Jared Leto has opened up on what was running through his mind when he picked up his first Oscar.

The singer won the Best Supporting Actor prize at this year's Academy Awards for his part as transgender AIDS patient Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club.

He thanked his mother Constance during his speech and he told Ryan Seacrest's radio show that he witnessed his mum's "pride" from the stage.

Leto said: “Funny thing happened...when you standing there in front of all these incredibly inspiring and impressive people you’ve grown up watching...everybody’s there. And I locked eyes with Robert DeNiro at the beginning of my speech and he’s like [makes a serious face]. He’s looking at me, ‘You’re gonna screw this up, kid.’ And I was kind of like, ‘You know what, I’m going to put my eyes back over at my mom'.

"I saw a lot of love and pride [on my mother's face]...When you have those moments you can make a choice to take that light that’s shining on you and reflect it back on other people that are important to you."

Watch Jared Leto make his speech below: