Brits Hail ‘Incredible’ and ‘Fabulous’ Night of Golden Globes Victories
By Stewart Clarke
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – U.K. broadcasters and producers have toasted the success of British talent at the Golden Globes.
With numerous wins on Sunday night , including multiple victories for Sam Mendes’ WWI movie “1917,” and TV series “Succession” and “Fleabag,” the Brits featured heavily in the roster of winners. Other British winners on the night included Taron Egerton, who scooped best actor for his portrayal of Elton John in “Rocketman.”
While Phoebe Waller-Bridge thanked Barack Obama in her acceptance speech, the BBC’s head of content, Charlotte Moore, paid tribute to the “Fleabag” star. Moore also hailed Renee Zellweger for her turn as late-career Judy Garland in BBC Films-backed “Judy.”
“An incredible night for the hugely talented and BBC Comedy’s hit series ‘Fleabag’ on the global stage at the , alongside Renee Zellweger’s star turn in BBC Films’ ‘Judy,’” said Moore, one of the most powerful figures in British TV.
BBC Films boss Rose Garnett added: “It’s such a pleasure to see Renee win, all of us at the BBC couldn’t be prouder.”
Behind the camera, it was a great night for British producers, including Neal Street, which made “,” and Two Brothers, which produced “Fleabag.” Both are backed by All3Media, as is New Pictures, which makes Sky and HBO show “Catherine the Great,” for which Helen Mirren scored a best actress in a limited series nom.
“I am proud to work with the creative talent behind a film as superb as ‘1917,’ and a television series as groundbreaking and brilliant as ‘Fleabag,’” said Jane Turton, CEO of Liberty Global and Discovery-backed production and distribution giant All3. “Congratulations to Sam and Pippa at Neal Street and Phoebe and Jack and Harry at Two Brothers and all of the teams who work with them. It was a fabulous night and hugely well-deserved recognition.”
“Fleabag” started out on the BBC before Amazon boarded the series. The streamer recently flexed its financial muscle and tied Waller-Bridge to an overall deal , at a time when the British broadcasters fear losing top talent to deep-pocketed U.S. rivals.
While for U.S. viewers “Chernobyl” is a homegrown HBO show, for audiences in the U.K., it is an original for pay TV platform Sky, speaking to the trend for big-ticket coproductions that, when executed at this level, add luster to the schedules of each of the financing partners. Similarly, “Succession” is a U.S.-U.K. effort.
Jane Featherstone, co-founder of Sister, which made “Chernobyl,” said its accolades were “testament to the brilliant vision and dedication of the entire team, to Craig [Mazin’s] extraordinary scripts, and to Johan [Renck’s] brilliant direction.” She also praised Stellan Skarsgård, who was named best actor in a supporting role in a limited series, and Jared Harris and Emily Watson, both of whom were also nominated: “I’m totally thrilled for Stellan whose complex, nuanced performance was one of enormous skill, and of course want to thank the superlative Jared Harris and Emily Watson who delivered performances of incredible depth.”
For Comcast-owned Sky, critical acclaim and award wins are crucial as it battles with an increasing array of streamers for subscribers. Wins for “Chernobyl” and “Succession,” and another for Russell Crowe for “The Loudest Voice,” were duly warmly received.
“We’re delighted that ‘Chernobyl’ has won two Golden Globes, alongside deserved wins for ‘Succession’ and ‘The Loudest Voice,’” said Zai Bennett, managing director of content at Sky. “These awards highlight Sky’s reputation as the place where you can find the best homegrown and international TV all in one place.
Amid the celebrations, ERA 5050, the British organization that campaigns for gender balance in the film and TV business hailed “The Crown” stars Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies for showing their support by wearing rings and badges from the group.
“In a year that has seen no nominations for female directors at the Golden Globes, we need to work even harder to give women opportunities in front of and behind the camera,” said ERA 5050 co-founder Polly Kemp. “We are extremely grateful to Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies for showing their support for our campaign.”
