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The Queen's pleased as Dame Helen triumphs
By Alexa Baracaia and Tom Teodorczuk, Evening Standard 10.07.08
Dame Helen Mirren paid tribute to the Queen in her acceptance speech
Martin Scorsese won his first ever Oscar for gritty undercover cop thriller The Departed
Forest Whitaker was named best actor for his role as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland
Related links
- The Oscars 2007 - full coverage
- Video: Highlights from the ceremony
- Video: Highlights from the ceremony
- Video: Backstage reaction from the winners
- Video: Elton John's Oscars party
- Blog: Nick Curtis on the 'Oscarzzzz'
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The Queen was today said to be quietly delighted after Helen Mirren scooped a best actress Oscar in Hollywood for her formidable performance as the monarch in crisis.
There was a hint that a formal invitation to tea with Her Majesty may be a step closer after a Palace spokeswoman said of Mirren's Oscar's triumph: "I'm sure that the Queen will be pleased."
Gallery: Best dressed at the Oscars
Gallery: Worst dressed at the Oscars
Gallery: The Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Gallery: Winners at the Oscars
Gallery: Elton John's Oscars party
Video: Stars arrive on the red carpet
Video: Highlights from the ceremony
Video: Stars at Elton John's Oscars party
Video: Backstage reaction from the winners
Blog: Nick Curtis on the 'Oscarzzzz'
Mirren, 61, is the first British film star to land a best actress gong since Emma Thompson in 1992. She beat competition from fellow Brits Kate Winslet and Dame Judi Dench with her role in Stephen Frears's The Queen.
Mirren's victory prompted a sigh of relief from her supporters and the bookmakers who had already paid out in anticipation.
She accepted her award looking a little less than flawless. After a last-minute wardrobe malfunction she took to the stage wearing only one diamond earring. "I've got my purse in one hand and my earring in the other," she said.
In her speech, she paid a warm tribute to the Queen's "courage and consistency", adding: "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Queen."
She told the audience at the Kodak Theatre: "For 50 years or more Elizabeth Windsor has maintained her dignity, her sense of duty and her hairstyle. She's had her feet planted firmly on the ground, her hat on her head, her handbag on her arm and she's weathered many, many storms and I salute her courage and her consistency."
Adding to the plaudits for Mirren's performance, Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "It takes a very special actress to take on a role of this kind and to do so to universal acclaim. Helen Mirren is a very special kind of actress and her Oscar is richly deserved."
Asked if he had actually seen the movie, Mr Blair's official spokesman admitted: "No."
It was the only award, however, for The Queen, which had been shortlisted in six categories - and one of barely a handful overall for British talent, despite a record tally of 18 nominations.
Forest Whitaker landed the best actor Oscar for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in British-made film The Last King Of Scotland.
He said of his childhood in a tough Los Angeles ghetto: "When I was a kid, the only way I saw movies was from the back seat of my family's car at the drive-in. It wasn't my reality to think I would be acting in movies - so receiving this honour tells me that it's possible."
Martin Scorsese won best director for The Departed. The crime drama starring Leonardo diCaprio and Matt Damon and co-produced by Briton Graham King won four Oscars, including best film. Having previously been nominated five times for best director, Scorsese spoke of his relief at landing an Oscar. He said: "So many people over the years have been wishing this for me. And I'm saying thank you."
A tearful Jennifer Hudson was best supporting actress for her debut performance in Dreamgirls but her co-star Eddie Murphy, tipped to win best supporting actor, lost to Alan Arkin for his role as a heroin-snorting grandfather in Little Miss Sunshine. The film also won best original screenplay beating The Queen and Babel.
In a night notable for triumphs and disasters in the wardrobe department - Nicole Kidman will take a long time to live down the giant bow she sported - the greatest stir was caused by Jack Nicholson's shaved head. He is filming The Bucket List with Morgan Freeman, about two terminally ill men who escape from a cancer ward and go on a road trip. There was disappointment for Patrick Marber, whose Notes On A Scandal had four shots at Oscar glory but failed to pull off one.
Peter O'Toole's eighth nomination, as best actor for Venus, came to nothing, and Paul Greengrass's dramatisation of the September 11 hijack, United 93, also failed to translate its two nominations into any awards.
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Reader views (10)
I only saw a few minutes of the Oscar Awards, but I thought Helen Mirren's speech and dress were both marvellous!
- Nicola Reynolds, Eire
Derek in Welwyn - this isn't about impersonation it's about acting. It's about the ability to bring far more depth and emotion to a role than an impersonator can.
- Rachel, UK
Maybe the person who made the comment about getting rid of the monarchy can suggest what he would put in her place? Maybe a has been politician as president such as Tony Blair - with Cherie Blair as First Lady? It just doesn't bear thinking about!
- Simon, Crystal Palace, London
Word of warning Tom from Frome. If you get rid of the monarchy you will end up with a president instead. Blair has made enough of a mess as PM, I shudder to think of the appalling job he'd have done with even more power to his elbow as President. Good on you Helen M for winning a meaningless bit of plastic for your guest loo! It's all totally unimportant harmless fun at the end of the day.
- Geraldine, London
Once again an Oscar is awarded to a wonderful actor doing a poor "impersonation". Helen Mirren is a much respected and leading star in fictional character roles but her unconvincing attempt at impersonating Queen Elizabeth II made many of us professional celebrity impersonators smile once again at the irony of the situation.
There seems to be a jealous movie and TV "Mafia" who only expose the amateur look-a-bit-a-likes for the purpose of ridicule while using actors as "look-alikes" who are equally ridiculous in their amateurish depiction of the celebrities we are routinely genuinely mistaken for.
Maybe it's because the real cream of the celebrity impersonator industry would show how poor many celebrated actors are at doing our job?
Samantha Morton (playing a Marilyn Monroe lookalike in "Mr Lonely") is a very lovely actor but compared with Suzie Kennedy, she is totally un-convincing and a very poor substitute for "the real thing"?
- Derek Williams, Welwyn GC UK
"Quietly delighted" is precisely the kind of pompous comment I would expect from "her majesty". High time for the monarchy to pass into history, we can do perfectly well without them: I for one would be joyously delighted if they and their vast excesses all disappeared.
- Tom Brownstone, Frome, UK
Bearing in mind Margaret Thatcher's huge popularity in the USA, might the grand Dame add yet another female scalp to her collection before moving on to play someone other that a real life character?
- Ted, Shetland
Helen rocks!
- Tim, UK
I have to admit, I spend a long time wondering whether movies are going to be any good based on the way they are advertised. this movie was advertised quite blandly, but overshone all expectations I had for it. Dame Helen Mirren sparkled through with an amazing performance showing off her focus, dedication and loyallty to the Brits. I was gobsmacked with her ability. She deserves everything she receives and more! God bless Her Majesty (HM - Helen Mirren, coincidence?).
- Mirren Lover, Northwest London
Helen Mirren thoroughly deserved to win the Oscar for The Queen. She is a fantastic actress and we have also shown that British film making is just getting better and better. She is someone Britain should be truely proud of. Well done Helen!
- Maria, Ealing
