Leonardo DiCaprio finally gets his Oscar

Leonardo DiCaprio accepts the award for best actor in a leading role for "The Revenant" at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/

Leonardo DiCaprio has won his first Oscar for being savaged by a bear.

The actor has been nominated for an Academy Award four times in the past and came away empty handed, but it was fifth time lucky in 2016.

He took the stage wearing a dapper black suit, and a smile from ear to ear.

"Thank you thank you all so very much," he said modestly. "The Reveneant was the product of tireless efforts of the cast and crew."

He also gave a shout out to humanity and the voices who have been drowned out, adding: "Do not take this planet for granted, I do not take this (award) for granted."

DiCaprio was tipped from the start as favourite for Best Actor thanks to his role as Hugh Glass in The Revenant.

A Best Actor category pitted him against Bryan Cranston,Trumbo, Matt Damon The Martian, Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs, and Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl.

Even fellow nominee Redmayne - who was nominated for his portrayal of Lili Elbe - backed his rival saying the trophy "should" be his.

"(Leonardo is) definitely going to win and should," Redmayne said ahead of the ceremony.

DiCaprio's portrayal of a grunting 19th century trapper mauled by a bear and left for dead was marked as a certain prize winner.

As if acting talents weren't enough, he also put his body on the line, taking method acting to the extreme - eating raw bison liver and being washed down a semi-frozen river during filming.

Leonardo DiCaprio had to put up with some extremely tough conditions in The Revenant.

Previous unsuccessful Oscar nominations were for roles in The Wolf of Wall Street (2014), Blood Diamond (2007), The Aviator (2005) and What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1994).

• See the full list of winners here.

- nzherald.co.nz