Movie News

English rose loses out to La Vie En Rose

Mon 11 Feb 1:20 PM

French actress Marion Cotillard saw off competition from hotly-tipped Brits to win the Best Actress award at the Baftas, held at London’s Royal Opera House on Sunday night.

Julie Christie was favourite to take the gong for her performance in Away From Her with Atonement’s Keira Knightly also in the running. It seemed Cotillard, who played French singer/cultural icon Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose for which she’s already won a Golden Globe and earned an Oscar nomination, was as surprised as anyone by her victory, saying "I am truly shocked. I am pleased but it's surreal." Equally surreal was the actress telling reporters afterwards that she’ll be keeping her gong “in the fridge”. La Vie En Rose also won best music, costume design and make-up.

More predictably, Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor for his portrayal of oil baron Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood. The 50-year-old, who previously won for his My Left Foot performance in 1990, was described as “the God of acting” by fellow nominee James McAvoy on the red carpet. Atonement was up for 14 awards but scooped just two, although one was the coveted Best Picture - the other was for Production Design.

There was a standing ovation for Fellowship Award winner Anthony Hopkins who seemed genuinely chuffed to receive the honour from British movie royalty, namely Sir Richard Attenborough.

The Coen brothers won best director for their modern day western No Country for Old Men while one of the film’s stars, Javier Bardem, scooped Best Supporting Actor.