Mark Rylance, Naomie Harris, and Jenny Beavan amongst New Years Honours 2017

Arise Sir Mark Rylance.

The legendary stage actor who recently moved into the film world has been awarded a knighthood in the 2017 New Years Honours for services to theatre.

It tops off an amazing 2016 for the 56-year-old thespian who started the year with double Oscar and BAFTA Best Supporting Actor wins for ‘Bridge of Spies’. He subsequently won the Best Television Actor BAFTA for ‘Wolf Hall’, as well as being nominated for a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Thomas Cromwell. He also played the lead role in Steven Spielberg’s ‘The BFG’. He’ll next be seen on screen in Christopher Nolan’s 2017 WW2 epic ‘Dunkirk’.

James Bond star Naomie Harris has been awarded an OBE for services to drama in the year with the greatest proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic recipients – 9.3% – in the history of the Order of the British Empire. Harris is hotly-tipped for awards glory in the new year for her moving performance as a drug addict mother in Barry Jenkins’ ‘Moonlight’.

Elsewhere in the Queen’s honours Oscar-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan, who Stephen Fry controversially labelled a “bag lady” at the BAFTAs, was awarded an OBE for services to drama production, the same recognition was also awarded to Helen McCrory and Tim Piggott-Smith.

‘Notes on a Scandal’ director Richard Eyre received a knighthood.

Read the full New Years Honours 2017 here.

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