It appears this year's Oscars had a modest audience to match its toned-down ceremony after having its lowest ever TV ratings.

This year, the Academy shunned box office-busting blockbusters for critically-acclaimed independent movies, leaving many viewers wondering exactly who the nominees were.

The three-hour broadcast of the star-studded ceremony on U.S. TV channel ABC attracted an average of 32million viewers - a 21 per cent drop from 2007's 41million.

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Winners: Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Supporting Actress Tilda Swinton, Best Actress Marion Cotillard and Best Supporting Actor Javier Bardem backstage at Sunday's ceremony

The show was hosted by Daily Show presenter and comedian Jon Stewart.

Following a pared-down awards season due to the recent writer's strike, which saw the Golden Globes ceremony turned into a press conference, this year's Oscars was a lot more low-key than previous years.

Oscars bosses haven't seen such low figures since 2003's Academy Awards, which hit 33million and took place a day after the U.S. began their war in Iraq.

Among more well-known names such as Julie Christie, Cate Blanchett and Laura Linney for Best Actress, was newcomer Ellen Page and French actress Marion Cotillard, who went on to pick up the golden man.

Out of all the Best Picture nominees - Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men (which won the category) - only teen pregnancy comedy Juno reached over $100million in the U.S. box office.

In a blow to the American film industry, all of the big acting trophies went to Europeans - Brits Daniel Day-Lewis and Tilda Swinton as Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress respectively, French star Marion Cotillard for Best Actress and Spaniard Javier Bardem for Best Supporting Actor.

The most popular Oscar broadcast ever was in 1998 when disaster blockbuster Titanic picked up an amazing 11 awards.