I can't believe they won an Oscar

Shirley Temple won an Oscar at the ripe old age of six Picture: File Source: news.com.au

EVERY year movie critics and film fans try to predict who will take home an Oscar.

They bet, they scrutinise, they calculate and they predict - but no matter how good their movie knowledge is, there's always a few surprises.

As we approach the 85th annual Academy Awards next week, here are just some of the Oscar winners who have elicited an "OMG I can't believe they won" moment over the years.

(And while you’re here, test your knowledge on our “How well do you know Oscar” quiz at the bottom of the page to see how your Academy Awards fares.)

Three 6 Mafia - 1996
Over the Rainbow, Moon River and Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head all sound like Oscar-winning songs, but It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp? Not so much. Hip-hop trio Three 6 Mafia won the Best Original Song Oscar in 1996 for their Hustle & Flow tune, with DJ Paul, Juicy J and Lord Infamous collecting the gong in trademark T-shirts and baggy jeans.

Hilary Swank - 2000
Wait, isn't that the girl from The Next Karate Kid? While Hilary Swank may now be known as one of Hollywood's leading ladies, back in 2000 she became an overnight sensation after taking the best actress Oscar for her role in Boys Don't Cry prompting everyone in the industry to sit up and take notice.

Billy Bob Thornton, his baseball cap, and his Oscar. Picture: Supplied Source: news.com.au

Billy Bob Thornton - 1997
We know him mainly as Angelina Jolie's kinky much-older ex, but before he suited up as Bad Santa and developed his bad boy image, he was collecting an Oscar on stage for his best adapted screenplay. Thornton took home the statue for Sling Blade.

Whoopi Goldberg - 1991
We know her best as the sassy nun in Sister Act, but it wasn't the all-dancing, all-singing film that earned Whoopi a statue. Seventeen years before she appeared on talk show The View and four years before she hosted the Oscars herself, she collected the Best Supporting Actress gong for her role as psychic in Ghost.

Cher - 1998
She was reportedly still bitter about being overlooked for her role in Mask, but she finally took home the golden statue in 1988 for her role in Moonstruck.

Adrian Brody - 2002
Brody became the youngest ever Best Actor winner in 2002 for his role in The Pianist. While audiences were shocked he managed to beat Jack Nicholson (on his 12th career nomination) for About Schmidt and Daniel Day-Lewis might win for Gangs of New York, no one was more surprised than Brody himself who leaped out of his chair exclaiming "Holy s--t!" before locking lips with a clueless Halle Berry, who was on stage to present the award.

Shirley Temple - 1934
The esteemed Shirley Temple became the youngest honouree of an Academy Award when she received a special honorary achievement award way back in 1934 at the ripe old age of six. She received a special miniature sized Oscar for her outstanding contribution to entertainment.

Halle Berry - 2001
While it was no shock that Halle Berry took home the top gong for her role in Monster's Ball, what was astounding was that it took until 2001 for an African American to be named the Best Actress. An overwhelmed Berry burst into tears on stage as she realised what she had achieved in one of the Academy Awards' most memorable moments.

Flight of The Conchords - 2012
The group who used to refer to themselves as "New Zealand's 4th most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo" are now recognised as the "the almost award-winning fourth-most-popular folk duo in New Zealand" after Bret Mackenzie, one half of the duo, took home an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2012. He won the gong for 'Man or Muppet', especially composed for The Muppets movie.

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