AACTA Awards 2016: All the winners, glitz and glamour from the star-studded ceremony
HOLLYWOOD pariah Mel Gibson rose from the ashes of his tattered career with a triumphant sweep at the AACTA Awards.
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HOLLYWOOD pariah Mel Gibson has risen from the ashes of his tattered career with a triumphant sweep at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards in Sydney.
The who’s who of Australian film and television gathered at a star-studded function to celebrate the year’s best big and small screen works.
But the night belonged to Gibson, who took out Best Direction for Hacksaw Ridge, his critically acclaimed war epic that marked his return to feature film directing after a decade’s absence.
The blockbuster, which tells tale of an American decorated for bravery in World War II despite being a conscientious objector, also won Best Film.
Claiming his first AACTA award Gibson thanked Australia.
“I saw faces here that I saw when I was a kid,” he said, choking back tears.
Backstage, Gibson said there were moments in the midst of production where he wondered if it would all come together in the end.
“You’re dropped in the ocean and you must just start swimming,” he said.
“It’s an independent film after all is said and done, and we got a lot of bang for our buck.”
Sweeping the AACTA Awards was a “thrill” given the film was made here and “is 100 per cent Aussie”.
“I think it’s been recognised in every possible way,” he said of Hacksaw Ridge taking out almost all of the categories.
“I really believe in this film and I think everyone’s participation in it, they were all up for it.”
This project marked his first feature film direction in more than a decade and Gibson said he has more projects lined up.
“I’ve got ideas, I’ve always got ideas.”
Oscar buzz continues to build for the film, which has been a critical and audience hit since its release.
“Look, I take it all as a great compliment,” he said of speculation he may be up for the Academy Award for directing.
“That the film is being recognised, I’m honoured. I feel fantastic about the fact that it’s being seen.”
Its star Andrew Garfield won Best Lead Actor and Hugo Weaving won Best Supporting Actor, while writers Andrew Knight and Robert Schenkkan scored the AACTA for Best Original Screenplay.
While set in the US and Japan, Hacksaw Ridge was shot entirely in Australia with a predominantly local cast and crew.
At the AACTA’s industry luncheon on Monday, the film was awarded Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound and Best Production Design.
Gibson has been largely in the show business wilderness for several years following a number of bizarre and controversial outbursts, as well as issues with alcohol and a very public split with former partner Oksana Grigorieva that resulted in a restraining order.
The other film to win big last night was The Daughter, for which Odessa Young won Best Lead Actress and Miranda Otto scooped Best Supporting Actress.
In the TV categories, subscription giant Foxtel was the big winner, nabbing the Best Drama accolade for hit prison series Wentworth.
Supernatural thriller The Kettering Incident took out Best Miniseries while Elizabeth Debicki won Best Lead Actress.
ABC’s Upper Middle Bogan won for Best Comedy while the panel show Gruen took out Best Light Entertainment. Ten’s cooking reality series MasterChef Australia won Best Reality Show.
Samuel Johnson won Best Lead Actor for his portrayal of music journalist Molly Meldrum in the Channel Seven telemovie Molly.
Formerly known as the AFI Awards and now in their sixth year, the AACTAs also honoured iconic actor Paul Hogan with the Longford Lyell Award, actor Isla Fisher with the Trailblazer Award and artist Lynette Wallworth with the Byron Kennedy Award.
Great Scacchi and George Miller presented a thrilled Gibson with his gong for Hacksaw Ridge.
Here are highlights from the night below:
DAMI IM LEAVES ROOM STUNNED
Dami Im’s performance of Flight of the Bumblebee had the room in a stunned silence. The Eurovision winner’s piano was surrounded by cascading rain as she tackled the notoriously difficult song in front of footage of Geoffrey Rush doing the same in Shine. Rush then joined Im on stage saying that he only wished he could say he taught her all she knew. “I have pianist envy,” he added.
Beautiful moment: Dami does Flight of the Bumble Bee from the 29-yr-old film movie, Shine. @AACTA #AACTAs @newscomauHQ pic.twitter.com/aXLUd3fE1U
— Melissa Hoyer (@melissahoyer) December 7, 2016
ISLA JOKES ABOUT GETTING OLD
Watching a montage of her film and television roles, from long-running soap Home And Away to new release Nocturnal Animals, Isla Fisher thought that maybe it was time for botox.
“I’m getting old,” the Trailblazer Award recipient laughed.
“Watching that, I realised that I probably need plastic surgery at some point. I’m getting old. No please, don’t write that down - I’m just joking.”
Fisher said she had to stop herself crying on stage, particularly when looking down and noticing that her mother Elspeth shedding a few tears in the audience.
Being handed her AACTA trophy by acclaimed Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush was a surreal experience, she said.
“There’s no question that this is the pinnacle of my career so far and a complete honour to come home and be supported. It feels incredible.”
Speaking about the role of women in film, in light of a colourful protest on the red carpet earlier where female filmmakers dressed as sausages disrupted the fashionable proceedings, Fisher said she’d experienced her own difficulties.
“I did not see the sausages,” Fisher laughed.
“When I first came to Hollywood, I really wanted to get into the world of comedy but all of the roles I read, the women (characters) would roll their eyes and the men would do funny, crazy stuff.
“I waited and waited and I was fortunate to be cast in Wedding Crashers - playing a bipolar nymphomaniac. But yes, women are funny. People want to go see women stories.”
Today is extra special for the actress, who celebrates her 15-year anniversary with husband Sacha Baron Cohen. The pair met in Sydney, she said.
MASTERCHEF OUTLASTS MKR
Masterchef Australia was a popular winner, collecting the AACTA for the third time in their category, triumphing over Sevens rival cooking series MKR.
‘FIRECRACKER’ ISLA CRACKS A TRUMP JOKE
Geoffrey Rush presented Isla Fisher with her Trailblazer Award, calling her a “firecracker” who “enjoys tapping into her inner idiot.”
Thanking Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Margot Robbie and Toni Collette for turning down the award first so she got it, Fisher also cracked the room up by stealing Michelle Obama’s quotes saying she figured that if Melania Trump could do it she’d give it a crack.
It was the 15th anniversary for Fisher and her husband Sacha Baron Cohen who she met in Sydney.
Fisher finished her self deprecating speech by saying that Donald Trump paved the way for her by showing that “under qualified orange people can do anything.”
CULTURE CLUB ROCKS THE ROOM
It was Australia’s night but the arrival of culture club on stage provoked one of the most excited reactions of the night. The entire
room was on their feet with Josh Thomas, Rob Mills, and Danielle Cormack just a few of the stars in the room spotted enthusiastically dancing and singing along.
UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN’S A HIT
Winning an AACTA Award meant missing Culture Club’s performance for Robyn Butler, co-creator of Upper Middle Bogan.
She was backstage speaking to media while the iconic British pop group took to the stage.
“I thought I was going to see Boy George, but apparently not,” Butler laughed. “It’s alright, I’m not complaining.”
The win for the ABC comedy series was completely unexpected, she said.
“We’ve racked up quite a few nominations over the years so we’ve gotten used to being in that sweet spot. This was genuine, thrilled surprise.”
Season three has just wrapped on air and whether a new instalment happens depends mostly on scheduling, she said.
With a cast including Patrick Brammall, Robyn Malcolm, Michala Banas and Robyn Nevin, to name a few, “getting everyone in the same room is very hard”.
OTTO ALSO ABSENT AS SHE TAKES HER GONG
Another absent star was winner Miranda Otto.
In a pre-taped interview she pretended to hold the statuette, and likened working in a film in Australia as to being part of a big family.
ANYONE THERE?
Was anyone in the room for their awards?
A dishevelled-looking Hugo Weaving recorded his acceptance speech in which he joined his fellow Hacksaw Ridge cast and crew in thanking Mel Gibson for his support.
ORNER JOKES HER SPEECH MAY GET CUT
Speaking backstage after her win for the documentary Chasing Asylum, a seething examination of Australia’s refugee policy, Eva Orner joked that her political acceptance speech might not be seen.
“I’m guessing it’ll be the bit cut from the televised version,” Orner, an Oscar-winner, said.
The film was shown in theatres across Australia for four months and has been well-received globally, she said.
“The film is actually higher grossing than most of the scripted feature films nominated tonight. Tens of millions of people are going to see it, and that’s what’s important.”
DEBICKI ABSENT FOR HER WIN
Elizabeth Debicki wasn’t in the room to accept her award for The Kettering Incident, but in a pre-recorded acceptance speech she thanked all involved in the series, especially the “ridiculously talented cast”.
“I wish I could be there tonight”she said from the uk. “I know where I’d rather be.”
“It’s really beautiful to watch this thing we did two years ago get all this recognition. It’s really beautiful to be part of it.”
The film, her breakthrough role, has propelled her onto the Hollywood radar and she’s working on “a few big things I can’t really talk about”.
ODESSA OVERWHELMED BY WIN
Odessa Young was overwhelmed by her win, thanking Marta Dusseldorp for babysitting her through her first awards ceremony. She took a gong home for her role in The Daughter.
MEL CHOKES UP WITH HIS GONG
Greta Scacchi and George Miller presented a thrilled Mel Gibson with his gong for Best Direction on Hacksaw Ridge.
His first AACTA Award, Gibson said he mostly wanted to thank Australia for making the film.
“I saw faces here that I saw when I was a kid” the choked up Gibson said of the industry stalwarts in the room applauding his win.
Hackshaw Ridge writer Andrew Knight went briefly political backstage after his AACTA win.
“In the time of Trump, it’s extraordinary to work on a film about a guy solely motivated by love,” he said of the critically acclaimed war epic.
When asked how the local award compares to his international ones, Knight said the actors were extra special.
“I mean, Mel (Gibson) has come from Ireland in the middle of a shoot to be here to it’s significant for all of us.”
On the topic of growing Oscar buzz for the film, Knight said he’d heard buzz before.
“I know Mel has had to weather quite a lot (of Academy Awards speculation) and if he doesn’t get nominated there’s something seriously wrong. He’s just extraordinary, an amazing director.”
‘SWITCH INSTEAD OF STAYING ON THIS W*NK’
Tom Gleeson and Celia Pacquola took their time on stage to spruik their network, the ABC, while on air for the Channel 7 telecast. The duo were on hand to present Wentworth with the award for Best Television Drama series. Gleeson added that his show Hard Quiz was also on at the same time so “switch over instead of watching this w*nk”.
COSENTINO’S ODD STAGE TRICK
Wentworth star Danielle Cormack had her work cut out for her to keep it together as illusionist Consentino played card tricks while they presented the award for Best Original Screenplay in one of the most unusual packages of the night.
“In the end everyone can agree we witnessed something special” she quipped before introducing the nominees.
HOGES’ VERDICT ON SEVEN’S BIOPIC
John Cornell led the tributes for Paul Hogan saying: “What I like about you most is that in all these years you’ve never changed.”
Delvene Delaney was next, with a huge reception from the audience.
Crediting him as being a man who was all about a fair go, she pointed out his contributions to Australia from tourism to real life heroics.
His ability to “make the Americans come here” was a focus also for former politician John Brown who hired Hoges for his infamous tourism campaign.
Brown also revealed that Hogan donated all of his pay cheques for the campaign to the Variety Children’s Charity prompting a standing ovation in the room.
Hogan was visibly emotional during the tribute prompting presenter Shane Jacobson to joke, “I know you hate this sh*t mate but tough sh*t”.
Ernie Dingo, Michael Paton and Adam Hills also added their praise to the star before Hogan took to the stage.
“This is probably the worst roast I’ve ever been to - how am I going to make fun of anyone when they’re all saying nice things about me,”
he said.
Revealing he’s never been invited back to the Oscars since taking the mockery out of the audience, Hoges went on to joke he’s possibly the world’s biggest one hit wonder.
“But it was a mighty hit,” he said before exiting the stage.
Backstage, Hogan said he wished Channel Seven would’ve waited until he had died to make a telemovie about his life.
Speaking backstage after receiving a lifetime achievement AACTA Award, the Crocodile Dundee star said he was “amused” by the planned 2017 series.
“It’s very funny to see someone else playing you, but he’s a good looking kid so that’s OK. It could’ve been a real dork they put up there.
“I’d have preferred they waited until I was dead.”
Hogan said he was “embarrassed and a bit overwhelmed” by the long list of people who paid tribute to him during the ceremony.
“They tricked me into coming,” the actor joked. “I thought it was going to be a roast, but they’re all lovely.”
While overwhelmed by the Longford Lyell Award, Hogan said the most important accolades he’s received over his long career are from the Make A Wish and Starlight foundations.
“You get to meet kids who have serious cancer and their one wish is to meet you. If that’s not the most humbling, significant thing that can ever happen in your life, there’s something wrong with you.”
When asked about being credited with inspiring a generation of comedians, including Shane Jacobson and Adam Hills who paid tribute to Hogan, he said he was simply lucky.
“I’m probably the only person who went to a talent show and had no intention of winning it. I went along to take the mickey out of it and turned it into a career.”
Helping people to “laugh and forget their worries” is a dream job, he said.
Hogan said he’s working on a film project in which he will play “a sad sack loser”.
SAMUEL JOHNSON’S FAUX PAS
A shocked Samuel Johnson can’t believe his portrayal of iconic music journalist Molly Meldrum in the Seven telemovie Molly won him an AACTA Award.
“These normally go to the ABC,” he quipped backstage.
Johnson didn’t have a speech prepared and was mortified that his mobile phone charger was hanging out of his pocket as he got onto the stage.
Hollywood expert Rose Byrne and Aussie favourite Damon Herriman were equally surprised.
“Rose told me it was hanging out,” Johnson laughed.
Despite the esteemed accolade, Johnson has ruled out a return to acting anytime in the near future.
Johnson announced his retirement from the business when his sister Connie was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Raising money and awareness is his “business” now until further notice, he said.
“I’m still beating the drum for cancer and flying the flag for medical research,” Johnson said.
His efforts have raised some $4 million so far, he said.
While he won’t be accepting any roles in the mid-term, Johnson left the door open to a return in the future.
“Maybe they’ll let me back in some day. Later down the track, once I’m done with this business. I’ve been a rat bag though - I’ve burnt many bridges in my time.”
But with a swag of critically acclaimed roles under his belt, it’s unlikely a return would be turned down.
AACTAS GET OFF TO A BUMPY START
Things rarely go smoothly at these kinds of things, evidenced during the presentation of Best Lead Actor in a Film.
Mauboy was unable to contain her giggles, not helped by 800 Words actor Erik Thomson’s mischievous ribbing.
She had trouble reading the teleprompter, Thomson announced, but he had a print-out of the script.
In the end, it was Andrew Garfield for his role in Hacksaw Ridge who was the winner announced.
Garfield was full of praise for director Mel Gibson, crediting him with his AACTASs win. In a prerecorded acceptance speech from LA he said: “This wouldn’t have been the film it is without Mel.... It was really the Australian in him, that true leader, that made this such an incredible job.”
SEXY JESS GETS A STANDING OVATION
The sixth annual AACTA Awards kicked off with an energetic performance of classic ‘Tainted Love’ by pop star Jessica Mauboy.
Mauboy sported a new shorter, blonder and fringed hair do. She made her TV acting debut this year in Channel Seven drama The Secret Daughter.
With fireworks and an explosion of confetti, she had the A-list crowd giving her a standing ovation. A precursor for a Eurovision turn perhaps?
Mel Gibson watched on from the front row, nervously awaiting to see how his film Hacksaw Ridge fares.
PROTESTERS STORM RED CARPET
Rowdy protesters caught security off guard when they stormed the AACTA’s red carpet campaigning about the acting industry being male dominated.
More than 20 women dressed in sausage costumes stormed the red carpet chanting: “End the sausage party.”
AACTA AWARD NOMINEES AND WINNERS
BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
• Samuel Johnson MOLLY – Seven Network WINNER
• Matt Nable BARRACUDA – ABC
• Richard Roxburgh RAKE – ABC
• Ashley Zukerman THE CODE – ABC
BEST LEAD ACTOR
• John Brumpton PAWNO
• Andrew Garfield HACKSAW RIDGE - WINNER
• Damian Hill PAWNO
• Ewen Leslie THE DAUGHTER
LONGFORD LYELL AWARD
• Paul Hogan AM
BYRON KENNEDY AWARD
• Lynette Wallworth
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
• DOWN UNDER Abe Forsythe
• GOLDSTONE Ivan Sen
• HACKSAW RIDGE Andrew Knight, Robert Schenkkan WINNER
• PAWNO Damian Hill
BEST TELEVISION DRAMA SERIES
• THE CODE David Maher, David Taylor, Shelley Birse, Diane Haddon – ABC
• JACK IRISH Ian Collie, Andrew Knight – ABC
• RAKE Ian Collie, Peter Duncan ADG, Richard Roxburgh – ABC
• WENTWORTH Pino Amenta ADG, Jo Porter S.P.A Foxtel/SoHo - WINNER
BEST DIRECTION
• GIRL ASLEEP Rosemary Myers
• GOLDSTONE Ivan Sen
• HACKSAW RIDGE Mel Gibson - WINNER
• TANNA Bentley Dean ADG, Martin Butler ADG
BEST FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY
• CHASING ASYLUM Eva Orner - WINNER
• IN THE SHADOW OF THE HILL Dan Jackson
• REMEMBERING THE MAN Nickolas Bird ADG, Eleanor Sharpe ADG
• SNOW MONKEY Lizzette Atkins, George Gittoes
BEST LEAD ACTRESS
• Maeve Dermody PAWNO
• Maggie Naouri JOE CINQUE’S CONSOLATION
• Teresa Palmer HACKSAW RIDGE
• Odessa Young THE DAUGHTER - WINNER
BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
• Danielle Cormack WENTWORTH – Foxtel/SoHo
• Elizabeth Debicki THE KETTERING INCIDENT – Foxtel/Showcase - WINNER
• Pamela Rabe WENTWORTH – Foxtel/SoHo
• Sarah Snook THE BEAUTIFUL LIE – ABC
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
• Kerry Armstrong PAWNO
• Rachel Griffiths HACKSAW RIDGE
• Miranda Otto THE DAUGHTER - WINNER
• Anna Torv THE DAUGHTER
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
• Mark Coles Smith PAWNO
• Damon Herriman DOWN UNDER
• Sam Neill THE DAUGHTER
• Hugo Weaving HACKSAW RIDGE - WINNER
BEST SCREENPLAY IN TELEVISION
• ABC COMEDY SHOWROOM – THE LETDOWN Sarah Scheller, Alison Bell – ABC - WINNER
• THE BEAUTIFUL LIE Episode 3 Jonathan Gavin – ABC
• THE KETTERING INCIDENT Episode 1 Victoria Madden – Foxtel/Showcase
• UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN Episode 1 — New Kids on the Block Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope –
ABC
BEST TELEVISION COMEDY SERIES
• BLACK COMEDY Kath Shelper, Mark O’Toole – ABC
• THE FAMILY LAW Sophie Miller, Julie Eckersley, Debbie Lee, Tony Ayres – SBS
• PLEASE LIKE ME Todd Abbott, Josh Thomas, Lisa Wang, Kevin Whyte – ABC
• UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope, Ben Grogan – ABC - WINNER
BEST LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION SERIES
• GOGGLEBOX David McDonald, Kam Vurlow – Foxtel/Lifestyle
• GRUEN Wil Anderson, Polly Connolly, Nick Murray, Jon Casimir, Richard Huddleston – ABC - WINNER
• LUKE WARM SEX Jon Casimir, Richard Huddleston, Karina Holden, Anna Bateman – ABC
• ROCKWIZ Peter Bain-Hogg S.P.AKen Connor S.P.ABrian Nankervis S.P.A SBS
TRAILBLAZER AWARD
• Isla Fisher
BEST LIFESTYLE TELEVISION PROGRAM
• DESTINATION FLAVOUR SCANDINAVIA Erik Dwyer, Rachel Hardie – SBS - WINNER
• GRAND DESIGNS AUSTRALIA Anna Gregory – Foxtel/Lifestyle
• POH & CO. Erik Dwyer, Scott Tompson – SBS
• RIVER COTTAGE AUSTRALIA Jodi Boylan – Foxtel/Lifestyle Food
BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINI SERIES
• BARRACUDA Tony Ayres, Amanda Higgs – ABC
• THE BEAUTIFUL LIE John Edwards S.P.AImogen Banks S.P.A – ABC
• THE KETTERING INCIDENT Vincent Sheehan, Victoria Madden, Andrew Walker –
Foxtel/Showcase - WINNER
• MOLLY John Molloy – Seven Network
BEST REALITY TELEVISION SERIES
• FIRST DATES Geraldine Orrock, Rikkie Proost, Brad Gustafson – Seven Network
• MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA Marty Benson, Tim Toni, Rob Wallace – Network Ten - WINNER
• MY KITCHEN RULES Matt Apps, Joe Herdman, Rikkie Proost – Seven Network
• THE RECRUIT Luke Tunnecliffe, Lara Hopkins – Foxtel/Fox8
BEST FILM PRESENTED BY FOXTEL
• THE DAUGHTER Jan Chapman, Nicole O’Donohue
• GIRL ASLEEP Jo Dyer
• GOLDSTONE Greer Simpkin, David Jowsey
• HACKSAW RIDGE Bill Mechanic, David Permut, Paul Currie, Bruce Davey - WINNER
• TANNA Martin Butler ADG, Bentley Dean ADG, Carolyn Johnson
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