The 2011 BAFTA Awards Are Handed Out

Last night the 2011 British Academy Film and Television Awards were handed out at the The Royal Opera House in London, England and by all accounts the night belonged to the film The King’s Speech. Yes, there were other winners but The King’s Speech won all 7 awards it was nominated for including the biggest prizes of the night Best Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress and Best Film. The BAFTAs are called the Oscars of the UK and there is no question, the folks in the UK LOVE The King’s Speech.

There was no hesitation when it came to The King’s Speech at Sunday night’s British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards – the BAFTAs. The popular drama about King George VI’s seemingly insurmountable stammer swept the ceremony at the Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden, with seven awards. These included those for Best Picture, Actor Colin Firth, Supporting Actor Geoffrey Rush, Supporting Actress Helena Bonham Carter and Original Screenplay writer David Seidler. For Firth, it was a back-to-back victory. He also won last year for A Single Man, about a gay man mourning his late lover. “I like coming here,” the Oscar frontrunner told the Bafta crowd, eliciting a laugh. He also paid tribute to his beautiful Italian wife Livia Guiggioli, saying, “I would like to thank Livia and the whole family for remaining so steady, whether they are dealing with a dancing queen or a sometime king.” Natalie Portman was named Best Actress for Black Swan – though her pregnancy prevented her from flying to London – while David Fincher won as Best Director for The Social Network, which also took awards for its Adapted Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and for its Film Editing. Both Firth and Portman won Screen Actors Guild Awards last month, another sign that they will likely take home Oscars. “I’m so used to losing its quite a strange feeling to win, but it feels very nice,” said Bonham-Carter, who plays Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mum) to Firth’s King. “Although, of course, children, if you are watching it is not about the winning.” Sorkin said, “Normally I’d be excited about this, but sitting in the seat in front of me was one of the Beatles.” Sir Paul McCartney had presented the best score award, to The King’s Speech.

Here are some of the photos of some of the BAFTA winners last night. Among this year’s BAFTAs honorees was the Harry Potter films, which won the special award for Outstanding Contribution to Cinema:

A tribute film, with contributions from stars including Daniel Radcliffe, Julie Walters, Emma Watson and Robbie Coltrane, was played before the author of the books, J K Rowling, came on stage to accept the award with members of the cast and crew including producer David Heyman. She said: “It’s very strange to look back after seven films and remember how wary I was of anyone putting Harry on the big screen and it was David, Heyman not Warner, who persuaded me.

Movie legend Christopher Lee, who has starred in films ranging from Dracula to The Lord of the Rings, was also honored with the BAFTA Fellowship award. It sounds like it was a hot time in jolly ol’ England last night. Click HERE for a full list of last night’s BAFTAs winners. The British have had their say … now we count down the days until the Academy Awards are handed out here in the US at the end of the month.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source, Source]