16 Biggest Oscar Upsets Of The 21st Century

The Rightful Winner: Amy Adams, The Master

Anne Hathaway was heaped with praise for her transformative performance as Fantine, a desperate woman trying to do everything she can for her daughter in revolution-era France which wasn't the easiest of times even for those with a bit of money behind them.

She did a great job of looking sad and dirty, having her head shaved and singing the iconic ballad 'I Dreamed A Dream', with the judging panel evidently equating her weight loss and simulated lack of hygiene with an award winning performance. However, there's a snag in that logic because although she did triumph and get her hands on the coveted statuette, she did so at the expense of a far superior performance from Amy Adams in The Master.

While it was a lot more understated than Hathaway's, Adams is able to convey a lot more emotional depth through a nuanced portrayal of a strong woman swept up in a cult-like movement. It's about as far from her inoffensive doe-eyed portrayal of Lois Lane in the DC movies as you can get.

More than holding her own with Joaquin Phoenix and the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman, Adams should really have been recognised for her efforts with a Best Supporting Actress win.