttering with the help of an Australian speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush.

“I have a feeling my career has just peaked,” Firth said as he accepted his award.

“The King’s Speech” also received awards for its screenplay, by David Siedler, and for best director, Tom Hooper.

Acclaimed ballet drama “Black Swan” only saw gold in the best actress category, with Natalie Portman receiving the Oscar for her portrayal of Nina, the delusional ballerina who cracks under the stress of dancing.

Natalie Portman won the Oscar for best actor for her work in “Black Swan.” (Gary Hershorn/Reuters)

In her acceptance speech, Portman thanked “Black Swan” director Darren Arofsnosky, calling him a “fearless leader and visionary,” and her parents, Avner and Shelley Hershlag, for “giving me my life, the opportunity to work from such an early age and showing me how to be a good human being by example.”

She also had words for partner Benjamin Millepied, who fathered the child she is expecting, thanking him “for giving me the most important role of my life.”

Melissa Leo and Christian Bale swept the Oscars for their supporting roles in the boxing drama “The Fighter.”

Danish drama “In a Better World” followed its victory at the Golden Globes by winning the Oscar for best foreign language film, beating Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu and his movie “Biutitul,” the only representative of Latin America this year.

“Inside job,” a film about the financial crisis, won the Best Documentary feature Oscar over favorites “Restrepo,” the story of the members of a remote military outpost in Afghanistan named after a North American-Colombian soldier and “Exit through the gift shop,” the first film of British street artist Banksy.

The award ceremony, hosted by actors Anne Hathaway and James Franco, was viewed by a billion people worldwide, according to the Academy.

Melissa Leo won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her work in “The Fighter.” (Mike Blake/Reuters)

2011 Academy Award Winners

Best Picture: “The King’s Speech”

Best Actor: Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”

Best Actress: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”

Best Director: Tom Hooper, “The King’s Speech”

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Picture (Original Song): “We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3,” Randy Newman

Achievement in Film Editing: “The Social Network,” Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter

Achievement in Visual Effects:“Inception,” Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb

Best Live Action Short: “God of Love,” Luke Matheny

Best Documentary Short: “Strangers No More”

Achievement in Costume Design: “Alice in Wonderland,” Colleen Atwood

Christian Bale won the Oscar for best supporting actor for his performance in “The Fighter.” (Mike Blake/Reuters)

Achievement in Sound Editing: “Inception,” Richard King

Achievement in Sound Mixing: “Inception,” Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Picture (Original Score): “The Social Network,” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, “The Fighter”

Best Foreign-Language Film: “In a Better World”

Best Original Screenplay: “The King’s Speech,” David Seidler

Best Adapted Screenplay: “The Social Network,” Aaron Sorkin

Best Animated Feature: “Toy Story 3”

Best Animated Short Film: “The Lost Thing,” Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann

Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, “The Fighter”

Achievement in Cinematography: “Inception,” Wally Pfister

Achievement in Art Direction: “Alice in Wonderland,” Robert Stromberg (Production Design), Karen O'Hara (Set Decoration)

Previously presented honorary Oscars: Film historian and preservationist Kevin Brownlow, director-producer Francis Ford Coppola, director Jean-Luc Godard and actor Eli Wallach.