An emotional Eddie Redmayne was propelled into the frontline of Hollywood stardom today when he won the leading actor Oscar.

The star, lauded for his performance as Professor Stephen Hawking in The Theory Of Everything, saw off competition from big names including Bradley Cooper and his friend - and fellow Brit - Benedict Cumberbatch.

Accepting his award from Cate Blanchett, a shocked Redmayne said: "I don't think I'm capable of articulating quite how I feel right now. I'm fully aware that I'm a lucky, lucky man".

He dedicated the award to "all of those people around the world battling" motor neurone disease - the illness that left Professor Hawking in a wheelchair.

Clutching his Oscar, Redmayne said: "I will be its custodian and I promise you I will look after him, I will polish him, I will answer his beck and call and wait on him hand and foot " and thanked the Hawking family and his wife, Hannah.

Redmayne, who has also won a Golden Globe, Bafta and Screen Actors Guild for the performance, also thanked his "staggering partner in crime Felicity Jones" who lost out on the leading actress Oscar to Julianne Moore.

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