BAFTAs 2024: Oppenheimer sweeps the ceremony with seven awards – including the night’s big prize
Oppenheimer is the winner of the night at this year’s BAFTAs, taking home seven awards, including the big one – best film.
Irish actor Cillian Murphy, who stars as “father of the atomic bomb” J Robert Oppenheimer, was named best actor – and thanked his “Oppen-homies” on stage – while co-star Robert Downey Jr was honoured in the supporting category.
Accepting his trophy, Murphy described his character as “colossally knotty,” and added: “We have a space to debate and interrogate and investigate that complexity and it’s a privilege to be a part of this community with you all.”
Irish actor Cillian Murphy is this year’s BAFTA best actor. Pic: Kate Green/BAFTA/Getty
For Christopher Nolan, the film’s acclaimed British director – also known for Inception, The Dark Knight, and Dunkirk – the “incredible honour” of his first ever BAFTA was a case of third time lucky.
He paid tribute to the film’s cast, led by the “peerless” Murphy, as he accepted the award.
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Downey Jr, who plays Lewis Strauss, head of the Atomic Energy Commission, set a new record for the longest gap between wins by an actor – with his latest trophy coming 31 years after his previous BAFTA for Chaplin, in 1993.
On stage, he thanked Nolan, joking: “Recently that dude suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last ditch effort to resurrect my dwindling credibility.”
It was also a successful night for Emma Stone, who was named best actress for her performance in Poor Things, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph – who took home the supporting actress trophy for her portrayal of a grieving school chef in The Holdovers.
Emma Stone stars in Poor Things. Pic: Kate Green/BAFTA/Getty
Stone’s win was one of five for Poor Things, in which she plays a woman with the mind of a child discovering life for the first time, making the film the night’s second big winner.
The American actress said she was “in awe” of all of the team behind the surreal comedy, and thanked her British dialect coach for “not laughing” when she said water in an American accent.
All four acting winners are among the favourites to take home prizes at the Oscars in March.
The show was hosted by David Tennant. Pic: Joe Maher/BAFTA/Getty
In her speech, Randolph paid tribute to her co-star and fellow nominee, Paul Giamatti, saying she “cries every time” she says his name.
“I’m proud to call you a friend and thank you for never wavering,” she said.
She also hailed her character Mary, who would “never would have got a chance to wear a beautiful gown”, before saying it was a “responsibility I don’t take lightly”.
Elsewhere, Holocaust drama The Zone Of Interest took home three awards, including best film not in the English language – and also outstanding British film, due to British involvement behind the scenes, including Jonathan Glazer directing.
Read more:
The full list of winners
Red carpet fashion – all the best looks
Prince William, president of BAFTA, and David Beckham were among the BAFTA VIPs. Pic: PA
Despite being the biggest film of 2023, and heading into the ceremony with five nominations, Barbie left the BAFTAs empty-handed.
The show was hosted by David Tennant, who kicked things off with a Zoom-style sketch about looking after Michael Sheen’s dog, Bark Ruffalo – which ended with the dog being handed to the Welsh star at the ceremony.
The ceremony also included a memorable performance from Sophie Ellis-Bextor – whose 2001 hit Murder On The Dancefloor has soared up the charts once again thanks to its inclusion in the particularly memorable final scene in viral hit film Saltburn.
Emma Stone stars in Poor Things. Pic: Kate Green/BAFTA/Getty
Samantha Morton, known for films and TV shows including Minority Report, The Whale and The Walking Dead, was named this year’s BAFTA fellowship winner, and used her speech to highlight problems in the children’s care system.
The actress and director, who grew up in foster care, said on stage: “It costs the taxpayer a huge amount of money to keep a child in care, to take care of them. And that money is wasted and spent ridiculously.
“I used to say when I was a kid of many children’s homes, I used to say, ‘It’d be great, why don’t I just go to some fancy boarding school? At least then I get an education’. But that wasn’t on the cards.”
She added: “To those kids in care, don’t allow the system to drag you down because it can and it will.”
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The creator and star of hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer has issued a fresh plea to fans to stop trying to discover the identities of characters in the show – and warned he will refrain from commenting for good.
Described as a true story, Richard Gadd’s series – in which he plays barman and aspiring comedian Donny Dunn – sparked an online frenzy over the real-life identities of some of the characters – including a stalker played by actress Jessica Gunning.
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Gadd called on fans to stop their searches, saying: “If I wanted the real life people to be found, I would’ve made it a documentary”.
Gadd also said he was concerned any further comment on identities would cause yet more speculation.
“I’ve spoken publicly about how I don’t want people to do it and if I start playing a game of whack-a-mole, then I’m almost adding to it,” he added.
“I don’t think I’ll ever comment on it ever again.”
Gadd’s character Donny is stalked by a woman named Martha Scott, played by Jessica Gunning. Pic: Netflix
It follows a previous appeal in an Instagram story, when Gadd said: “People I love, have worked with, and admire… are unfairly getting caught up in speculation.
“Please don’t speculate on who any of the real-life people could be. That’s not the point of our show.
“Lots of love, Richard.”
Baby Reindeer is about the traumatic life of a struggling comedian who is stalked by a woman called Martha Scott and is sexually assaulted by someone seemingly high up in the entertainment industry.
In the opening sequence of the series, viewers are told in an on-screen message: “This is a true story.”
A woman alleged to be the inspiration for the stalker character of Martha has since appeared in an interview with journalist Piers Morgan, saying she was “forced” to come forward after receiving online death threats from “internet sleuths”.
Fiona Harvey repeatedly denied being a stalker and described the series as “a work of fiction”.
When asked if she will “categorically be taking legal action”, she replied: “Absolutely, against both him (Gadd) and Netflix.”
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Gadd’s interview with the Hollywood Reporter was published on Monday but was carried out before the Morgan interview with Ms Harvey aired.
Gadd also revealed he lost almost 20 kilos to play the role because he wanted “to feel vulnerable and fragile” in his body so when filming was over “there was a bit of piecing myself back together”.
“To play Donny Dunn, I had to go back to that head space where I was at the time [in real life], which was very raw and very damaged,” he added.
Entertainment
Eurovision says some contestants did not respect ‘spirit of rules’ after controversial competition
The organiser of the Eurovision Song Contest has said it “regrets” that some contestants did not respect the “spirit of the rules” when taking part in the competition in Sweden.
In a statement on Monday, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said it had spoken to a number of delegations during the event regarding what it referred to as “various issues that were brought to our attention”.
It comes after Ireland’s Bambie Thug said they had raised “multiple complaints” to the EBU in the build up to the grand finale in the city of Malmo on Saturday after accusing Israeli broadcaster, Kan, of a rule breach.
The Irish performer accused the Israeli broadcaster of “inciting violence” against them three times and added they were waiting for the EBU to respond.
Bambie – who finished sixth with their gothic song Doomsday Blue – had repeatedly criticised the involvement of Israel’s representative, Eden Golan, who came fifth in the competition, given the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
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Bambie Thug: ‘My favourite non-binary won’
The EBU said this week its governing bodies will work with the heads of delegations to review the events that took place at this year’s Eurovision and “move forward in a positive way and to ensure the values of the event are respected by everyone”.
“Individual cases will be discussed by the event’s governing body, the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group, made up of representatives from participating broadcasters, at its next meeting,” it said.
Nemo celebrates after winning the Eurovision Song Contest. Pic: AP
The 68th edition of the annual song contest was won by Nemo from Switzerland – the first non-binary performer to take the trophy.
But the week of the competition was marred by controversy, after the disqualification of The Netherlands’s contestant Joost Klein who was stopped from taking part over an “incident” where he was alleged to have made verbal threats to a female production worker.
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A Pro-Palestinian demonstration ahead of the second semi-final at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo. Pic: AP
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It was the first time in Eurovision history that an act has been disqualified after reaching the grand final.
Meanwhile, around 10,000-12,000 people, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, took to the streets of Malmo across the weekend to call for Israel to be excluded from the contest.
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How did Eurovision 2024 unfold?
Numerous contestants – including Lithuania, France and Portugal – also tentatively brought politics to the stage after performing in the final, with all of them commenting on the importance of peace.
Israel’s Ms Golan told Sky News after the contest she had ignored all the controversy and was “over the moon” about coming fifth in the competition.
Kelly Clarkson has addressed speculation about her weight loss, saying she has not used Ozempic but “something else” which has helped her.
The singer and talk show host spoke about the issue with actress Whoopi Goldberg, who has also lost a lot of weight after having treatment, in an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Numerous Hollywood stars are rumoured to have used Ozempic to lose weight – but just a handful of celebrities have admitted it publicly.
Whoopi Goldberg says she has lost “almost two people” in weight. Pic: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP 2023
The medication was originally designed for people with diabetes, suppressing the appetite and lengthening the amount of time food stays in the stomach, leading to weight loss.
On the show, Goldberg, 68, told Clarkson she had “lost almost two people” in weight by “doing that wonderful shot that works for folks that need some help”. She has previously spoken about using the medication Mounjaro, another diabetes drug approved for weight loss in the US.
Clarkson, 42, responded by sharing her own story: “My doctor chased me for like two years and I was like, ‘No, I’m afraid of it. I already have thyroid problems’,” she said. “Everybody thinks it Ozempic. It’s not.”
Instead, Clarkson said she had used “something else… that aids in helping break down the sugar – obviously my body doesn’t do it right”.
She weighed 203 pounds, or 14.5 stone, at her heaviest, she said, and decided to begin her weight loss journey after watching a performance of herself and not recognising who she was watching on screen.
“You see it, and you’re like, ‘well, she’s about to die of a heart attack’,” Clarkson said.
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The American Idol star was also told she was pre-diabetic earlier this year.
In January, she told People, she had lost weight after listening to her doctor and was eating “a healthy mix”.
Ozempic has been banned as a treatment for obesity in the UK due to high demand for the drug causing a global shortage.
Stephen Fry was prescribed the drug in the US “years ago” and said earlier this year that side effects included vomiting up to five times a day.
Oprah Winfrey has also said she has taken weight loss drugs, though has declined to specify which one.
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