Kate Winslet's Best Actress speech I As it happened: Chris Ayres in LA I Full list of Oscar winners I Sixth time lucky for Kate I Best speeches I Red carpet report I More Oscar dresses I Oscars live on Twitter I Complete Oscars coverage

Kate Winslet kept her composure - just - after finally winning an Oscar at the sixth attempt.

The actress - who raised eyebrows for her gushing acceptance speech at the Golden Globes last month - was breathless but staved off the tears as she accepted the best actress gong.

She has previously been nominated for an Academy Award on five other occasions.

Winslet, 33, told the audience that she had actually first prepared an acceptance speech when she was just eight.

"I'd be lying if I hadn't made a version of this speech. I think I was probably eight years old and staring into a mirror," she said.

With her director husband Sam Mendes looking on, she went on to offer a stream of breathy tributes including to her children and The Reader's director, Stephen Daldry.

Winslet appeared close to tears as she mentioned the Oscar-winning directors Anthony Minghella and Sidney Pollak, who both died last year.

She also went on to refer to her fellow nominees as "goddesses", singling out veteran Meryl Streep for praise.

"I think we all can't believe we are in the same category as Meryl Streep at all," she said to laughs and applause.

After her triumph, Winslet said she had always believed an Oscar was a fantasy that would never come true.

"I feel like an unlikely hero," she said, "I was not the privileged kid things like this could happen to.

Editor's choice

• The 100 Best Films of the Decade
• 70 facts you didn't know about Marvel
• The 50 Biggest Movies Of 2010