That Basterd! Christoph Waltz Wins Best Supporting Actor

The first big acting award was also the least surprising: Best Supporting Actor went to Inglourious Basterds‘ diabolical villain, Cnl. Hans Landa, as played by the transcendant Christoph Waltz.

It’s Waltz’s first Oscar — to go with his first Golden Globe, his first BAFTA, his first Screen Actors Guild award, etc. etc. etc. One of the foreign actors tapped by Quentin Tarantino for the film, but largely unknown by U.S. audiences, Waltz rocked that part in four languages — English, French, German and Italian — not to mention over a variety of delicious foodstuffs.

“There’s no way I can thank you enough, but I can start right now,” said Waltz, making sure to thank the many people involved but to save the final tribute for last: Tarantino, the man who made it all happen.

He also looks very foxy in a salt-and-pepper beard.

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