Cillian Murphy paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife and sons as he won the Best Actor BAFTA for his role in Oppenheimer on Sunday, as the movie swept the board bagging seven gongs.
The Irish actor, 47, who plays the titular role in Christopher Nolan’s atomic bomb saga, picked up the prize at the star-studded London’s Royal Festival Hall ceremony.
Presented with the trophy by Cate Blanchett, he paid tribute to wife of 20-years Yvonne McGuinness as well as sons Malachy, 18, and Aran, 16, who is also an actor.
Saying: ‘To Yvonne, Malachy and Aran you are my best friend and I love you so much’.
Cillian triumphed over Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, Barry Keoghan for Saltburn and Teo Yoo for Past Lives.
Accepting the trophy he said: ‘Oh boy, holy moly, thank you very, very much BAFTA.’
Cillian Murphy, 47, paid a heartfelt tribute to his wife and sons as he won the Best Actor BAFTA for his role in Oppenheimer on Sunday, as the movie swept the board bagging seven gongs
The Irish actor, who plays the titular role in Christopher Nolan’s atomic bomb saga, picked up the prize at the star-studded London’s Royal Festival Hall ceremony (Pictured with wife Yvonne McGuinness in 2006)
He also paid tribute to ‘the most dynamic, kindest producer-director partnership in Hollywood: Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, thank you for seeing something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself.’
The Irish actor said to Nolan: ‘Thank for always pushing me and demanding excellence because that is what you deliver time and time again.’
He also acknowledged his ‘fellow nominees and my Oppenhomies’, adding: ‘I know it’s a cliche to say, but I’m in awe of you.’
Cillian described J Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb, was a ‘colossally knotty character’, adding: ‘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.
Downey Jr, 58, also collected a BAFTA for his role as Lewis Strauss in the Hollywood blockbuster, which has swept the board during the 2024 awards season.
Robert admitted he owes the award to Nolan, producer Emma Thomas and leading man Murphy, as well as ‘British influence’.
Gesturing to Nolan, he said: ‘Recently that dude suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last ditch effort to resurrect my dwindling credibility.’
Downey Jr’s win set a new record for the longest gap between wins by any performer as it comes 31 years after his previous BAFTA, for the 1993 film Chaplin.
Presented with the trophy by Cate Blanchett, he paid tribute to wife of 20-years Yvonne McGuinness as well as sons Malachy, 18, and actor Aran, 16
Cillian triumphed over Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, Barry Keoghan for Saltburn and Teo Yoo for Past Lives
He also paid tribute to ‘the most dynamic, kindest producer-director partnership in Hollywood: Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, thank you for seeing something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself.’
He said in his speech: ‘To Yvonne, Malachy and Aran you are my best friend and I love you so much’ (pictured as a family in 2014)
The previous record was 27 years, set by Sir Anthony Hopkins in 2021 when he won the award for best actor for The Father, nearly three decades after his 1994 win for Shadowlands.
Nolan won the Best Director BAFTA for Oppenheimer, his epic tale of how the nuclear bomb was created.
Before accepting the award from actor Hugh Grant, Nolan hugged Murphy.
Nolan joked that his brother ‘beat him up here’ by being in a chorus of a production 40 years ago.
Nolan has previously lost out despite numerous commercial successes such as Inception and The Dark Knight, the UK-born filmmaker won out against Jonathan Glazer [The Zone of Interest], Justine Triet [Anatomy of a Fall], Alexander Payne [The Holdovers], Bradley Cooper [Maestro] and Andrew Haigh [All of Us Strangers].
He also acknowledged his ‘fellow nominees and my Oppenhomies’, adding: ‘I know it’s a cliche to say, but I’m in awe of you’
Cillian shared a hug with co-star Emily Blunt before taking to the stage to make his speech
Cillian married Irish artist Yvonne McGuinness in 2004, after the pair first met at one of his rock band’s shows in 1996. They went on to have two sons (pictured in 2016)
He paid tribute to Murphy and added to those who backed the film: ‘Thank you for taking on something dark’.
The director also acknowledged the efforts of nuclear disarmament organisations to bring peace.
Oppenheimer swept up in the big name categories, but it was closely followed by the surreal black comedy Poor Things.
It marked five awards for the film, as Emma Stone collected the Best Actress gong for her turn as Bella Baxter.
Accepting her award, she said: ‘Since we’re in London, I want to start by thanking dialect coach. She praised him for not laughing at her when he taught her how to say ‘water’.
‘I really wanted to thank my mum, because she’s the best person I know. Without her none of this would exist, including my life, so thank you for that Mum.’
American actress Stone said she was ‘in awe’ of all of the team behind the comedy, where she plays the part of a woman who is reanimated and implanted with the brain of a baby.
BAFTA 2024 WINNERS IN FULL
Best Film
Anatomy Of A Fall
The Holdovers
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Poor Things
Best Director
Oppenheimer’s is set to sweep the board. One of its many nominations is Christopher Nolan as Best Director
Andrew Haigh, All of Us Stranger
Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall
Alexander Payne, The Holdovers
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest
Supporting Actor
Robert De Niro, Killers Of The Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Jacob Elordi, Saltburn
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Paul Mescal, All Of Us Strangers
Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers
Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Claire Foy, All Of Us Strangers
Sandra Hüller, The Zone Of Interest
Rosamund Pike, Saltburn
Da’vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers – WINNER
Original Screenplay
Anatomy Of A Fall has received plenty of nominations including for Original Screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall – WINNER
Barbie
The Holdovers
Maestro
Past Lives
Adapted Screenplay
All Of Us Strangers
American Fiction – WINNER
Oppenheimer
Poor Things
The Zone Of Interest
Animated Film
Chicken Run’s sequel Dawn Of The Nugget is up for Animated Film
The Boy And The Heron – WINNER
Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget
Elemental
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
British Short Film
Festival Of Slaps
Gorka
Jellyfish And Lobster – WINNER
Such A Lovely Day
Yellow
Cinematography
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Poor Things
The Sone Of Interest
Documentary
20 Days In Mariupol – WINNER
American Symphony
Beyond Utopia
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Wham!
Make Up & Hair
Killers Of The Flower Moon earned plenty of nominations. Pictured: Lily Gladstone and Leonardo di Caprio
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Maestro
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things – WINNER
Product Design
Barbie
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things – WINNER
The Zone Of Interest
Special Visual Effects
Poor Things, featuring Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo (both pictured), is up for Special Visual Effects
The Creator
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Napoleon
Poor Things – WINNER
Leading Actor
Barry Keoghan is up for Leading Actor for his performance in Saltburn
Bradley Cooper, Maestro
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Barry Keoghan, Saltburn
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer – WINNER
Teo Yoo, Past Lives
Leading Actress
Margot Robbie got nominated for Leading Actress
Fantasia Barrino, The Color Purple
Sandra Hüller, Anatomy Of A Fall
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Vivian Oparah, Rye Lane
Margot Robbie, Barbie
Emma Stone, Poor Things – WINNER
Outstanding British Film
All Of Us Strangers
How To Have Sex
Napoleon
The Old Oak
Poor Things
Rye Lane
Saltburn
Scrapper
Wonka
The Zone Of Interest – WINNER
Film Not in the English Language
20 Days In Mariupol
Anatomy of a Fall
Past Lives
Society of the Snow
The Zone of Interest – WINNER
Outstanding Debut
How To Have Sex got a nod for Outstanding Debut
Blue Bag Life
Bobi Wine: The People’s President
Earth Mama – WINNER
How To Have Sex
Is There Anybody Out There?
Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer
Lisa Selby, Rebecca Lloyd-Evans, Alex Fry
Christopher Sharp
Savanah Leaf, Shirley O’connor, Medb Riordan – WINNER
Molly Manning Walker
Ella Glendining
British Short Animation
Crab Day – WINNER
Visible Mending
Wild Summon
Casting
The Holdovers had a good showing, including being up for Casting
All Of Us Strangers
Anatomy Of A Fall
The Holdovers – WINNER
How To Have Sex
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Costume Design
Barbie
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Napoleon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things – WINNER
Editing
Anatomy Of A Fall
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Poor Things
The Zone Of Interest
Original Score
Killers Of The Flower Moon
Oppenheimer – WINNER
Poor Things
Saltburn
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Sound
The Zone Of Interest is up for Sound alongside Oppenheimer, Maestro and others
Ferrari
Maestro
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer
The Zone Of Interest – WINNER
EE Rising Star
Phoebe Dynevor
Ayo Edebiri
Jacob Elordi
Mia McKenna-Bruce – WINNER
Sophie Wilde