By Christopher Balchum -- March 8, 2010
First-time wins marked Los Angeles' 82nd annual Academy Awards, as Kathryn Bigelow took home the Oscar for Best Director. It's the first time the Academy has ever honored a female in the directing category, one of the most prestigious of the glamorous event.
The acting categories welcomed new blood as well. Sandra Bullock, 45, won her first "Best Actress" Oscar for her role in "The Blind Side."
"Did I really earn this or did I just wear you all down?" joked Bullock, upon receiving her award. Bullock has long been known for her parts in romantic comedies, but not always for her more serious roles.
Jeff Bridges, who played an alcoholic country singer in "Crazy Heart," came in to last night's awards ceremony as a favorite and ended up with his first Oscar, taking home the Best Actor statuette.
The Motion Picture Academy allowed for 10 nominations in this year's Best Picture category, another Oscar first. "The Hurt Locker," which Bigelow directed, was a gritty film that followed three enlisted men in the Iraq war. It showed up "Avatar" and eight others to take the Best Picture award. "Avatar's" director, James Cameron, is Bigelow's ex-husband.
"The Hurt Locker" never captured the box office loot "Avatar" took in - "Avatar" set records with $720 million in U.S. ticket sales - or any of the other movies up for the award. Instead, "The Hurt Locker" becomes the lowest-grossing movie to ever take the top prize. Released last summer, "Hurt" earned just $15 million in domestic sales.
Mo'Nique won her first Oscar for her supporting role in "Precious." Austrian-born Christoph Waltz took Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Inglourious Basterds," Quentin Tarentino's World War II film.
