Co-stars Christian Bale and Melissa Leo won Best Supporting Academy Awards tonight (February 27) for their work in The Fighter.
Bale was a heavy favorite after winning a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in January. Leo beat out co-star Amy Adams for her Oscar win.
The Fighter is a biopic based on the life of retired boxer Micky Ward, remembered by fans for his classic trilogy with the late Arturo Gatti. Bale plays Dicky Eklund, Micky’s older brother and trainer. A former boxer himself who once fought Sugar Ray Leonard, Eklund struggles with a crack addiction that has him at odds with his family. Leo plays Alice Ward, the controlling boxing manager and matriarch of the Eklund/Ward clan.
The Fighter was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The Oscar wins are the first for both Bale and Leo.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 