Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson and Spotlight took home the top prizes at the Academy Awards. Mad Max: Fury Road was the night's big winner with six total nods.

All eyes were on Chris Rock as the comedian opened the 88th Academy Awards — one of the most politically-charged ceremonies (if not the most) of all time — and he didn’t disappoint.

The comic addressed the #OscarSoWhite controversy head on, taking dig after dig at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Hollywood’s diversity crisis in his monologue.

"Well, I’m here at the Academy Awards, otherwise known as the White People’s Choice Awards," he said.

Rock also revealed that he was pressured to drop out of the show by those around him and “thought about quitting” before ultimately deciding that he would be able to wield greater influence as host.

DiCaprio received a standing ovation as he picked up his award, after five acting nominations and one nomination as producer of best picture nominee Wolf of Wall Street.

He thanked his director and co-star Tom Hardy for his "fierce talent on screen" and "friendship off screen" before campaigning for action to combat climate change, saying making The Revenant was "about man's relationship to the natural world".

Larson had won praise for her role as abducted woman Ma in Room, based on the book by Emma Donoghue.

The actress thanked everyone involved in the film, including young co-star Jacob Tremblay, who plays her son.

After her win, she said: "Who I was by the time the movie was over was so far from where I started. It was a long process in trying to find myself.

"Now I feel strong, to be holding this gold guy is an incredible metaphor for how I feel inside."

Here is a full list of winners at the 88th Academy Awards.

Best picture: Spotlight

Best actor: Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant

Best actress: Brie Larson - Room

Best supporting actor: Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies

Best supporting actress: Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl

Best director: Alejandro Inarritu - The Revenant

Best adapted screenplay: The Big Short

Best original screenplay: Spotlight

Best animated film: Inside Out

Best foreign language film: Son of Saul - Hungary

Best animated short: Bear Story

Best cinematography: The Revenant

Best documentary feature: Amy

Best documentary short: A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

Best editing: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best live action short: Stutterer

Best make-up and hair: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best original score: The Hateful Eight, Ennio Morricone

Best original song: Writing's on the Wall, Sam Smith - Spectre

Best production design: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best sound editing: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best sound mixing: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best visual effects: Ex Machina

Source: Press Release