BAFTAs 2023: All the best bits from shock winners to Richard E Grant’s Batmobile
It’s a night to celebrate the best films, actors and filmmakers of the past year, and 2023’s BAFTA Film Awards gave us a revamped ceremony, not one but two hosts, and a brand-new venue.
There were plenty of wacky moments throughout the event, which included co-host Richard E Grant jumping into a Batmobile and whizzing through the streets of London to host the awards at Elizabeth Hall on London’s Southbank. There was, of course, a slap reference, too, as Grant told the audience: “Nobody on my watch gets slapped tonight,” before slapping himself twice.
When it comes to the films, All Quiet On The Western Front swept the board at this year’s BAFTAs, bagging half of its 14 awards. And the best actor winner proved a surprise with Elvis‘s Austin Butler taking the gong rather than The Banshees Of Inisherin‘s Colin Farrell as expected.
“I cannot thank you guys enough,” he said. “Your love and for showing me who Elvis truly was. I hope I’ve made you proud.” Speaking to reporters backstage, Butler touched on the death of Lisa Marie Presley shortly after the Golden Globes last month. “It’s an unimaginably tragic time,” he said. “Grief is a long process.”
Dark comedy The Banshees of Inisherin secured four wins out of 10 nominations, including for Outstanding British Film, Best Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress for Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon, respectively, and Original Screenplay.
While it may have been a glamorous evening, there was a slight hiccup in the night’s proceedings – and let’s face it, everyone loves a mistake. As Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur announced the second prize of the night – best supporting actress – via sign language, a miscommunication on the part of the translator resulted in Carrey Mulligan’s name wrongly being called for her performance in She Said.
The announcer quickly corrected the call and announced The Banshees Of Inisherin star Kerry Condon as the winner, who went on to accept her award. It was explained to the press at the event that while Kotsur and the British Sign Language translator had got it right, the American Sign Language translator had made the slip-up.
The Bafta for Leading Actress went to Cate Blanchett for her role as a conductor facing misconduct claims and psychological conflict in Tar. The Best Documentary award, meanwhile, went to Navalny, while Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio won the Bafta for Animated Film.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Anya Taylor-Joy presented the Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer award to Charlotte Wells for Aftersun. Tearfully, she thanked the producers, cast and crew and mentioned the devastating earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey, where the film was shot.
