British actors enjoyed a successful night at this year’s Golden Globe awards, with Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Olivia Colman among the big winners.
Comedian Ricky Gervais marked his final stint as host with jokes about Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein, which shocked the audience and prompted multiple silences during the broadcast due to swearing.
Fleabag star Waller-Bridge took home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, while Fleabag itself was crowned Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
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Waller-Bridge made a raunchy joke about Barack Obama in her acceptance speech, which referenced how the former US president included Fleabag among his favourite shows of 2019.
“I would like to thank Obama for putting us on his list,” she said, adding: “And as some of you may know, he’s always been on mine.”
In the very first episode of the comedy show, Waller-Bridge’s character is caught by her boyfriend masturbating to a video of Obama giving a speech.
Responding to laughs from the crowd, Waller-Bridge said: “If you don’t get that joke, please watch season one of Fleabag really, really quickly.”
Olivia Colman, meanwhile, won Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama for The Crown.
“I had money on this not happening. For the last year I’ve felt like I’ve been living someone else’s life, and now I definitely feel like I’ve won someone else’s award.”
“To all my fellow nominees, I don’t really know what to say, because I’ve already got a little bit boozy,” she continued. “Because I didn’t think this was going to happen. Completely stumped.”
After shouting out Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s success for Fleabag (“yay!”), Colman then admitted she’d been enjoying celebrity-spotting from her table: “Honestly, sitting there and watching everybody, it’s been so exciting. We’ve gone, ‘Look who it is! Look who’s there!’”
Succession’s Brian Cox earned the trophy for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama, while Rocketman star Taron Egerton accepted the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Elton John and Bernie Taupin also won Best Original Song for “I’m Gonna Love Me Again”, featured in the film.
Sam Mendes won Best Director – Motion Picture for 1917, which also earned the award for Best Motion Picture – Drama.
The filmmaker beat out Todd Phillips, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Bong Joon Ho for the award.
Taking the stage, he referenced The Irishman director: “There’s not one director in the world who is not in the shadow of Martin Scorsese, I just had to say that.”
Concluding his short acceptance speech, Mendes dedicated the award to his grandfather. It was his second Globe win and third nomination.
Click through the gallery to see the best-dressed at this year’s ceremony
The ongoing wildfire disaster in Australia received much attention throughout the night.
Russell Crowe wasn’t in attendance to accept his award for Best Actor in a Limited Series (for The Loudest Voice) due to the fires. Instead, he sent a message urging everyone to take climate change seriously.
“Make no mistake, the tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate change-based,” presenter Jennifer Aniston read on Crowe’s behalf. “We need to act based on science, move our global workforce to renewable energy and respect our planet for the unique and amazing place it is. That way we all have a future. Thank you.”
During the ceremony other honorees, including Carol Burnett Award recipient Ellen DeGeneres and best television supporting actress winner Patricia Arquette, also expressed their support for those affected by the fires.
Even Gervais, who had earlier told the crowd to not use their speeches “as a platform to make a political speech” and instead “come up, accept your little award, thank your agent and God, and f*** off”, conceded.
He ended the night by telling those in attendance to “get drunk, take your drugs, and also: donate to Australia.”
See the full list of winners at the Golden Globe awards here.
