Olivia Colman has become the new queen of Hollywood after taking home the Best Actress award at Sunday evening’s 91st Academy Awards for her role as troubled Queen Anne in The Favourite.
The 45-year-old British actress was overjoyed as she accepted the gong, during which she reached out to little girls everywhere in an inspiring and sweet speech. She said: ‘Any little girl who’s practicing your speech on the telly, you never know! I used to work as a cleaner and I spent quite a lot of my time imagining this.’
While she grew tearful and emotional during, the overwhelmed Peep Show star was urged to wrap up her speech by Academy bosses – yet hilariously blew a raspberry and made a crass gesture at the teleprompter.
Reigning supreme: British actress Olivia Colman won best actress for her role in The Favorite at the Academy Awards on Sunday night
Olivia’s speech was laden with emotion as she paid tribute to her many aides and supports however she tickled audiences when she made the crass gesture.
She was up against Glenn Close for The Wife, Yalitza Aparicio for Roma, Lady Gaga for A Star is Born and Melissa McCarthy of Can You Ever Forgive Me?, said: ‘It’s genuinely quite stressful. This is hilarious. I got an Oscar’.
In the heartwarming speech, she graciously gave a nod to her colleagues: ‘I have to thank lots of people. Yorgos [Lanthimos], my best director and the best film with Emma [Stone] and Rachel [Weisz], the two loveliest women to fall in love with and go to work with every day. You can imagine it wasn’t a hardship.’
Olivia was stunned as she beat out the category favourite Glenn, who was widely expected to win her first Oscar for her role in The Wife – after a record seven unsuccessful nominations. She gazed at Close in the audience and said: ‘You’ve been my idol for so long and this is not how I wanted it to be.’
Haha! While she grew tearful and emotional during the speech, the overwhelmed Peep Show star was urged to wrap up her speech by Academy bosses – yet hilariously blew a raspberry and made a crass gesture at the teleprompter
Overwhelmed: Olivia could not contain her glee as she gushed to her co-stars and her fans during the speech
‘This is quite stressful’: The first time nominee was close to tears as she delivered a charming speech
Over the moon: Colman added the Oscar to her earlier wins at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and National Society of Film Critics for the role
Glenn’s nods remain the most without a win than any other living actor. The actress, 71, came into the end of awards season riding a wave of momentum that included wins at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and Independent Spirit Awards.
Olivia added the Oscar to her envious stream of earlier wins for her roles at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and National Society of Film Critics for the role in the period drama. An emotional Olivia thanked her agent who took her on 20 years ago, and her children – and admitted she wasn’t sure if they were watching at home.
‘My kids who are at home and watching, look!’ she exclaimed. ‘If you’re not, then, kind of well-done, but I sort of hope you are. This is not going to happen again.’
A winning performance: Her role as Queen Anne won hearts and awards all over the globe (pictured with co-star Rachel Weisz, who starred as Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough in the movie)
WOW: Olivia was stunned after beating out Yalitza Aparicio, Glenn Close, Lady Gaga and Melissa McCarthy for the Oscar
Happy days: An emotional Colman thanked her agent who took her on 20 years ago, and her children, who she wasn’t sure if they were watching at home
Gracious Close: She gazed at Close in the audience and said, ‘You’ve been my idol for so long and this is not how I wanted it to be’ as Close smiled and laughed
‘To my husband Ed, my best friend, I love you so much. 25 years, you’ve been my best supporter and… he’s gonna cry,’ which got another big laugh from the audience, before adding, ‘I’m not.’
‘Thank you so much, Fox, everybody, the cast the crew,’ even turning to presenters Francis McDormand and Sam Rockwell, thanking them, before turning to Best Actress nominees Gaga and Melissa.
She turned and blew a kiss at her fellow nominees, as Lady Gaga blew a few back at her in one of the night’s most memorable moments.
To her kids: ‘My kids who are at home and watching, look!’ she exclaimed. ‘If you’re not, then, kind of well-done, but I sort of hope you are,’ adding, ‘This is not going to happen again’
Heartfelt speech: She continued her heartfelt speech by reaching out to little girls everywhere
Speech: ‘And any little girl who’s practicing your speech on the telly, you never know! I used to work as a cleaner and I spent quite a lot of my time imagining this’
Proud of her pal: Her co-star Emma Stone was totally overjoyed to see her pal
Speaking backstage at the Dolby Theatre: ‘None of it… It’s not an every day occurrence, I don’t know how everyone is composed and remembers everything, it’s a very weird situation… I’ve no idea. I could not tell you what I’m feeling. Next year I’ll be able to put it into words but I don’t know what to do with myself at the moment.’
When the Oscar nominations were announced in December, Olivia gave a rousing interview in which she spoke of her long-lived desire to win one of the most coveted prizes in the industry and her doubts over her chances.
She said: ‘If I’m really honest, I’ve always dreamed of holding an Oscar. But I’m really trying to sort of keep everything in check, keep calm…
Sheer excitement: Olivia couldn’t contain her excitement for Hollywood’s biggest night in film
Supportive husband: ‘To my husband Ed, my best friend, I love you so much. 25 years, you’ve been my best supporter and… he’s gonna cry,’ which got another big laugh from the audience, before adding, ‘I’m not’
Her pride and joy: Colman wasn’t the only Brit to win one of Tinseltown’s biggest awards on Oscar Sunday, though her win was the most prominent
Acting winners: After her big win, Colman posed backstage with the rest of the acting winners, Best Actor winner Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), Best Supporting Actor winner Mahershala Ali (Green Book) and Best Supporting Actress winner Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)
‘This is silly. What are the chances? I don’t want to get excited. I don’t want to face that disappointment. I just want to be on an even keel… I’m a mum, a wife, I’m a mate. I’m other things. You can see how people get sort of swept into it and I want to stay sane.
‘I really value being able to do what I want and that’s changing. That has been slowly changing for years and I’ve had my problems with it…
‘I find it very upsetting when I think about it too much. But if I had a big red button to stop it I wouldn’t press it, because I love my job so much… I’m getting better and better roles, roles I dream of. But more people are seeing them.’
Big winners: Colman had her arm around Malek while King had her arm around her as they all held their Oscars
Over the moon: ‘I really value being able to do what I want and that’s changing. That has been slowly changing for years and I’ve had my problems with it’
In training: Far from the award being her only triumph of the night, Olivia looked simply sensational as she sported an ethereal and dramatic gown, which was certainly worthy of the evening’s biggest winner
A dream in cream: Later in the evening, Olivia transformed into a different ensemble as she toted her gong at the Vanity Fair after-party
Creamy sensation: She looked nothing short of sensational for the star-studded event as she changed into a flowing cream gown with beaded adornments – with the entire outfit screaming ‘winner’
Far from the award being her only triumph of the night, Olivia looked simply sensational as she sported an ethereal and dramatic gown, which was certainly worthy of the evening’s biggest winner.
The forest green ensemble with its floor-sweeping hemline and high-neck was perfectly suited to her curvy frame and alabaster complexion yet the drama was layered on top.
Her shoulders were artfully draped with a sheer sheath of black organza which extended into a bolero at the arms and tied at the back in a vast bow which tumbled into a sweeping train.
The brunette beauty’s hair was worn in the chic crop which is fast becoming her trademark style while her make-up was muted and the ensemble tied together with pearl drop earrings.
Later in the evening, Olivia transformed into a different ensemble as she toted her gong at the Vanity Fair after-party.
She looked nothing short of sensational for the star-studded event as she changed into a flowing cream gown with beaded adornments – with the entire outfit screaming ‘winner’.
Olivia wasn’t the only Brit to win one of Tinseltown’s biggest awards on Oscar Sunday, though her win was the most prominent.
British-born songwriter Mark Ronson won for Best Original Song for Shallow, which he co-wrote with Lady Gaga, Anthony Rossamondo and Andrew Wyatt.
Fellow Brit Paul Massey won for Best Sound Mixing for Bohemian Rhapsody, alongside Tim Cavagin and John Casali. Nina Hartstone from Berkshire U.K. also won Best Sound Editing for Bohemian Rhapsody with John Warhurst.
After her big win, Colman posed backstage with the rest of the acting winners, Best Actor winner Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), Best Supporting Actor winner Mahershala Ali (Green Book) and Best Supporting Actress winner Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk).
Colman had her arm around Malek while King had her arm around her as they all held their Oscars.
Malek even surprised the actress with a kiss on the cheek as they posed in the backstage press area.
The duo seemed engrossed as they chatted and no doubt broke down the highs and lows of their huge wins on the big night. Excited fans soon swarmed Twitter to lavish praise on the star.
Surprise kiss: Malek even surprised the actress with a kiss on the cheek as they posed in the backstage press area
360 degrees: At the back, Olivia’s dress featured a bow that tied up her wrap around design
Cute duo: As her official red carpet date, Olivia brought husband Ed Sinclair to see her nominated
Happy days: Excited fans soon swarmed Twitter to lavish praise on the star, her win and her speech
Users of the microblogging site penned: ‘I LOVE Olivia Colman, I’m so happy go on the Norfolk gal x… WHOOP WHOOP #OliviaColman Best Actress!… Gawd I love her! she gave a shout out to her days working as a cleaner only dreaming of this day. She’s proof that belief, hard work & determination can make it happen for us…
‘So don’t let others limit you #Believe #Oscars… Olivia Colman is legit one of the most hilarious people on earth… Congratulations to Olivia Colman on her Oscar for best actress. What a superb actor…
‘Bloody love Olivia Colman. Great acceptance speech. #Oscars… Don’t want to get carried away but I think Olivia Colman’s Oscar speech might have fixed everything… Ok so just seen Olivia Coleman’s acceptance speech and I’m full on sobbing, she is so precious and has to be protected at all times #OliviaColman.’
Bow-tiful: The former Peep Show star is expected to collect one of the big awards of night
Happy days: ‘Bloody love Olivia Colman. Great acceptance speech. #Oscars… Don’t want to get carried away but I think Olivia Colman’s Oscar speech might have fixed everything… Ok so just seen Olivia Coleman’s acceptance speech and I’m full on sobbing, she is so precious and has to be protected at all times #OliviaColman’
Can’t believe it: She could barely contain her joy at the happy triumph
WINNERS FOR THE 91ST ACADEMY AWARDS
BEST PICTURE
Roma
A Star Is Born
BlacKkKlansman
Green Book – WINNER
Vice
Black Panther
The Favourite
Bohemian Rhapsody
Happy times: Green Book won top honor Best Picture
BEST ACTOR
Christian Bale (Vice)
Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) – WINNER
Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)
Viggo Mortensen (Green Book)
Willem Dafoe (At Eternity’s Gate)
BEST ACTRESS
Olivia Colman (The Favourite) – WINNER
Glenn Close (The Wife)
Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born)
Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Yalitza Aparicio (Roma)
Sweet: Olivia Colman tasted first Oscar gold with Best Actress win for The Favourite
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mahershala Ali (Green Book) – WINNER
Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born)
Sam Rockwell (Vice)
Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) – WINNER
Amy Adams (Vice)
Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)
Emma Stone (The Favourite)
Marina de Tavira (Roma)
BEST DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuaron (Roma) – WINNER
Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman)
Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold War)
Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite)
Adam McKay (Vice)
Double trouble: Alfonso Cuarón won Best Director and Cinematography for Roma
DOCUMENTARY
Free Solo – WINNER
Hale County This Morning, This Evening
Minding the Gap
Of Fathers and Sons
RBG
COSTUME DESIGN
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Black Panther – WINNER
Mary Poppins Returns
The Favourite
Mary Queen of Scots
FILM EDITING
BlacKkklansman
Bohemian Rhapsody – WINNER
The Favourite
Green BooK
Vice
We Are The Champions: Bohemian Rhapsody won four including Film Editing
ORIGINAL SCORE
Black Panther – Ludwig Goransson – WINNER
BlacKkKlansman
If Beale Street Could Talk
Isle of Dogs
Mary Poppins Returns
SOUND EDITING
Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody – WINNER
First Man
A Quiet Place
Roma
SOUND MIXING
Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody – WINNER
First Man
Roma
A Star Is Born
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Black Panther – WINNER
First Man
The Favourite
Mary Poppins Returns
Roma
Wakanda forever! Black Panther won Best Production and Costume Design
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Black Sheep
End Game
A Night At The Garden
Period. End Of Sentence. – WINNER
Lifeboat
ANIMATED SHORT
Animal Behaviour
Bao – WINNER
Late Afternoon
One Small Step
Weekends
LIVE ACTION SHORT
Detainment
Fauve
Marguerite
Mother
Skin – WINNER
Golden: Guy Nattiv and Jaime Ray Newman accepted Best Live Action Short for Skin
ANIMATED FEATURE
Incredibles 2
Isle of Dogs
Mirai
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – WINNER
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico) – WINNER
Shoplifters (Japan)
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
BlacKkKlansman – Written by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee – WINNER
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
If Beale Street Could Talk
A Star Is Born
Purple reign: Spike Lee earned his first ever Oscar in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for BlacKkKlansman
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Favourite
First Reformed
Green Book -Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly – WINNER
Roma
Vice
MAKEUP AND HAIR
Border
Mary Queen of Scots
Vice – WINNER
VISUAL EFFECTS
Avengers: Infinity War
Christopher Robin
First Man – WINNER
Ready Player One
Solo: A Star Wars Story
ORIGINAL SONG
All The Stars (Black Panther)
I’ll Fight (RBG)
The Place Where Lost Things Go (Mary Poppins Returns)
Shallow (A Star Is Born) – Lady Gaga – WINNER
When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs)
Touching: Lady Gaga won Best Original Song for A Star Is Born hit Shallow
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Cold War
The Favourite
Never Look Away
Roma – Alfonso Cuarón – WINNER
A Star Is Born