Tony McNamara has announced that he and Yorgos Lanthimos are teaming up for a new project following their movie ‘The Favourite’ winning 10 prizes at the British Independent Film Awards.
The screenwriter – who penned the story with Deborah Davis – teamed up with the director for the period drama about two cousins vying to be the court favourite of Queen Anne in the 18th Century, and the film swept the board at the awards ceremony held at Old Billingsgate in London on Sunday night (02.12.18).
McNamara and Lanthimos are now working on a new project, but he’s staying tight-lipped on what it is.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz at the event, he said: "I’ve just written a new film for Yorgos and I’m making a new TV show about Catherine the Great."
Talking about why their close working relationship on ‘The Favourite’,
McNamara added: "Yorgos wanted to make a period film, he’d never made one before and he’d found the story and he really liked the story. But then he didn’t want to make a usual period film, he wanted to do his own thing and then he found me and we worked out a different kind of period film, I guess, or a slightly different take on how you would do it. I had done mostly contemporary plays in TV, and I had done a historical play, which is what he read originally that got us together."
‘The Favourite’ stars Olivia Colman as Anne, Queen of Great Britain,
Emma Stone as Abigail Hill, Rachel Weisz as Duchess of Marlborough Sarah Churchill, Joe Alwyn as Samuel Masham, Nicholas Hoult as Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer and Mark Gatiss as John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough.
The movie’s incredible trophy haul saw Lanthimos named Best Director, Colman take home the Best Actress gong, Weisz chosen as Best Supporting Actress and it chosen as the Best British Independent Film among other wins.
Speaking about whether the film’s all-female led cast is significant in the wake of the #MeToo movement, Colman said: "Are we all equal yet? Is pay equal yet? So of course it’s all still in the running. Until all the things are the same, it’s still in the running."
British Independent Film Awards full list of winners:
The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film:
Dame Judi Dench
The Special Jury Prize:
Horace Ové CBE
Best British Independent Film:
The Favourite – Yorgos Lanthimos, Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara, Ceci
Best Director sponsored by Broadsword Event House:
Yorgos Lanthimos
Best Screenplay sponsored by BBC Films:
Deborah Davus and Tony McNamara – The Favourite
Best Actress sponsored by MAC:
Olivia Colman – The Favourite
Best Supporting Actress:
Rachel Weisz – The Favourite
Best Actor:
Joe Cole – A Prayer Before Dawn
Best Supporting Actor:
Alessandro Nivola – Disobedience
Most Promising Newcomer:
Jessie Buckley – Beast
The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director):
Richard Billingham, Ray & Liz
Debut Screenwriter:
Bart Layton – American Animals
Breakthrough Producer:
Jacqui Davies, Ray & Liz
The Discovery Award sponsored by Raindance:
Voyageuse, May Miles Thomas
Best Documentary:
Evelyn, Orlando von Einsiedel, Joanna Natasegara
Best British Short Film supported by BFI NETWORK:
The Big Day – Dawn Shadforth, Kellie Smith, Michelle Stein
Best International Independent Film sponsored by Champagne Taittinger:
Roma – Alfonso Cuarón, Nicolás Celis, Gabriela Rodriguez
Best Casting sponsored by Casting Society of America & Spotlight:
Dixie Chassay – The Favourite
Best Cinematography supported by Blackmagic Design:
Robbie Ryan – The Favourite
Best Costume Design:
Sandy Powell – The Favourite
Best Editing sponsored by Intermission Film:
Nick Fenton, Julian Hart and Chris Gill – American Animals
Best Effects:
Howard Jones – Early Man
Best Make Up & Hair Design:
Nadia Stacey – The Favourite
Best Music sponsored by Universal Music Publishing Group:
Jonny Greenwood – You Were Never Really Here
Best Production Design:
Fiona Crombie – The Favourite
Best Sound supported by Silk Factory:
Paul Davies – You Were Never Really Here