Oscars 2016: Brie Larson wins Best Actress for Room

The actor's win for her daring performance in 'Room' beat out awards favourites Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Lawrence

Brie Larson has won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Lenny Abrahamson's raw, heart-wrenching independent flick Room.

The award marks both her first win and her first nomination at the Oscars; a formidable achievement for the 26-year-old actor.

Larson managed to beat out awards darlings Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Lawrence, nominated for Carol and Joy respectively; as well as widely praised performances from Saoirse Ronan for Brooklyn, and Charlotte Rampling for 45 Years.

"The thing that I love about movie-making is how many people it takes to make it," she stated in her acceptance speech. "Thank you to the moviegoers."

Her CV has so far largely been a low-key affair, littered with supporting roles and a promising lead in 2013's Short Term 12; with her incredible win tonight surely throwing open the doors of Hollywood and privileging her to some of cinema's most choice roles.

And she's pitched herself perfectly for this catapult into the limelight; she'll star opposite Tom Hiddleston in Warner Bros.' upcoming blockbuster Kong: Skull Island, as well as Ben Wheatley's highly-anticipated Free Fire.