The Lord of the Rings made movie history at the Academy Awards Sunday, capturing 11 Oscars and winning in every category for which it was nominated. Based on a popular fantasy book series by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King became the first fantasy film to ever win Best Picture. The third and final installment of The Lord of the Rings series, the film also won awards for writing and directing.

Lord of the Oscars

Peter Jackson co-wrote and directed all three films in his native New Zealand. "It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a filmmaker, so what better film to work on than The Lord of the Rings?" said Jackson, 42. "It was a privilege every day."

Return of the King has also been a huge hit with moviegoers, earning $1 billion in ticket sales. Only Titanic, which earned $1.8 billion in ticket sales, has been more successful. All three Lord of the Rings films, which took seven years and over 2000 people to make, have earned a combined total of $2.8 billion in ticket sales.

Slap Me a Fin!

Finding Nemo was another big winner, swimming away with the Oscar for Best Animated Movie. Like Lord of the Rings, Nemo was a huge box office hit. It earned $340 million in ticket sales. The film tells the story of Marlin, a father clownfish looking for his little son Nemo, who struggles to find his way out of a fish tank and back home to the ocean.

A Great Ride for Keisha Castle-Hughes

Keisha Castle Hughes, star of Whale Rider, did not win an Oscar Sunday night. But at 13, she is still the youngest person ever nominated for Best Actress. Before the show, she had a wish come true when she met actor Johnny Depp.

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