Roberto Benigni became the first Italian actor in more than 35 years to win an Oscar for an acting role. The last winner was Sophia Loren. His unexpecting Oscar win for "Best Actor" marked only the second time that an actor had directed himself in an Academy Award winning performance. The other was Laurence Olivier for Hamlet (1948). Benigni also became the first actor to win a best actor oscar for an non-English speaking role.