HOLLYWOOD  - Sandra Bullock won her first Oscar Sunday scooping the best actress award for her performance as a feisty southern housewife who mentors a homeless black teenager in the sports drama "The Blind Side."

The 45-year-old star had been the front-runner for the statuette after winning a virtual sweep of the pre-Oscars awards including the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The Oscar victory comes after the most successful year of Bullock's career where she appeared in two hit films, "The Blind Side" and "The Proposal" which have grossed more than $700 million.

Other nominees in the category included Meryl Streep for her portrayal of legendary television chef Julia Child in "Julie & Julia," Britain's Carey Mulligan in "An Education," Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious" and Helen Mirren in "The Last Station."