Christopher Nolan wins his first Oscar for directing 'Oppenheimer'

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Christopher Nolan fulfilled his award show frontrunner status, winning his first Oscar on Sunday night for directing “Oppenheimer” and then another for best picture.

The 53-year-old British visionary has garnered critical acclaim throughout his career, but had never won at the Oscars until now. He was nominated for directing “Dunkirk” in 2017 and for original screenplay in 2010 for “Inception” and in 2001 for “Memento.”

“Winning this recognition from my peers is the icing on the cake,” he said backstage. “It’s very important to me. It’s a wonderful finish to what’s been an incredible year.”

Nolan quickly added a second statue when “Oppenheimer” closed the evening by winning best picture, one of seven Oscars it earned, including best actor for Cillian Murphy and supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr. The film earned a leading 13 nominations and has earned nearly $1 billion worldwide.