LOS ANGELES (AP) - Daniel Day-Lewis has won the Academy Award for best actor for his exactingly authentic performance as President Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's historical drama.

He's the first to ever win the best actor Oscar three times. He's been nominated five times, winning for "My Left Foot" in 1990 and "There Will Be Blood" in 2008.

Day-Lewis spent a year preparing for "Lincoln," and, in his customary method, remained in character during the production. His widely-expected Oscar win further cements his status as the most admired actor currently working.

The other nominees Sunday night were Bradley Cooper ("Silver Linings Playbook"), Hugh Jackman ("Les Miserables"), Joaquin Phoenix ("The Master") and Denzel Washington ("Flight").

Jennifer Lawrence has won the Academy Award for best actress for her performance as a young widower in "Silver Linings Playbook."
    
It's the first Oscar for the 22-year-old Lawrence, who was also nominated for "Winter's Bone" in 2011. It's the first Oscar for "Silver Linings Playbook" on the night.
    
The actress tripped on her way to the stage, but by the time she got to the microphone, the Dolby Theatre crowd applauded her with a standing ovation.
    
The other nominees Sunday night were Emmanuelle Riva ("Amour"), Quvenzhane Wallis ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"), Jessica Chastain ("Zero Dark Thirty") and Naomi Watts ("The Impossible").

 If Ben Affleck was snubbed by the Oscars, everyone should be so lucky. His Iran rescue thriller "Argo" has won best picture from the Academy Awards.
    
It's the first best picture winner not to be nominated for best director since 1989's "Driving Miss Daisy." But despite the omission of Affleck - or perhaps buoyed by it - "Argo" emerged as the Oscar favorite, winning top honors from the directors, producers, screen actors and writers guilds.
    
Affleck and fellow producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov accepted the award Sunday night.
    
Among the other eight nominees, Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" was perceived as the biggest competition to "Argo." The other nominees were "Life of Pi," ''Silver Linings Playbook," ''Zero Dark Thirty," ''Les Miserables," ''Amour," ''Beasts of the Southern Wild" and "Django Unchained."

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