The 77th British Academy Film Awards were broadcast worldwide Feb. 18 and left viewers in tears of pride and joy for some of their favorite parts of the entertainment world.
David Tennant, best known for portraying the 10th doctor in the hit U.K. series Doctor Who, hosted the star-studded event with flying colors. Opening the ceremony, the Scottish actor cracked jokes about some of the remarkable films that were nominated. While praising the effort of all of the actors who worked hard to get there, he was even able to make a joke about the writers’ and actors’ strikes that took place from May-September 2023 and dealt with the troubles of AI in Hollywood.
However, the host wasn’t able to steal the spotlight away from the deserving winners of the night. “Oppenheimer” took home seven different awards including Best Leading Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Director. Not only was it an amazing night for the film, but the star Cillian Murphy won his first BAFTA in his career for playing the morally ambiguous J. Robert Oppenheimer.
“I want to thank my fellow nominees and my Oppen-homies, and in fact, all of you in the room. I know it’s a cliché to say that I am in awe of you, but I actually, genuinely am in awe. Oppenheimer was this colossally knotty complex character and he meant different things to different people, and one man’s monster is another man’s hero. That’s why I love movies, because we have a space to celebrate and interrogate and investigate that complexity, and it’s a privilege to be part of this community with you all,” said Murphy.
Yet, the spotlight did not stay on the cast and crew of “Oppenheimer” the entire time, with films like “Poor Things” and “The Zone of Interest” both taking home a few different awards each throughout the night.
Emma Stone gracefully accepted her Best Leading Actress Award for “Poor Things” with a speech with a special dedication to the film team and a sweet message to her mother.
“And I just want to say this in case I don’t ever get a chance to say this again. I really want to just thank my mom, because she is the best person I know in the whole world and she inspires me every single day and it’s always made me believe this crazy idea that I could do something like this and I’m beyond grateful. Without her none of this exists, including my life, so thank you for that too, Mom,” said Stone.
The night was not only remarkable because of the award winners. While the show had a long list of incredible celebrities presenting the awards, everyone would agree that Michael J. Fox stole the show.
The beloved actor received a standing ovation when he was announced to present the award for Best Film. While his speech was short, his presence was one of the most memorable parts of the night for those watching at home and those anxiously waiting at the ceremony.
Other awards of the night went to some amazing performances like Da’vine Joy Randolph, who won Best Supporting Actress in “The Holdovers,” and “American Fiction” which won Best Adapted Screenplay.
The night was full of laughter and joy for all of the winners, leaving many watching at home with even more anticipation for the Oscars March 10.
