Daniel Day-Lewis becomes the first man to win the Best Actor award for three different roles (There Will Be Blood and My Left Foot were the others). "I don't know how any of this happened. I've received more than my fair share of good fortune. It's a strange thing because three years ago, before we decided to do a straight swap, I'd committed to playing Margaret Thatcher - and Meryl was Steven's [Spielberg] first choice for Lincoln. I'd have like to see that version.

"I had to persuade Steven that Lincoln shouldn't be a musical. When we got married 16 years ago, my wife has lived with some very strange men, but luckily she's been the perfect companion to all of them."

He ends by dedicating the award to his mother.