’12 Years a Slave’ won three awards at the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards on Sunday night (02.02.14).
The historical drama was named film of the year, while Chiwetel Ejiofor won actor of the year for his portrayal of Solomon Northup – a real-life figure who was kidnapped and sold into slavery – and his co-star Lupita Nyong’o took the prize for best supporting actress at the ceremony which was held at London’s May Fair Hotel.
Director Steve McQueen – who was born and raised in London – was thrilled with the response the film has received and felt "humbled and heart-warmed" by the support.
McQueen – who lost out on best director category to Gravity’s Alfonso Cuarón – said: "It got people to the cinema. What’s so interesting about the response from critics and audiences is that they want to see films which have some difficulties.
"They are interested in films where they have to work. They are interested the films where they see themselves reflected in the cinema screens.
"I have people in the street – builders, bus drivers – being so supportive to the movie. I’ve felt so much love for this film in this country and I’m so humbled and heart-warmed that it’s from my own country."
The ceremony began with film critic Jason Solomons paying tribute to the late American actor and director Philip Seymour Hoffman as news of his death in New York City emerged.
Cate Blanchett was named actress of the year for her performance in Woody Allen’s ‘Blue Jasmine’ and Dame Judi Dench won British actress of the year commended for her work in ‘Philomena’.
Meanwhile, James McAvoy won best British actor for his work in ‘Filth’ and ‘Trance’.
Gary Oldman, 55, was honoured with the Dilys Powell award for excellence in film and he was delighted about the recognition he’d been given.
He told the BBC News: "I think, I think it’s quite a big deal, I think it’s a big deal tonight."
Full List of Winners:
Film of the year – 12 Years a Slave
British film of the year – The Selfish Giant
Foreign-language film of the year – Blue Is the Warmest Colour
Documentary of the year – The Act of Killing
Actor of the year – Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave
Actress of the year – Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Supporting actor of the year – Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips
Supporting actress of the year – Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
British actor of the year – James McAvoy – Filth, Trance, Welcome to the Punch
British actress of the year – Judi Dench – Philomena
Director of the year – Alfonso Cuarón – Gravity
Screenwriter of the year – Ethan Coen & Joel Coen – Inside Llewyn Davis
Young British performer of the year – Conner Chapman – The Selfish Giant
Breakthrough British film-maker – Jon S Baird – Filth
Technical achievement award – Gravity – Tim Webber, special effects
Dilys Powell award for excellence in film – Gary Oldman
12 Years a Slave leads wins at London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
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Royal
Britain's Countess of Wessex visited a children's hospice to mark its fifteenth birthday.
The 51-year-old royal attended a celebration at Christopher's Hospice, run by Shooting Star Chase, in Guildford, Surrey yesterday (09.02.16).
A tweet off the monarchy's official Twitter account reads: "Happy 15th Birthday Christopher's Hospice, and thank you for the wonderful reception for The Countess of Wessex! (sic)"
Whilst the hospice added on their account: "The Countess of Wessex displayed her artistic skills designing her own member of The Friendlies @SSChospices today. (sic)"
Countess Sophie - who is a patron of the charity - spent the day chatting to patients and helping them decorate biscuits and cakes. She also helped blow out the birthday cake to mark the occasion.
Meanwhile, the Countess previously revealed she is inspired by the Queen and praised her for being a "great listener".
She shared: "Watching the Queen in certain situations - she's a great listener. And you see her considering what people are saying and you can see the information going in, and she clearly has a great desire to learn all the time. I think that's amazing at 89, with all she's seen and done in her life."
Britain’s Countess of Wessex visited children’s hospice
Britain's Countess of Wessex visited a children's hospice to mark its fifteenth birthday.
The 51-year-old royal attended a celebration at Christopher's Hospice, run by Shooting Star Chase, in Guildford, Surrey yesterday (09.02.16).
A tweet off the monarchy's official Twitter account reads: "Happy 15th Birthday Christopher's Hospice, and thank you for the wonderful reception for The Countess of Wessex! (sic)"
Whilst the hospice added on their account: "The Countess of Wessex displayed her artistic skills designing her own member of The Friendlies @SSChospices today. (sic)"
Countess Sophie - who is a patron of the charity - spent the day chatting to patients and helping them decorate biscuits and cakes. She also helped blow out the birthday cake to mark the occasion.
Meanwhile, the Countess previously revealed she is inspired by the Queen and praised her for being a "great listener".
She shared: "Watching the Queen in certain situations - she's a great listener. And you see her considering what people are saying and you can see the information going in, and she clearly has a great desire to learn all the time. I think that's amazing at 89, with all she's seen and done in her life."
Movies
Bruce Willis will have a big part to play in the plot for the 'Die Hard' "prequel/sequel".
The 60-year-old actor starred as troubled detective John McClane in all five 'Die Hard' films and will feature heavily in the new movie titled 'Die Hard: Year One' - which is described as the origin story - and director Len Wiseman revealed the story will move between the past and the present.
The filmmaker - whose other work includes 'Total Recall' and 'Underworld' - teased: "The reason I say prequel/sequel is because I wasn't going to do it without Bruce. I'm also not going to do it with Bruce being a cameo bookend gimmick. It's really working into the plot, with the 70s having ramifications on present-day Bruce. It inter-cuts in a very fun, imaginative way with present-day John McClane."
The sixth film will be set in New York City in 1979 Wiseman, 42, says the film will ask the question "what created" McClane.
He admits he has discussed the topic with Bruce many times since the fourth film in the franchise the 2007 film 'Live Free or Die Hard'.
He told website Collider: "After doing the fourth one, there were so many conversations that Bruce [Willis] and I were having about what he put into the character for 'Die Hard 1'. That character comes in with so much baggage, emotionally, and experience. He's already divorced, he's bitter, his Captain hates him and doesn't want him back. So, what created that guy?"
'Die Hard: Year One' will be released in 2017.
Bruce Willis will have big part in Die hard: Year One
Bruce Willis will have a big part to play in the plot for the 'Die Hard' "prequel/sequel".
The 60-year-old actor starred as troubled detective John McClane in all five 'Die Hard' films and will feature heavily in the new movie titled 'Die Hard: Year One' - which is described as the origin story - and director Len Wiseman revealed the story will move between the past and the present.
The filmmaker - whose other work includes 'Total Recall' and 'Underworld' - teased: "The reason I say prequel/sequel is because I wasn't going to do it without Bruce. I'm also not going to do it with Bruce being a cameo bookend gimmick. It's really working into the plot, with the 70s having ramifications on present-day Bruce. It inter-cuts in a very fun, imaginative way with present-day John McClane."
The sixth film will be set in New York City in 1979 Wiseman, 42, says the film will ask the question "what created" McClane.
He admits he has discussed the topic with Bruce many times since the fourth film in the franchise the 2007 film 'Live Free or Die Hard'.
He told website Collider: "After doing the fourth one, there were so many conversations that Bruce [Willis] and I were having about what he put into the character for 'Die Hard 1'. That character comes in with so much baggage, emotionally, and experience. He's already divorced, he's bitter, his Captain hates him and doesn't want him back. So, what created that guy?"
'Die Hard: Year One' will be released in 2017.
Movies
Judd Apatow thinks 'Girls' would make a great movie.
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He told Variety: "I think the show would work well as a movie. I don't think that's something [Dunham] wants to do immediately, but it would be a great movie. It feels like they've all been movies."
Lena, 29, previously insisted she would love to make a 'Girls' movie, explaining: "I have fantasies of us all coming back and making a movie when we're 40. I think we'd want to wait long enough for something to have really gone down."
While Judd would not give any hints on the season finale of the show, he admitted that Lena has something special in mind.
He recently said: "We just started kicking it around. There are ideas, but they could go out the window once we start typing. But there is an idea [Lena Dunham] has wanted to do for a few years."
Judd Apatow backs Girls movie
Judd Apatow thinks 'Girls' would make a great movie.
The TV show - created by and starring Lena Dunham, with Judd as Executive Producer - will end after its upcoming sixth season and while the focus is on the finale right now, Judd, 48, admitted he would be open to making a big screen version of 'Girls' in the future.
He told Variety: "I think the show would work well as a movie. I don't think that's something [Dunham] wants to do immediately, but it would be a great movie. It feels like they've all been movies."
Lena, 29, previously insisted she would love to make a 'Girls' movie, explaining: "I have fantasies of us all coming back and making a movie when we're 40. I think we'd want to wait long enough for something to have really gone down."
While Judd would not give any hints on the season finale of the show, he admitted that Lena has something special in mind.
He recently said: "We just started kicking it around. There are ideas, but they could go out the window once we start typing. But there is an idea [Lena Dunham] has wanted to do for a few years."
Showbiz
Hayden Panettiere was "really surprised" by the support she received when she sought treatment for postpartum depression.
The 26-year-old actress checked into a facility in October - 10 months after the birth of her and fiancé Wladamir Klitschko's daughter Kaya - and she is "proud" to now be seen as a spokesperson and a role model for other mothers gripped by the condition.
She said: "I've gotten an incredible amount of support and I was actually really surprised cause I feel like I grew up in this industry that, in my mind, was very judgmental.
"I didn't even look at social media.
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Hayden returned to work on 'Nashville' - on which she plays country singer Juliette Barnes - earlier this month and admits she initially found it tough going back on set.
Speaking to 'Entertainment Tonight' on the red carpet at last night's (17.01.16) Critics' Choice Awards - at which she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series - she said: "To be honest it was kind of a rocky start for me and especially emotionally.
"The first scene that I did the other day when I saw certain people that I haven't seen in a while and I felt really comfortable -- I just lost it and I couldn't keep it together. So, it held us up for a second but we got it at the end."
Hayden Panettiere surprised by support
Hayden Panettiere was "really surprised" by the support she received when she sought treatment for postpartum depression.
The 26-year-old actress checked into a facility in October - 10 months after the birth of her and fiancé Wladamir Klitschko's daughter Kaya - and she is "proud" to now be seen as a spokesperson and a role model for other mothers gripped by the condition.
She said: "I've gotten an incredible amount of support and I was actually really surprised cause I feel like I grew up in this industry that, in my mind, was very judgmental.
"I didn't even look at social media.
"Then, when I looked, people were like, 'Oh my gosh, good for you,' and I am so proud to be a spokesperson and a woman that people can look to and to know that they're not alone and they're not weak if they go and they seek help."
Hayden returned to work on 'Nashville' - on which she plays country singer Juliette Barnes - earlier this month and admits she initially found it tough going back on set.
Speaking to 'Entertainment Tonight' on the red carpet at last night's (17.01.16) Critics' Choice Awards - at which she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series - she said: "To be honest it was kind of a rocky start for me and especially emotionally.
"The first scene that I did the other day when I saw certain people that I haven't seen in a while and I felt really comfortable -- I just lost it and I couldn't keep it together. So, it held us up for a second but we got it at the end."