Director Ang Lee reacts after winning the Oscar for best director for "Life of Pi" at the 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 24, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Ang Lee has won the Academy Award for best director for his "Life of Pi".

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It's the second Oscar for Lee, who won in 2005 for "Brokeback Mountain". He was also nominated in 2000 for directing "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". He becomes only the 19th director to win the honor multiple times.

The other nominees Sunday night were Steve Spielberg ("Lincoln"), Michael Haneke ("Amour"), David O. Russell ("Silver Linings Playbook") and Benh Zeitlin ("Beasts of the Southern Wild").

This year's directing category was one of the most controversial, as it left out Ben Affleck for "Argo" and Kathryn Bigelow for "Zero Dark Thirty".

The 85th Academy Awards are airing live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles with host Seth MacFarlane.

Special: 85th Oscar