Nicole Kidman arrives on stage to present the best actor award: "A passionate romantic, a grown-up bad boy with a temper, an older commanding patriarch, a pirate and a man in a midlife crisis. For women, these are the five stages of dating in Hollywood. For Oscar, they are the characters created by five extraordinarily talented actors."
Sean Penn bows his head as he receives the best actor Oscar for his role in "Mystic River" at the 76th annual Academy Awards Feb. 29, 2004. It was the first Academy Award and fourth nomination for Penn. He was previously nominated for his leading performances in "I Am Sam," "Sweet and Low Down," and "Dead Man Walking."
Charlize Theron takes the stage to accept the Oscar for best actress for her work in "Monster." She first thanked "my incredible director, Patty Jenkins," then went on to thank others including "my incredible, incredible leading lady Christina Ricci... You are truly the unsung hero of this film."
Angelina Jolie shows off a tattoo on her back as she arrives for the 76th annual Academy Awards Feb. 29, 2004.
Here is Jolie's other side.
Julia Roberts waits backstage with Joe Roth at the 76th annual Academy Awards, Feb. 29, 2004, in Los Angeles. Roberts paid special tribute to the late actress Katharine Hepburn, who is among those stars who have passed away since the 2003 Oscars.
Renee Zellweger holds her best supporting actress Oscar on her lap as she watches the show. This was Zellweger's third nomination in the last three years and her first in the supporting category. She was nominated for her leading role in 2001 for "Bridget Jones' Diary" and last year, for "Chicago."
Earlier in the evening, Zellweger made a striking figure as she posed for photographers on her way in to the theater.
Owen Wilson, center, signs autographs, as he and Ben Stiller, left, arrive for the 76th annual Academy Awards Feb. 29, 2004.
Adrien Brody uses breath freshener before presenting the best female actress award to Charlize Theron. This was a comic reference to the theatrical kiss which Brody gave to presenter Halle Berry last year when he accepted his best actor Oscar for "The Pianist."
Speaking of smooches, it looks like director Peter Jackson got a beaut from Liv Tyler, who plays elf-maiden Arwen Undomiel in "The Lord of the Rings" movies. She was reacting to his win as best director for his work on "The Return of the King."
Yet another Oscar-night smooch, this one from Sean Penn to his wife, actress Robin Wright Penn. When he accepted his Oscar for best actor, Penn paid tribute to his wife "for being an undying emotional inspiration on this roller coaster I'm learning to enjoy."
You think fame is fleeting? It's an eternity compared to Oscar night. Work crews began removing the red carpet and stands even though the Oscars were still in progress inside the Kodak Theatre Feb. 29, 2004.