Academy Awards Results: Upsets Rule as Swinton, Cotillard Win Acting Oscars

A stunned Marion Cotillard clutches to her Oscar. (AP Images)

Oscars went to actresses from across the Atlantic on Sunday night, but not to the ones anticipated to win. Upsets in the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress category highlighted the second hour of the Academy Awards as Marion Cotillard and Tilda Swinton took home golden statues, beating heavily favored counterparts.

Cotillard won for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. The 32-year-old Frenchwoman was the 2/1 second choice to win. The favorite, Englishwoman Julie Christie (Away from Her), had Oscar odds of 1/2 entering the ceremonies in Hollywood.

In the Best Supporting Actress category, Swinton shocked Cate Blanchett, who was thought to be a shoe-in for her performance of Bob Dylan in I’m Not There. Swinton, a 47-year-old from London, won for playing a ruthless corporate lawyer inMichael Clayton. She had Oscar odds of 6/1, which made her the betting public’s fourth choice among the five nominees. Blanchett, who was also nominated for Best Actress, was the 6/5 favorite.

Also a surprise was the string of victories by The Bourne Ultimatum, which won three Oscars in minor categories (sound mixing, sound editing and film editing).No Country for Old Men won for best adapted screenplay, its second Oscar on the night following Javier Bardem’s win for Best Supporting Actor.