After decades of waiting, the British actor has been honoured with an Academy Award for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.
Having for so long been ‘the biggest actor never to win the most important prize in show business’, finally Gary Oldman has received his just rewards, for his lead performance in Darkest Hour.
The 59-year-old was up against three-times Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread) and Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) for the prize, although he had been the favourite in the run-up to the ceremony. It comes after he won the Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Award, SAG, AACTA and AARP for the role.
Although initially Oldman considered turning down the role, as it had been played by so many other actors – including Robert Hardy, Albert Finney and Brian Cox – before him, he recently told the BBC he was drawn to the film as it showed Churchill “wasn’t a curmudgeon” but instead “energetic and funny”.
In his acceptance speech, Oldman was verging on tears, in it he thanked America, saying he was “deeply grateful to her”, adding that “the movies, such is their power, captivated a young man from south London. and gave him a dream”. Finally he thanked his 98-year-old mother, saying: “Put the kettle on, I’m bringing Oscar home.”
