Leonardo DiCaprio has finally done it.

More than two decades after his first Academy Award nomination, he has claimed the coveted best actor Oscar for his turn as a fur trapper in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's survival and revenge odyssey The Revenant.

He actually ate a raw bison liver and slept in animal carcasses for the role, which in my book deserves all of the trophies.

The 41-year-old edged out Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Matt Damon (The Martian), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs) and Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl) to claim the win, and received a huge standing ovation from the crowd at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre.

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"The Revenant was the product of a tireless cast and crew," he said, describing the film as a "transcendent cinematic experience".

The film veteran thanked a long list of figures who have helped him in his career, including Martin Scorsese, before turning his thoughts to climate change.

"Climate change is real. It is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work together and stop procrastinating," he said.

"We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, the big corporations, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world.

"Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted."

The Oscars honour ends a string of Academy snubs that made DiCaprio - one of Hollywood's most revered and bankable stars - the king of the meme world.

Many questioned if he could ever win the golden statue, or if he was fated to be honoured with a token lifetime achievement award years down the track.

Until today, DiCaprio had listened to his name being called out by Academy Awards presenters five other times ... but only ever as a nominee.

Take a walk down his long road to Oscars glory:

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

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DiCaprio's breakout role was as Johnny Depp's developmentally-challenged younger brother Arnie in 1993's What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

The role earned him an Oscar nod for best supporting actor at the ripe old age of 22, but he lost out to Tommy Lee Jones for his turn in The Fugitive.

The Aviator

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It took more than a decade for DiCaprio to be nominated for an Oscar again.

He arguably should have been up for the gold earlier for Catch Me If You Can and Gangs of New York - and definitely for Titanic - but it was his role in 2004's The Aviator that did the trick with the Academy.

DiCaprio was nominated for his portrayal of eccentric aviation pioneer Howard Hughes, but lost out in the best actor category to Jamie Foxx for his turn as Ray Charles in Ray.

Blood Diamond

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DiCaprio got another shot at Oscars glory in 2007, nominated for best actor for his turn as a white South African mercenary-turned-diamond-smuggler in gritty film Blood Diamond.

But he missed out again, this time to Forest Whitaker for his memorable portrayal of dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.

The Wolf of Wall Street

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After Blood Diamond, DiCaprio gave a string of standout performances, cementing his place as one of the greatest actors of his generation. These included Revolutionary Road, Inception, J Edgar, Django Unchained and The Great Gatsby - none of which earned him an Oscars nod.

His role as hedonistic stockbroker Jordan Belfort in the 2013 film The Wolf Of Wall Street earned him a Golden Globe in the comedy category, and the Oscar may have been signed, sealed and delivered were it not for Matthew McConaughey.

McConaughey, who lost 20 kilograms to play an AIDs patient in Dallas Buyers Club, scored the Globe in the drama category, and Academy voters ultimately picked him over DiCaprio.

The Wolf Of Wall Street also earned DiCaprio a best picture nod as a producer, but he again missed out as 12 Years A Slave took home that gong.

The Revenant

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 20 seconds 1 m 20 s Leonardo DiCaprio on the challenges of The Revenant

It seemed like DiCaprio was forever doomed to being the bridesmaid, and never the bride.

But he was today finally recognised by the Academy for his role as legendary frontiersman Hugh Glass, who fights for survival after a brutal bear attack in the historical epic.

He picked up a swag of awards for the role, including at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs, and the Oscar is the icing on the cake - 23 years in the making.