The English actress was a popular choice for Best Actress.
Olivia Colman, the actress best known for her role as Sophie in British comedy Peep Show, won the Academy Award for Best Actress on a night of surprises at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Colman won out over heavy favourite Glenn Close for her role in the dark comedy The Favourite - in which she portrayed Queen Anne, engaged in something of a love triangle with supporting characters played by Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone.
Visibly shocked when her name was called out, Colman's speech was almost as entertaining as her performance in Yorgos Lanthimos' film.
"It’s genuinely quite stressful," she said as she reached the stage. "This is hilarious – I’ve won an Oscar!"
She then thanked Lady Gaga, who was applauding her from the front row, before also thanking her co-stars Weisz and Stone, whom she described as "the two loveliest women in the world to go to work with".
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The award was one of many surprises on a night without a host, as Green Book, the comedy drama starring Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen, took home Best Picture ahead of favourite Roma.
The film, directed by Peter Farrelly and said to be based on a true story, has faced criticism since its release over the veracity of its story and the manner in which it handles issues of race.
The family of Dr. Don Shirley, the musician portrayed by Mahershala Ali in a Best Supporting Actor performance, have described the film as a "symphony of lies".
Rami Malek took home the Best Actor award for his role as Freddy Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, while Alfonso Cuarón won Best Director for Roma.
