Even as ‘The Power of the Dog’ reigned supreme across the pond at the BAFTAs, winning Best Film and Best Director for Jane Campion, across the pond, the Netflix film also took home four trophies at the 27th annual Critics Choice Awards that were held on the same night.
Campion was also named Best Director, choosing to attend these awards while her lead star, British actor Benedict Cumberbatch represented the film at the BAFTAs.
Jessica Chastain took the Best Actress award for Searchlight’s ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’, while Will Smith won Best Actor for ‘King Richard’ after collecting the BAFTA Award earlier in the day and a SAG Award two weeks ago. When the latter’s speech ran on a bit, the play-off music welled up.
“Best Actor should get a little more time. I’m just saying,” Smith said to cheerful laughs.
On the TV side, HBO’s ‘Succession’ received the drama prize, with cast members Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Jeremy Strong, J. Smith Cameron and executive producer Scott Ferguson accepting the trophy. The dark comedy series ‘Succession’ took home three awards.
In the comedy drama series ‘Ted Lasso’ led the night’s winners with four trophies.
Berry good
The night’s big moment came when Halle Berry received the See Her Award from Issa Rae. The Oscar-winning actress delivered a passionate speech, thanking Rae for inspiring her with her work. “You have rearranged the way we see ourselves as women of colour on television and in the world,” she said.
As she reflected on her career, Berry revealed that she used to think she was “winning” by playing a part for a white man. But those roles didn’t really work. Why?
“Because I’m not a white man,” she said. “So, for those roles to work, they would have to be substantially changed. It would have to be written with the reality of my journey, in all of its beauty, and all of its pain.”
Berry continued: “This is why I am so grateful to be standing and living in this moment where women are standing up and we are telling our own stories. We will write, we will produce, we will direct and — if we’re brave enough — will star in it all at the same time. We will use our emotional intelligence, and we will tell stories that don’t fit preconceived notions.”
On a night of inspiring speeches, ‘Ted Lasso’ star Hannah Waddingham, standing alongside cast mates Brett Goldstein and Juno Temple, became emotional as she spoke about the Ukraine war. (Waddingham and Goldstein nabbed back-to-back honours for supporting actor and actress.)
During the telecast, late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was on hand to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Billy Crystal — one day before the showbiz icon’s “seventy-blank” birthday, reports ‘Variety’. He later noted he’ll actually be “74 tomorrow; I just can’t remember.”
After teasing Kimmel that he’d really requested [Jimmy] Fallon to present the award, Crystal said that watching the clip reel made him think of only one word: “residuals”.
“This is a lifetime achievement award, which is a little scary when they say they want to give it to you. So I called my doctor and said, ‘Do they know something that I don’t?’ But to me, it’s a creative achievement award. My lifetime achievement award is my family.”
Controversial moment
While accepting the award for Best Director during Sunday’s ceremony, Campion’s speech turned controversial when she commented on tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams’ tennis prowess.
The remarks began innocently enough, with the filmmaker thanking her presenter, fellow New Zealander Taika Waititi and the Critics Choice Association.
“It’s absolutely stunning to be here tonight among so many incredible women,” Campion said, holding her first of the Netflix movie’s four trophies, while the audience clapped and cheered. “Halle Berry, you have already done my speech … and really killed it. I loved it. You’re absolutely brilliant,” she continued, before turning her attention to ‘King Richard’ subjects Venus and Serena Williams.
“What an honour to be in the room with you,” Campion said, “I’ve taken up tennis — I truly have — and Will [Smith], if you want to come over and give me lessons, I would truly love it. I actually had to stop playing because I’ve got tennis elbow.”
Campion then saluted her “fellow, fellow, fellow” nominees — or “the guys,” as she called them — referring to the male directors in her category: Paul Thomas Anderson (‘Licorice Pizza’), Kenneth Branagh (‘Belfast’), Guillermo del Toro (‘Nightmare Alley’), Steven Spielberg (‘West Side Story’) and Denis Villeneuve (‘Dune’).
“Venus and Serena, you’re such marvels,” she continued. “However, you don’t play against the guys, like I have to.”
The comment received loud cheers from the industry, but social media blasted Campion for her “cringey” and “arrogant and ignorant” remark.
Other highlights included the acceptance speech from ‘Dopesick’ star Michael Keaton (winner of Best Actor in a limited series or movie made for television), who joked about needing to go to the bathroom again, a nod to his SAG Award win when the actor had to sprint to the stage to receive his trophy.
“I love this time of year because it’s springtime, it’s awards season, and you can just smell that fake humility out there,” he joked.
Keaton then delivered an emotional tribute to the real people affected by opioid addiction, especially those near where ‘Dopesick’ was filmed in Virginia.
“One thing I’m proud about regarding this series is I think we really treated all those folks down there and in the world with real dignity,” Keaton said, referring to a woman in her 70s who worked at a coffee shop in the area. “And she told me ... she was taking care of her [grandchild] because the parents, who are in their 20s, could not because they’re incapacitated because of addiction. And I think of all those women, like my mom and my sisters.”
Another heartfelt moment came from Jean Smart, who was a double winner, as ‘Mare of Easttown’ was named best limited series, and she won the comedy actress prize for ‘Hacks’.
On-stage, Smart called ‘Hacks’, the HBO Max comedy drama series, a “gift on a silver platter”, before dedicating her trophy to the creators Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs, who had their first child, a boy, on Saturday.
Smart revealed that, on Friday, Aniello was at home on her computer, watching a remote feed and directing an upcoming Season 2 episode between contractions: “I kid you not. This woman is my idol.”
