Â鶹ԼÅÄ

Hollywood has honoured its finest film-makers at the Academy Awards. Here is a selection of the best acceptance speeches and quotes from the red carpet and backstage.

Colin Firth, accepting the award for best actor:

"I have a feeling my career's just peaked... I'm afraid I have to warn you that I'm experiencing stirrings, somewhere in the upper abdominals, which are threatening to form themselves into dance moves.

"Joyous as they may be for me, it would be extremely problematic if they make it to my legs before I got off stage."

Firth, later :

"I realised when I got up there why some people completely fall apart. You're reeling backwards through space and people don't really want to see that so you have to do your job with as much grace as you can possibly muster.

"I want to do comedy next - gravitas is hugely over-rated. I want to do something that amuses me now that changes the pace, changes the tone. Now it's time to continue my long tradition of making a fool of myself."

Tom Hooper, accepting the award for best director:

"My mum in 2007 was invited by some Australian friends in London to a fringe theatre play reading of an unproduced, unrehearsed play called The King's Speech.

"She's never been invited to a play reading her entire life before. She almost didn't go because it didn't sound exactly promising, but thank God she did. She rang me up after, said: 'Tom, I think I found your next film.' So with this tonight, I honour you.

"And the moral of the story is - listen to your mother."

Helena Bonham Carter, asked whether she was disappointed to lose best supporting actress:

"I have a little dip but then you get over it. 'Cause you can see other losers and you look at the other losers and there's Michelle Williams, Amy Adams, Annette Bening. So you're in a good club and to be honest, I do think people like you more if you lose."

David Seidler, 73, accepting best original screenplay for The King's Speech:

"My father always said to me I would be a late bloomer. I believe I'm the oldest person to win this award. I hope that record is broken quickly and often."

Christian Bale, accepting best supporting actor for The Fighter:

"Wow. What a room full of talented and inspirational people, and what the hell am I doing here in the midst of you? It's such an honour."

Natalie Portman, winner of best actress for Black Swan, in the backstage press room:

"The baby was definitely kicking a lot during the song portion of the show. A little dancer."

Oscars host James Franco to fellow host Anne Hathaway: "Anne, I must say you look so beautiful and so hip."

Hathaway: "Thank you, James, you look very appealing to a younger demographic, as well."

Kirk Douglas, presenting the award for best supporting actress:

"The moment that we are all waiting for. Hugh Jackman is laughing. I don't know why everyone in Australia thinks they're funny. Colin Firth is not laughing. He's British."

Douglas, 94, on Anne Hathaway:

"She's gorgeous. Where were you when I was making pictures?"

Mark Ruffalo, best supporting actor nominee for The Kids Are All Right, tweeted his acceptance speech before the ceremony in case he did not win:

"Thank You Sunrise. My wife and my partner in crime and fun and hard times and joy and sadness in heartbreak and healing and dinners and kids."

Inception visual effects supremo Paul Franklin, asked how winning an Oscar compared to folding Paris in half:

"Well, you know, they're both dreamlike situations, and I have to say, I'm hoping I don't actually ever wake up from this one."

Jesse Eisenberg, best actor nominee for The Social Network, asked on the red carpet how he felt at his first Oscars:

"It's unbelievable. I never played football, so this is the closest I'll get to the Super Bowl."

Elton John, at his 19th annual Aids Foundation dinner:

"I like going to bed after it's over. It's so stressful."