It was happy beeps all around for Star Wars: The Last Jedi at the Rakuten TV Empire Awards 2018, as the eighth film in the Skywalker saga won five categories at the ceremony in Camden’s Roundhouse. The sci-fi epic was named Best Film (presented by Sky Cinema), with Rian Johnson collecting the prize for Best Director (presented by Vue Entertainment), and Daisy Ridley taking home Best Actress (presented by Rakuten TV). The film also won in the Visual Effects and Costume categories.
Star Wars' original hero Mark Hamill received Empire’s Icon Award (presented by BMW). “Empire I think of as a magazine written by fans, for fans. First and foremost, that describes me, and I think the fans realise that — I’m one of them,” he said, adding: “I share this with all of you, and with the fans. Without them, I certainly wouldn’t be standing here.”.
Also in attendance was one of the all-time great filmmakers, Steven Spielberg. The man who gave us Jaws, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and much, much more received Empire’s Legend of Our Lifetime Award (presented by Rakuten TV) ahead of the launch of his next blockbuster, Ready Player One. The great director hailed the increasing diversity of the film industry, saying: “It’s been a rich and diverse year for film and for gender and for race, and for speaking out. Thank you, Time’s Up. We were very much on board from the very beginning. This is more important than any of us can ever really realise.” He also confirmed his plans to shoot the fifth Indiana Jones film in the UK, to loud cheers from the audience.
Elsewhere, the Awards recognised some of Britain’s best talent behind the camera — Belle and A United Kingdom director Amma Asante received the Empire Inspiration Award, while Baby Driver, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and The Cornetto Trilogy director Edgar Wright picked up the Empire Visionary Award. Wright’s engine-revving crime caper also took home Best Production Design and Best Soundtrack. Best British Film (presented by The Hollywood Reporter) went to God’s Own Country, while its star Josh O’Connor won Best Male Newcomer.
Hugh Jackman took to the stage to collect the Best Actor award (presented by Rakuten TV) for his final bow as Wolverine in Logan, while his young co-star Dafne Keen was named Best Female Newcomer (presented by The Hilton Park Lane). Jordan Peele’s dark satire Get Out won Best Horror and Best Screenplay, while Armando Iannucci was on hand to pick up Best Comedy (presented by Monkey Shoulder) for The Death of Stalin. Wonder Woman triumphed in Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy (presented by Three), and Kingsman: The Golden Circle was named Best Thriller (presented by Absolute Radio). Best Documentary went to James Baldwin and Raoul Peck’s searing I Am Not Your Negro. Pixar’s joyous Mexican musical fable Coco won the Best Animated Film category (note: The Boss Baby was not nominated), and Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast received Best Make-Up and Hairstyling.
In the TV categories, Netflix’s royal period drama The Crown picked up Best TV Series (presented by Three), while Nicole Kidman won Best Actress in a TV Series for Big Little Lies, and Star Trek: Discovery’s Jason Isaacs took Best Actor in a TV Series.
For more from the Rakuten TV Empire Awards, read our live blog of the night here, and click this way for photos from the red carpet.
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Read the full list of winners below.
Empire Legend of Our Lifetime Award (presented by Rakuten TV)
Steven Spielberg
Empire Icon Award (presented by BMW)
Mark Hamill
Empire Inspiration Award
Amma Asante
Empire Visionary Award
Edgar Wright
Best Film (presented by Sky Cinema)
Call Me By Your Name
Get Out
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Thor: Ragnarok
Wonder Woman
Best Director (presented by Vue Entertainment)
Patty Jenkins — Wonder Woman
Rian Johnson — Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Jordan Peele — Get Out
Taika Waititi — Thor: Ragnarok
Edgar Wright — Baby Driver
Best Male Newcomer
Timothée Chalamet — Call Me By Your Name
Ansel Elgort — Baby Driver
Daniel Kaluuya — Get Out
Josh O’Connor — God’s Own Country
Fiona Whitehead — Dunkirk
Best Female Newcomer (presented by The Hilton Park Lane)
Emily Beecham — Daphne
Dafne Keen — Logan
Florence Pugh — Lady Macbeth
Tessa Thompson — Thor: Ragnarok
Kelly Marie Tran — Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Best Actress (presented by Rakuten TV)
Gal Gadot — Wonder Woman
Tiffany Haddish — Girls Trip
Frances McDormand — Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Daisy Ridley — Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Emma Watson — Beauty and the Beast
Best Actor (presented by Rakuten TV)
John Boyega — Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Armie Hammer — Call Me By Your Name
Hugh Jackman — Logan
Gary Oldman — Darkest Hour
Andy Serkis — War For the Planet of the Apes
Best Screenplay
Call Me By Your Name
The Death of Stalin
Get Out
God’s Own Country
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Sci-Fi / Fantasy (presented by Three)
Blade Runner 2049
Logan
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Thor: Ragnarok
Wonder Woman
Best British Film (presented by The Hollywood Reporter)
Darkest Hour
The Death of Stalin
Dunkirk
God’s Own Country
Paddington 2
Best Horror
The Autopsy of Jane Doe
Get Out
It
Mother!
Split
Best Documentary
An Inconvenient Sequel
City of Ghosts
I Am Not Your Negro
I Called Him Morgan
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond
Best Comedy (presented by Monkey Shoulder)
The Big Sick
The Death of Stalin
The Disaster Artist
Girls Trip
Toni Erdmann
Best Thriller (presented by Absolute Radio)
Baby Driver
The Handmaiden
John Wick: Chapter 2
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Animated Film
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
Coco
The Lego Batman Movie
My Life as a Courgette
The Red Turtle
Best Soundtrack
Baby Driver
Beauty and the Beast
Call Me By Your Name
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Logan Lucky
Best Costume Design
The Death of Stalin
The Greatest Showman
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Thor: Ragnarok
Best Production Design
Baby Driver
Dunkirk
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Thor: Ragnarok
Best Visual Effects (presented by Vue Entertainment)
Ghost in the Shell
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Thor: Ragnarok
War for the Planet of the Apes
Best Make-Up and Hairstyling
Beauty and the Beast
Ghost in the Shell
The Greatest Showman
Murder on the Orient Express
Thor: Ragnarok
Best TV Series (presented by Three)
Big Little Lies
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
Stranger Things 2
Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series
Best Actress in a TV Series
Millie Bobby Brown — Stranger Things 2
Claire Foy — The Crown
Nicole Kidman — Big Little Lies
Elisabeth Moss — The Handmaid’s Tale
Reese Witherspoon — Big Little Lies
Best Actor in a TV Series
Jason Isaacs — Star Trek: Discovery
Kyle MacLachlan — Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series
Alexander Skarsgård — Big Little Lies
Matt Smith — The Crown
Dan Stevens — Legion
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