BRITISH stars Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Kaluuya, and Emerald Fennell were among the Oscar winners as Hollywood’s biggest night took place in Los Angeles.
Hopkins, 83, was a surprise winner of the 2021 Academy Award for best actor for The Father.
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He plays a man who battles with dementia opposite Olivia Colman in the film directed by Florian Zeller.
Many had expected the statue to go to the late Chadwick Boseman.
Low-budget Nomadland, which tells the story of sixty-something woman who travels across the American West in a van after losing everything in the recession, was the biggest winner on the night.
It won best picture, best director and best actress thanks to the stellar work of director Chloé Zhao and leading lady Frances McDormand, who is now the second most successful actress in the awards’ history behind Katharine Hepburn.
In a rare move, the Academy handed out the Best Actor award last instead of Best Picture.
Hopkins was not at Union Square, where this year’s ceremony was being held, to accept the honor.
This is Hopkins’ second Oscar.
It comes almost 30 years after his first for playing Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.
The actor has been nominated four other times without a win.
Fellow Brit Riz Ahmed had also been up for the prestigious award for his stunning performance in The Sound of Metal.
He played a drummer trying to come to terms with the loss of his hearing in the indie flick.
Kaluuya, born in Camden, London to Ugandan parents, was recognized for his portrayal of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in Judas And The Black Messiah.
He won best supporting actor early in the ceremony.
The Londoner also created one of the most viral moments of the night when he made a sex joke about his parents.
As he thanked God, his team, and his family, he oddly mentioned that he is grateful that his “mom and dad had sex” – resulting in him “being alive” right now.
The audience appeared confused – as there was an awkward silence before the actor resumed his winners speech.
While his mom and sister appeared mortified, burying their hands in their face.
Fennell won the first award of the night for best screenplay for Promising Young Woman.
She fought back tears as she delivered her improvised acceptance speech.
“He’s so heavy and he’s so cold,” she said, looking at the statuette.
Fennell had also been nominated for best director but lost out to Chloé Zhao for Nomadland.
The 2021 Oscars were dramatically scaled down this year due to the Covid pandemic.
It had been moved from its home of 18 years, Dolby Theater, to Union Station and there were only 170 people in attendance.
There was no host and instead, the Academy relied on a cast of star-studded presenters.
