Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar on 28 February when he received the 'Best Actor' prize at the 88th Academy Awards for his role in revenge western The Revenant.

The 41-year-old had been nominated five times previously for an Oscar over a glittering career spanning 25 years. But he was favourite this time to finally take home the best actor Academy Award this year for his gruelling portrayal of a fur trapper left for dead in an icy wilderness after being mauled by a bear.

In a fight for survival, comparable to his fight for the Oscar, his "Revenant" character Hugh Glass treks through snow-covered forests, gets swept away in a waterfall, sleeps inside the carcass of a disemboweled horse and hungrily eats raw bison liver before making it back to his camp.

DiCaprio being snubbed by the Oscars has been made famous by a lot of memes and recurrent jokes on the web. A syndrome that Oscarologists call the 'Slap the Stud' Syndrome, according to this article by the Los Angeles Times.

"The theory goes that many academy voters are geezer guys who love the younger fillies but resent the handsome bucks. Their message to these Hollywood heartthrobs: "You already have it all – fame, fortune, and females aplenty. So, sorry pal, no Oscar for you, just yet."

In his acceptance speech, DiCaprio, who received a standing ovation, said: "Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted."

In this video IBTimes UK looks at what might have been going through Leonardo DiCaprio's mind as he was honoured with his long awaited Oscar.

More about Oscars 2016
Oscars 2016 Leonardo DiCaprio