From Cillian Murphy's rebel songs to Emma Stone's “chinwags” with the Irish, last night’s BAFTAs was a good night to be Irish.
While it wasn’t the Banshees of Inisherin sweep Ireland saw last year, Celtic talent was once again seen across many categories at the 77th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs).
Newstalk reporter Henry McKean donned his sparkly green hat and headed over to London for the awards to see how Irish actors and filmmakers fared.
“It was absolutely fantastic,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.
The crowning jewel of the BAFTAs was Christoper Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which won seven awards.
Cillian Murphy made history as the first Irish born man to win Best Leading Actor for his role as the tortured physicist.
He beat fellow Irish actor Barry Keoghan, who was nominated for his role in the black comedy Saltburn.
Any minute now! @BAFTA @NewstalkFM pic.twitter.com/ZwOIChqvK9
— Henry McKean (@HenryMcKean) February 18, 2024
Henry said it was clear Murphy was “overwhelmed, but happy” at the press conference afterwards.
The actor didn’t leave without giving a shoutout to everyone in Monkstown, Co Dublin, and his native Cork.
“I’m a really proud Irishman,” he said. “I have to say that – of course I am!
“It means a lot to me to be Irish... I don’t know what else to say – should I sing a rebel song?”
View this post on Instagram
In the Oppenheimer sweep, Irish actor Paul Mescal was beaten by Robert Downey Jr for Best Supporting Actor.
That didn’t stop the Maynooth actor declaring the BAFTAs a “perfect sign off” for his film All of Us Strangers.
“I’m here, Andrew Haigh is here, Andrew Scott is here, Claire [Foy] is here,” Mescal said. “We're signing off with a bang, just being in the same room and celebrating with them.”
the way his face lights up when he sees another irish is so priceless pic.twitter.com/rjIp0Rz2vK
— mia 🍉 (@arrivalleneuve) February 18, 2024
Ireland’s success at last year’s award season has people looking out for any Irish talent they can find.
Element Pictures, a production company based on O’Connell Street, has gained further critical acclaim for surrealist fantasy Poor Things
The film earned five BAFTAs, including Best Production Design and Best Actress for Emma Stone.
Paul Mescal for Coronation Street? Richard E. Grant in the nude? Cillian Murphy giving us a rebel song?
This is no context #BAFTAs 🎭
🎥: @HenryMcKean and @TheConorFinn pic.twitter.com/8ZQLy3wNlE
— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) February 19, 2024
As the leading star of a film with strong Irish ties, Stone has also fielded many questions about working with Celts.
“You really don't get much time to talk in between [awards],” she told press. “So, I haven't gotten to talk to too many people yet, but I did see Cillian and we did have a bit of a chinwag.”
The buzz of seeing the Irish at awards has become so strong that we’ve begun claiming even non-Irish actors as our own.
Boston actress Ayo Edebiri has routinely joked about her “Irish connections”, and while she didn’t win Best Newcomer last night, she still did us all proud.
how fitting of an irish women to be dressed as one of the fancy cakes on the cover of your granny’s 70s cookbook pic.twitter.com/xsvo8FijbA
— Char Food & Drink (@Charfoodguide) February 19, 2024
Listen back here:
