Best Picture Oscar: 'Argo' beats 'Lincoln'

"There are eight great films that have as much right to be up here as we do," said "Argo" producer and director Ben Affleck.

The not-so-unexpected win for "Argo" was announced in one of the biggest surprises in the history of Oscar telecasts as first lady Michelle Obama made an unprecedented appearance from the White House to declare the film the top winner of the evening.

It was the first time since "Driving Miss Daisy" in 1990 that a film won the top prize at the Oscars without its director also being nominated.

Daniel Day-Lewis made Oscar history and won a long standing ovation on becoming the first man to win three Best Actor Oscars. He collected the golden statuette for his intense performance as U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in "Lincoln."

"I really don't know how any of this happened," said Day-Lewis, who has dual Anglo-Irish citizenship.

Jennifer Lawrence was named Best Actress for playing a feisty young widow in comedy "Silver Linings Playbook", tripping up on her dress while approaching the stage. She beat Jessica Chastain and France's Emmanuelle Riva, 86, in one of the closest Oscar contests this year.

Taiwanese director Lee beat front-runner Steven Spielberg in the directing race, in a controversial year that saw four of Hollywood's leading names omitted from the Academy Award directing shortlist.

Spielberg's account of President Lincoln's battle

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