Anthony Hopkins is oldest-ever acting Oscar winner after taking best actor for The Father

Anthony Hopkins has won the best actor Oscar at the 93rd Academy Awards, which are taking place in Los Angeles.

Hopkins, 83, won for his performance as an elderly man with dementia in The Father, directed by French novelist and playwright Florian Zeller, who also wrote the acclaimed stage play on which the film is based.

It is Hopkins’s second best actor victory – he won in 1994 for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.

He had also been nominated for his leading roles in The Remains of the Day and Nixon, as well as supporting parts in The Two Popes and Amistad.

The victory makes Hopkins the oldest ever Oscar winner, an honour previously held by the late Christopher Plummer, who was 82 when he won for Beginners in 2011.

Hopkins’ win consolidated a late surge of momentum for the actor in this year’s race, following his victory at the Baftas a fortnight ago. The Oscars favourite had been the late Chadwick Boseman for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Also up for this year’s prize were fellow Brits Gary Oldman (for Mank) and Riz Ahmed (The Sound of Metal) as well as Steven Yuen for Minari. Yuen and Ahmed’s inclusion marked the first time two Asian actors had been shortlisted in the best actor category.

Hopkins did not pick up his award in person and the anticipated victory speech delivered in his honour by Olivia Colman in London did not materialise.

His award crowned a highly unusual Oscars ceremony, which ended shortly after it was announced.