And the winner is ... La La Land star Emma Stone. AFP/PHOTO: Mark Raltson

The 28-year-old Hollywood “It Girl” had already waltzed off with every award that mattered in the lead up to the main event — including the Golden Globe, the SAG and the BAFTA.

Stone’s closest rival in this category was probably French actress Isabelle Huppert, who won the Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Actress for her wonderfully unpredictable performance as a rape victim in Elle. Stone won the Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.

Actress Emma Stone accepts Best Actress for La La Land at the 89th Annual Academy Awards. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

But too few people had seen Paul Verhoeven’s film, which had the added disadvantage of being spoken in French.

Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins) already has three Oscars (from a record 20 nominations) — no doubt the Academy felt inclined to share the love around.

This mentality might also have affected Natalie Portman (Jackie), initially considered the frontrunner in this category. Portman won Best Actress in 2010 for Black Swan, becoming the first millennial to do so.

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in a scene from La La Land. Picture: APSource:AP

Ruth Negga is terrific in Loving, with Joel Edgerton, but she was never really in contention since hers is not a role that takes over the film.

A large part of La La Land’s appeal is the screen chemistry between Stone and co-star Ryan Gosling, with whom the actress has made two other films (Crazy, Stupid Love and Gangster Squad.)

She says the intensity of their on-screen relationships is not replicated in real life.

Emma Stone as Mia in a scene from La La Land. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied

“It’s very light and easy between us and I think that has been the special thing,” Stone told News Corp.

“I have known him now almost seven years and he is just a fun person to be around.”

Stone was destined to play the lead in a musical.

“My mother used to play Les Mis all the time in the house, so I loved the idea,” she told News Corp.

Strange as it seems now, the actress wasn’t Chazelle’s first choice.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in La La Land. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied

The director initially approached Harry Potter’s Emma Watson to play Mia in his love letter to Los Angeles.

But she opted for Disney’s live-action Beauty and The Beast instead.

Originally published as Emma Stone wins Best Actress