Dujardin earns best-actor Oscar for 'The Artist' Feb 27 12:20 AM US/Eastern LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jean Dujardin has earned the best-actor Academy Award for "The Artist," becoming the only performer to win an Oscar for a silent-film role since the first year of the awards 83 years ago. The supporting-actor prize Sunday went to "Beginners" co-star Christopher Plummer, who became the oldest acting winner ever at 82. The only other actors to win for silent roles were Emil Jannings and Janet Gaynor at the first Oscar ceremony for 1927-28, as the sound era was taking over.