BAFTA Los Angeles to honor Helena Bonham Carter

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles will honor actress Helena Bonham Carter with the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year at the 2011 BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards on Nov. 30 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The BAFTA L.A. accolade tops off an award-winning year for the British actress, currently in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2." Earlier this year she was nominated for a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award and an Oscar for supporting actress in the Academy Award winner for best film, "The King's Speech."

The actress joins the previously announced John Lasseter, who will receive the Britannia Award for Worldwide Contributions to Filmed Entertainment and "Harry Potter" director David Yates, the winner of the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing.

-- Susan King

Photo: Helena Bonham Carter. Credit: Ian Gavan / Getty Images 

BAFTA TV Awards shocker: 'Sherlock' beats 'Downton Abbey'

"Sherlock," the BBC update of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective tales, won the BAFTA TV Award for best drama series over last year's champ "Misfits" and the program that was the toast of the British tube this past year: "Downton Abbey."

The star who portrayed sleuth Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch, lost best actor to Daniel Rigby ("Eric and Ernie"), but his Watson, Martin Freeman, triumphed in the supporting category.

Freeman gave one of the most noteworthy acceptance speeches at London's Grosvenor House on Sunday, telling the audience he planned to put his trophy "on the pillow next to me and talk to it as if it were my partner."

Freeman beat "Downton Abbey" star Brendan Coyle. "Abbey" lost the YouTube audience award to "The Only Way Is Essex." Thus the TV show that has reaped the highest British audience (12 million) for a new drama series in more than a decade was totally shut out.

"Downton Abbey" and "Sherlock" will square off again soon at the U.S. prime-time Emmys where they are set to cause much confusion. They'll compete as miniseries instead of drama series.

Meanwhile, other U.S. Emmy contenders competed at the BAFTA TV Awards in the category for international series. "Boardwalk Empire," "Glee" and "Mad Men" lost to the original Danish version of "The Killing." However, its producer, Piv Bernth, didn't hold on to her prize very long. After the ceremony, she accidentally left "her BAFTA mask in a black cab near Marble Arch just after midnight," reports the Guardian.

See a full list of other winners at the BAFTA site.

-- Tom O'Neil

Photos: "Sherlock," left; "Downton Abbey." Credits: BBC; ITV

Round 3: 'Mad Men' vs. 'Boardwalk Empire' at BAFTA TV Awards

"Boardwalk Empire" conquered "Mad Men" at the last two kudos battles. "Empire" ruled the race for best drama series at the Golden Globes and best ensemble at the SAG Awards. Now they're pitted against each other at the BAFTA TV Awards in the race for best international series, a match-up that also includes "Glee" and the original Danish version of "The Killing" that inspired the new Americanized adaptation currently unspooling on AMC. "Mad Men" has won this BAFTA category for the last two years.

British sci-fi series "Misfits" leads the BAFTA list with nominations in four categories: best drama series, supporting actor (Robert Sheehan), supporting actress (Lauren Socha) and new media. In the series contest, it competes against rival sci-fi program "Being Human," updated detective series "Sherlock" and the super-hit "Downton Abbey." Surprisingly absent from this list is the modern update of "Upstairs, Downstairs," which was widely compared to "Downton" this past year because they both contrast the lives of upper- and lower-class folks.

The London Guardian crowed, "If there were any doubt as to who had won out in the great 'Downton Abbey' vs 'Upstairs, Downstairs' toff-off, the BBC program's lack of nominations against 'Downton's' two (drama series and supporting actor for Brendan Coyle) only underlines the ITV drama's supremacy."

The Guardian took a potshot at one contender in the race for best comedy series: "There's always one BAFTA nomination that makes you do a double take. This year it's 'Mrs. Brown's Boys,' which gets the nod in the sitcom category at the expense of shows such as 'Friday Night Dinner,' 'Grandma's House,' 'The Inbetweeners,' 'Him & Her,' and, most notably, 'Miranda,' which aren't nominated. Perhaps the judges thought it was mandatory to include an actual joke in the comedy nominations."

The trophies will be doled out on May 22. Here are some of the top nominees. More here.

INTERNATIONAL
"Boardwalk Empire" (U.S.)
"Glee" (U.S.)
"The Killing" (Denmark)
"Mad Men" (U.S.)

DRAMA SERIES
"Being Human" (BBC3/Touchpaper Television)
"Downton Abbey" (ITV1/Carnival Films)
"Misfits" (E4/Clerkenwell Films)
"Sherlock" (BBC1/Hartswood Films)

SITUATION COMEDY
"Mrs. Brown's Boys" (BBC One/BOCPix, BBC Productions, RTE)
"Peep Show" (Channel 4/Objective Productions)
"Rev" (BBC Two/Big Talk Productions)
"The Trip" (BBC Two/Revolution Films)

 

Oscars mystery: Why isn't Natalie Portman considered a shoo-in to win?

"Why isn't Natalie Portman considered a lock?" asks our forums moderator David "Guru" Schnelwar about her Oscar chances to win lead actress. He dug up research about past award patterns that suggests the odds are overwhelmingly in her favor.

Portman ("Black Swan") and Colin Firth ("The King's Speech") have won all of these awards this derby season: Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, Critics' Choice and BAFTA. With only one exception, all actors who have pulled off that feat in the past went on to bag the Oscar next. However, some notable gurus, such as our Buzzmeter pundits Anne Thompson and Peter Travers, are nonetheless betting on Annette Bening ("The Kids Are All Right") to prevail.

The only star who didn't win the Oscar after sweeping those precursor prizes: Russell Crowe ("A Beautiful Mind"). He probably would've won the Academy Award too, but he lost the sympathy of voters when he lost his temper and attacked a BAFTA producer, thus throwing the lead actor race to Denzel Washington ("Training Day").

Portman has behaved most graciously throughout this awards season, of course, but there are several good reasons why she could be tripped up by Bening, who is: 1) a three-time past loser overdue to win; 2) a member of the academy's Board of Governors; 3) a heterosexual star who plays gay, which earned Oscar gold for Sean Penn ("Milk") and Tom Hanks ("Philadelphia").

Below: The actors who swept their awards season by winning the Oscar, Golden Globe, Critics' Choice, SAG and BAFTA Awards.

BEST ACTOR
1996 - Geoffrey Rush, "Shine"
2004 - Jamie Foxx, "Ray"
2005 - Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"
2006 - Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland"
2007 - Daniel Day Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
2007 - Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men"
2008 - Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
2009 - Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"

BEST ACTRESS
2000 - Julia Roberts, "Erin Brockovich"
2005 - Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line"
2006 - Helen Mirren, "The Queen"
2008 - Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

BAFTA Awards: The queen's speech

Helena Bonham Carter deserves another award for the entertaining performance she gave at the podium on Sunday accepting the BAFTA trophy for supporting actress as the Queen Mum in "The King's Speech."

— Tom O'Neil

'Inception's' production design scores a BAFTA upset: Oscar next? [video]

Two days before "Inception" pulled off an upset at the BAFTA Awards in the race for production design, I powwowed with future winner Guy Dyas at the Hollywood Museum. He's an Oscar nominee in a fascinating race — and one he could win if trends continue in his category.

Normally, the Oscar and BAFTA Award for art direction go to the most ornate, bombastic decoration in films set back in historic times, like previous Oscar champs "Sweeney Todd," "Moulin Rouge" and "Shakespeare in Love."

Movies with a contemporary or futuristic look don't usually fare well, but "Avatar" won both prizes last year. Does "Inception's" victory at BAFTA bode well for its next face-off at the Academy Awards? It competes against most of the same contenders it trounced at BAFTA: "Alice in Wonderland," "The King's Speech" and "True Grit." The only difference: BAFTA nominee "Black Swan" is bumped by "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" on Feb. 27.

The British academy and the Oscars share many voters. About 500 members of BAFTA are among the 5,800 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is a significant overlap, but there are differences in their voting processes. All Oscar voters can decide the winner, but only art directors determine who wins that BAFTA category.

                                                     

RELATED:

BAFTA Awards: 'The King's Speech' is crowned with seven wins

New 'Inception' featurette hits the Web

— Tom O'Neil

Photo: Guy Dyas. Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images.

'The King's Speech' BAFTA romp: What does it mean for the Oscars?

As expected, "The King's Speech" pulled off an impressive sweep at BAFTA, claiming seven awards, including the dual crowns as best picture and best British picture. That marked the first time both prizes went to the same movie since the category for best British film was re-introduced in 1992.

That combo probably clinches its top Oscar victory next. Ever since 2000, when BAFTA moved up its award ceremony to take place before the Academy Awards, the two prizes have agreed on best picture four times: "Gladiator" (2000), "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003), "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008) and "The Hurt Locker" (2009). The victory by "Hurt Locker" surprised kudos-watchers.

Last year, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts correctly foretold the Oscar winners of supporting actor and actress. Could it be significant that Geoffrey Rush just beat Oscar front-runner Christian Bale ("The Fighter")? His "King's Speech" costar Helena Bonham Carter won supporting actress too, but she wasn't nominated against Oscar faves Melissa Leo ("The Fighter") and Hailee Steinfeld ("True Grit"). Or maybe their victories at these British film awards were to be expected considering Rush and Carter are subjects of the empire — he's an Aussie; she's a Brit.

Last year, BAFTA showed a strong preference for British thespians in the lead races, picking Colin Firth ("A Single Man") over eventual Oscar champ Jeff Bridges ("Crazy Heart") and Carey Mulligan ("An Education"), who had an easier time of it. She wasn't nominated against Sandra Bullock ("The Blind Side").

BAFTA Awards: 'The King's Speech' is crowned with seven wins

 
It was no big surprise when the British period drama "The King's Speech" won seven Orange British Academy Film Awards on Sunday evening at the Royal Opera House in London.

The surprise came when Tom Hooper, the film's director and recent recipient of the Directors Guild of America Award, came up empty handed. It was David Fincher who won best director honors for "The Social Network."

Still, it was "The King's Speech's" night. The historical piece about George VI's attempts to rid himself of his stutter before becoming King of England, won outstanding film, outstanding British film, lead actor for Colin Firth (he won the award in this category last year for "A Simple Man"), original screenplay for David Seidler, supporting actor for Geoffrey Rush, supporting actress for Helena Bonham Carter and score for Alexandre Desplat.

"The King's Speech" is also nominated for 12 Academy Awards and is the favorite to take home Oscar's biggest prize.

Besides Fincher's win for best director, "The Social Network," the drama about the founding of Facebook, also won for Aaron Sorkin's adapted screenplay and editing.

"Toy Story 3" earned best animated film honors, and Roger Deakins took home the cinematography prize for "True Grit."

"Inception" won three awards for production design, visual effects and sound, while "Alice in Wonderland" won for costumes and makeup and hair.

Sweden's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" won outstanding film not in the English language and writer-director Chris Norris of "Four Lions" won outstanding British debut by a writer-director or producer.

Outstanding short film went to "Until the River Runs Red," while "The Eagleman Stag" won for animated short.

Tom Hardy of "Inception" won the Rising Star honor and, as previously announced, the "Harry Potter" franchise was given the outstanding British contribution to the cinema honor. Veteran actor Christopher Lee won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' Fellowship award, the organization's highest accolade.

— Susan King

Photo: Geoffrey Rush, left, Colin Firth and Derek Jacobi in "The King's Speech." Credit: The Weinstein Co.

BAFTA Awards: 'The King's Speech' wins best film

 
"The King's Speech" won best film Sunday evening at the Orange British Academy Film Awards. The film, directed by Tom Hooper, tells the story of Britain's King George VI and his struggle to overcome a stutter as the nation hovers on the brink of World War II. 

The film has swept recent guild awards in the U.S. -- including the producers guild -- and is considered to be in a tight race with "The Social Network" for the top Oscar. The British awards and the Oscars have aligned fairly closely in recent years.

"The King's Speech" was in competition against "Black Swan," "Inception," "The Social Network" and "True Grit."

The awards, presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, were given out at the Royal Opera House in Convent Garden, London.

-- Susan King

Photo: Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter in "The King's Speech." Credit: The Weinstein Company.

BAFTA Awards: David Fincher wins best director for 'The Social Network'

It was all going "The King's Speech's" way Sunday evening at the BAFTA Awards at the Royal Opera House,  and then David Fincher -- not "The King's Speech's" Tom Hooper -- was named best director for "The Social Network."

The drama about how Facebook was founded by Harvard students had been the early favorite in the awards season picking up award after award, but it had been overshadowed of late by "The King's Speech," which won the Producers Guild and Directors Guild of America Awards.

But Fincher usurped Hooper's throne by winning the Orange British Academy Film Award. "The Social Network" also won awards Sunday for Aaron Sorkin's adapted screenplay and for editing.

-- Susan King

Photo: David Fincher. Credit: Chris Pizzello / Associated Press