Spotlight Members Triumph at IFTAs
Actors Caitriona Balfe and Cillian Murphy among winners at the IFTAs
Spotlight members Caitriona Balfe and Cillian Murphy walked away with the Best Lead Actress and Best Lead Actor awards at last night's IFTAs ceremony in Dublin, winning for their respective lead roles in Outlander and Peaky Blinders. Saoirse Ronan and John Connors were awarded the Best Lead Actress and Actor awards in the film category for Lady Bird, and Cardboard Gangsters, whilst the Best Supporting Actors awarded in film and drama were Spotlight members Barry Keoghan for The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Victoria Smurfit, for The Lears, Liam Cunningham for Game of Thrones, and Charlie Murphy for her role as Jessie Eden in Peaky Blinders.
Jacob McCarthy picked up the Rising Star award for his portrayal of a teen with Asperger's Syndrome in The Drummer and the Keeper, which won the Best First Irish Feature award at the Galway Film Fleadh back in July last year.
Over in the Best International Actress category, the evening saw Frances McDormand win for her incredible portrayal of Mildred Hayes in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and Ethan Hawke win Best International Actor for his role as Everett Lewis in Maudie.
The long and illustrious career of Dublin-born actor Gabriel Byrne was also celebrated with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Gabriel, whose career boasts over 100 screen credits including The Usual Suspects, and Vikings said of the award:
It makes you look back and say, 'wow, if I hadn't taken that first jump, where would I be now?'
Winners in other categories for the evening included Best Film for Michael Inside, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri won Best International Film.
Spotlight sponsored the Casting Director award, which went to Ros Hubbard, who received a standing ovation after her speech at the ceremony. Ros, along with her husband John, has cast such projects as The Mummy and The Da Vinci Code, in a career that spans over 35 years.
Check out the photos of the IFTAs ceremony and follow them on Twitter.
Photo credit: Digital Spy
