Okay, that fainting thing, Penélope. I'd be lying if I haven't made a version of this speech before. I think I was probably eight years old and staring into the bathroom mirror and this [holding up her statuette] would've been a shampoo bottle. Well, it's not a shampoo bottle now! I feel very fortunate to have made it all the way from there to here and I'd like to thank some of the people along the way who had faith in me. My friends and my family, especially my mum and dad, who are in this room somewhere. Dad, whistle or something, 'cause then I'll know where you are. [Loud whistle.] Yeah! I love you!

I also want to thank Hylda Queally, Dallas Smith and the late, much loved, much missed Robert Garlock. And from Peter Jackson and Emma Thompson to my very own Sam and Stephen Daldry. I'm very lucky to have been given "Hanna Schmitz" by Bernhard Schlink and David Hare. And Stephen, working with you is an experience I will never forget. There was no division between the cast and the crew on this film, and that's what made it so special. So, to have been surrounded by a remarkable group of people who provided an unbroken chain of support, from David Kross to Ralph Fiennes, Bruno Ganz, Lena Olin, from hair and makeup to cinematography, from the art department to the ADs, and from New York to Berlin. And I'm so lucky to have a wonderful husband and two beautiful children who let me do what I love and who love me just the way that I am.

Anthony [Minghella] and Sydney [Pollack], this is for you. This is for both of you. And I want to acknowledge my fellow nominees, these goddesses. I think we all can't believe we're in a category with Meryl Streep at all. I'm sorry, Meryl, but you have to just suck that up! And just to the Academy, thank you so much. My God! Thank you!