‘Million Dollar Baby’ wins best picture

The wins by Freeman and Foxx followed Denzel Washington and Halle Berry’s triumph three years ago for “Training Day” and “Monster’s Ball,” the only other time blacks claimed two acting Oscars.

“In our music, in our everyday life, there are so many negative things,” said Foxx, who throughout awards season has praised Washington and Berry as ambassadors for black actors. “Why not have something positive and stamp it with blackness?”

Producers of Sunday’s show hoped the presence of first-time host Rock might boost ratings, particularly among younger viewers who may label the Oscars as too staid an affair. Rock had mocked the Oscars a bit beforehand, calling awards shows “idiotic,” but he was on his best behavior.

He chided some celebrities by name and included one mild three-letter word, but his routine was fairly clean for the comedian known for a foul mouth in his standup act.

Gary Hershorn / Reuters Actor Jamie Foxx celebrates after he won the Oscar for best actor at the 77th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, February 27, 2005. Foxx won for his role in the film "Ray."

It was the second straight year an Eastwood film won two of the four acting Oscars, Swank as a tenacious fighter who rises to champion status before her life takes a cruel twist, Freeman as a worldly wise ex-boxer.

Last year, Eastwood’s dark morality play “Mystic River” earned the lead-actor prize for Sean Penn and the supporting-actor award for Tim Robbins.

Freeman, who costarred in Eastwood’s 1992 film “Unforgiven,” said he is the sort of director who gives actors the freedom to cut loose and perform their own way. The Western was Eastwood’s first Oscar win for best-picture and director.

“If he hires you, he hires you because he feels like you know what to do,” Freeman said. “And he’s very, very largely out of the way. He directs the picture, you do the acting. I love that, and I think that most of the people that he works with love that.”

Swank once again beat out main rival Annette Bening, nominated for the theater farce “Being Julia.” Bening had been the front-runner for “American Beauty” five years ago but lost to Swank.

With unremarkable career results since her first win, Swank had been in danger of becoming one of those actresses who fades from view after an Oscar success.

“The truth is, after ’Boys Don’t Cry,’ I realized how few and far between the great roles are,” Swank said. “I am beyond thankful for finding ‘Million Dollar Baby.”’

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‘Million Dollar Baby’ wins best picture Small films win big at Oscars What’s in store for next year’s Oscars? Swank KOs Bening again for best actress Host Chris Rock comes out swinging Blue and yellow all over Oscar red carpet Freeman, Foxx add to Oscar history Intimate moments backstage at the Oscars Sidney Lumet honored at Oscars Short proves to be winner for speeches Academy Awards® Section Front   Add Academy Awards® headlines to your news reader: