Cillian Murphy won the Best Actor award at the British Academy Awards on Sunday (18 February 2024).
The 47-year-old actor, who plays the lead role in Christopher Nolan's Atomic Bomb Story, accepted the award at a ceremony at London's Royal Festival Hall.
His awards include Bradley Cooper for “Maestro,” Coleman Domingo for “Rustin',” Paul Giamatti for “The Holdovers,” Barry Keoghan for “Saltburn,” and “Past Lives.” ''s Theo Yoo was included.
When Nolan won the Best Director award for his role in Oppenheimer, Killian won the award in honor of his lead role.
The film won Robert Downey Jr. the gong for Best Supporting Actor, as well as awards for Cinematography and Editing.
“Oppenheimer” has been nominated for a total of 13 awards.
Earlier, French legal drama Anatomy of a Fall won the gong for best original screenplay, with co-writer and director Justine Triet collecting the award.
“The last time I was in London, a woman said to me, 'After I saw your film, I called my ex-boyfriend and asked him to watch the film to understand why he left me. I said, 'And the other person said, 'Did you make the movie?' Is there a microphone in my kitchen?”
“Tonight I would like to make a statement: This is fiction and we are reasonably okay with it,” he added, referring to co-author and partner Arthur Harari.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph won Best Supporting Actress for The Holdovers and said, “Thank you for entrusting me with this beautiful character.
“Standing on stage in London wearing this beautiful dress is not a responsibility I take lightly.”
She also thanked her co-star Giamatti, saying that she “cries” every time she says his name.
She continued, “I'm proud to call you my friend and thank you for never wavering.”
The comedy-drama “American Fiction'' won the award for best adapted screenplay, beating out “All of Us Strangers,'' “Oppenheimer,'' “Poor Things,'' and “Zone of Interest.''
Meanwhile, David Tennant is hosting the awards for the first time, replacing last year's duo Alison Hammond and Richard E. Grant.
He opened the 77th BAFTAs with a reference to Barbie, joking that the ceremony would “go smoother than Ken's boobs”.
Addressing the star-studded audience, he added: “See you in a tuxedo or fancy dress like in the opening scene of 'Saltburn'. Let's hope it doesn't look like the last scene of 'Saltburn'.”
He added: “Judging these awards is like choosing your favorite child; it's difficult, if not impossible, but difficult.”
David also successfully teased the upcoming US presidential election, which is expected to pit current President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump head-to-head.
Referring to Emma Stone's surreal comedy film Poor Things, he said the film tells the story of a woman who comes back to life with the brain of a child, adding, “One of them might be elected president.'' he joked.