"Oppenheimer," the blockbuster biopic about the race to build the first atomic bomb, claimed seven Academy Awards (Oscar) including the prestigious Best Picture trophy on Sunday, Reuters reported.

 

Irish actor Cillian Murphy won Best Actor for playing theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, leader of the US effort in the 1940s to create a weapon that ended World War Two. "Oppenheimer" director Christopher Nolan took home the directing Oscar.

 

The three-hour historical drama, "Oppenheimer", became an unlikely box office hit and grossed $953.8 million, in addition to widespread critical praise.

 

Emma Stone was named Best Actress for playing a woman revived from the dead in the dark and wacky comedy "Poor Things." It was the second Academy Award for Stone, who earlier had won the Best Actress honour for 2016 musical "La La Land."

 

In supporting actor categories, Robert Downey Jr. of "Oppenheimer" and "The Holdovers" star Da'Vine Joy Randolph claimed their first Academy Awards.