While most saw the Best Actor race at the 2013 Oscars as a foregone conclusion, it still was a category packed with enough brilliant performances that a surprise could have easily been eked out (especially after Christoph Waltz shook up the acting categories with his left-field win in the Best Supporting Actor category for "Django Unchained"). But the Best Actor wasn't an upset at all. Daniel Day-Lewis, as sixteenth President of the United States Abraham Lincoln, took the prize.

In a crowded field, Day Lewis beat out Bradley Cooper in "Silver Linings Playbook," an all-singing Hugh Jackman in "Les Miserables," Joaquin Phoenix in "The Master" and Denzel Washington in "Flight."

"I really don't know how any of this happened," Day-Lewis began his speech. "I am so grateful to the Academy for this beautiful honor." A little later, he unleashed zinger in the direction of Meryl Streep, who presented him with the award. "It's a strange thing because, three years ago... I had actually committed to play Margaret Thatcher, and Meryl was Steven's first choice for 'Lincoln,' and I'd like to see that version."

Of his competition, Day-Lewis said: "I am so proud to be included as one amongst you." He then got personal, making light of his notoriously immersive method acting: "When we got married 16 years, my wife Rebecca has lived with some very strange men. They were strange as individuals and even stranger as taken as a group. Lucky she's the versatile one in the family, and she's been a perfect companion to all of them."

Finally, he gave a shout-out to his creative partners: "I'd like to thank Kathy Kennedy, and through you, our mighty team of co-conspirators, at the apex of that human pyramid there are three men I owe this — Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg and the mysteriously beautiful mind, body and spirit of Abraham Lincoln."

Day-Lewis had already won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and the Screen Actor's Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. On Sunday night, he became the first actor in the history of the Academy to win three Best Actor awards.

Stick with us for everything about the 2013 Oscars including our Oscar winners list and full fashion coverage!