• Lion collected another five awards, making it 12 AACTA Awards in total this year
• Nicole Kidman wins for Lion and BBC First’s Top Of The Lake: China Girl
• Matchbox Pictures’ Seven Types Of Ambiguity multiple TV winner
The second leg of the 2017 AACTA Awards was held in Sydney last night. After the industry luncheon function on Monday where 35 awards were handed out, the final 20 winners were announced last night during a ceremony later broadcast on Seven.
Continuing an impressive awards season, Lion won all five of its nominated categories, including Best Film presented by Foxtel, Best Direction for Garth Davis and Best Supporting Actor for BAFTA Award-winner Dev Patel, who received the AACTA International Award for his role earlier this year. It marks a clean sweep for the Oscar-nominated film, which won all 12 of the categories it was nominated for.
The film’s nine-year-old star Sunny Pawar received the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor, becoming the youngest winner in the category.
Nicole Kidman continued her successful year by winning both of her nominated categories – Best Supporting Actress for Lion, which she won the AACTA International Award for earlier this year, and Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama for Jane Campion’s Top Of The Lake: China Girl.
Neither Patel, Pawar nor Kidman was able to attend the awards. Instead they all sent acceptance speeches via video.
Emma Booth won the award for Best Lead Actress
Ten years after receiving her first AACTA Award, Emma Booth took home the remaining feature film Award for Best Lead Actress for her role as serial killer Evelyn White in Hounds Of Love.
Hugo Weaving received his first AACTA Award in a television category, winning Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama for Seven Types Of Ambiguity. The Award marks Weaving’s third consecutive AACTA Award, having received Best Supporting Actor at both the 5th and 6th AACTA Awards.
Also receiving her third consecutive AACTA Award was Celia Pacquola, whose performance in Rosehaven saw her take home the Award for Best Performance in a Television Comedy.
Top Of The Lake: China Girl dominated the television categories, receiving four awards including Best Television Drama Series.
Joining their co-star Nicole Kidman, Emmy- and Golden Globe-winner Elisabeth Moss and Ewen Leslie took home the AACTA Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama and Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama, respectively.
Other television awards went to: Sunshine for Best Telefeature or Mini Series, Australian Ninja Warrior for Best Light Entertainment Series, Selling Houses Australia for Best Lifestyle Television Series, Seven Types Of Ambiguity for Best Screenplay in Television and MasterChef Australia, which won Best Reality Television Series for the third consecutive year.
Simon Baker accepted the AACTA Trailblazer Award, which recognises the achievements of an Australian screen practitioner whose body of work has served as an inspiration to others.
Film and television stars who presented awards included Gillian Armstrong, Shane Jacobson, Paul Hogan, Pamela Rabe, Danielle Cormack, Stephen Curry, Noni Hazlehurst, Marta Dusseldorp, Tom Gleeson, Melina Vidler, Angourie Rice, Nicholas Hamilton and Best Asian Film Grand Jury member Anupam Kher.
Musical interludes during the awards presentation featured Guy Sebastian, Anthony Callea and The Angels with the addition of a sizzling Natalie Bassingthwaighte.
A complete list of the TV and major individual award winners from the AACTA Awards held in Sydney on December 6, 2017 and broadcast on the Seven Network.
AACTA LONGFORD LYELL AWARD
Phillip Noyce
AACTA TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Simon Baker
BYRON KENNEDY AWARD
Martin Butler, Bentley Dean
TELEVISION
Top Of The Lake: China Girl
Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Jane Campion, Philippa Campbell, Libby Sharpe – Foxtel/BBC First
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINI SERIES
Sunshine
Ian Collie, Anna McLeish, Sarah Shaw – SBS
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION SERIES
Australian Ninja Warrior
Julie Ward, Mark Barlin, Sophia Mogford – Nine Network
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LIFESTYLE TELEVISION PROGRAM
Selling Houses Australia
Geoff Fitzpatrick, Duane Hatherly – Foxtel/Lifestyle
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST REALITY TELEVISION SERIES
MasterChef Australia
Marty Benson, Adam Fergusson, Tim Toni – Network Ten
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Hugo Weaving
Seven Types Of Ambiguity – ABC
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Elisabeth Moss
Top Of The Lake: China Girl – Foxtel/BBC First
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE IN A TELEVISION COMEDY
Celia Pacquola
Rosehaven – ABC
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Ewen Leslie
Top Of The Lake: China Girl – Foxtel/BBC First
AACTA AWARD FOR BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Nicole Kidman
Top Of The Lake: China Girl – Foxtel/BBC First