Most Surprising Oscar Winners of the Past 20 Years

The surprise Best Picture winner bested favorite Brokeback Mountain thanks to an aggressive campaign, and caused behind-the-scenes drama regarding the number of producers eligible for a nomination/win.

Up against Jack Nicholson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicolas Cage and Michael Caine, Brody shocked the audience with his Best Actor win -- and presenter Halle Berry as well, upon whom he planted a big, huge kiss.

11 year-old Anna Paquin became the second youngest person to win an Oscar when she nabbed the Best Supporting Actress Oscar away from Rosie Perez, Emma Thompson, Winona Ryder and Piano co-star Holly Hunter, who was nominated for The Firm.

So confident was everyone that Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan would take home the Best Picture award that Indiana Jones himself, Harrison Ford, was the Best Picture presenter. But Harvey Weinstein sailed to victory with the little British comedy that could.

Marisa Tomei's surprise Best Supporting Actress win created a maelstrom of controversy that presenter Jack Palance had misread the actual recipient; two Oscar nominations later, everyone knows that is most definitely not the case.

Lauren Bacall was expected to be the sentimental favorite for Best Supporting Actress (for The Mirror Has Two Faces) but the lovely Binoche was the shocked winner, stating that it was Bacall who indeed deserved the statuette.

On top of star Adrien Brody's surprise win, the absent Polanski was the recipient of the Best Director Oscar over Chicago's Rob Marshall (who had won the DGA prize that year).

Roberto Begnini danced on top of the seats as he made his way to the podium to accept Best Actor honors over Nick Nolte, Edward Norton, Tom Hanks and Ian McKellen.

Hilary Swank was a little known actress whose primary credits were The Next Karate Kid and Beverly Hills 90210 when she swept the Best Actress award with her sensitive portrayal of transgendered teen Brandon Teena.

Competing against himself for Erin Brockovich, Soderbergh was expected to split his own vote for Best Director, to be bested by either Ang Lee of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Ridley Scott of Gladiator; instead, he took home the award for the acclaimed drama.

In a Best Supporting Actress field that could have gone any way, Marcia Gay Harden bested performances by Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand (Almost Famous), Julie Walters (Billy Elliott), and Judi Dench (Chocolat).

A surprised Barbra Streisand presented the Best Song Oscar to "Lose Yourself," the first rap song when Eminem's hit won the award; the star and rapper himself, however, was not present to collect his honor.

Though it was a huge hit, few expected Michael Moore to take home the Oscar for Best Documentary feature for the controversial hit; when he won, Moore was almost booed off the stage thanks to his passionate acceptance speech.

Up against Dolly Parton's country song for Transamerica and a haunting ballad from Crash, the rousing "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" brought the house down in live performance before snapping up the Best Song Oscar.

Sandra Bullock made a huge comeback with this inspirational drama, and the wave of popularity rode her to a Best Actress Oscar over the likes of Meryl Streep, who also won hearts as Julia Child in Julie & Julia.

Having appeared also in Moulin Rouge and Bridget Jones's Diary that year, Jim Broadbent took home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this sensitive drama about author Iris Murdoch and her devoted husband.

Though she had won the Screen Actors Guild award earlier, the shock on Halle Berry's face when she won Best Actress (and became the first African-American woman to do so) brought down the house and earned her a standing ovation.

Though it was a big hit in France, few had seen this biopic of singer Edith Piaf stateside, until a highly successful campaign brought the heretofore unknown Marion Cotillard to mainstream popularity and an Oscar for Best Actress.

When Pan's Labryinth nabbed three Oscars (Cinematography, Art Direction, Make-up), it was widely assumed it would win Best Foreign Language Film as well; enter the acclaimed German drama to sweep the award instead.

In a new category that was dominated by huge box office hits, Hayao Miyazaki's haunting film bested hits like Lilo & Stitch and Ice Age for the Best Animated Feature Oscar.