Christopher Nolan insisted he could only accept the Best Director Golden Globe "on behalf" of everyone else who worked on 'Oppenheimer'.
Christopher Nolan won Best Director
The 53-year-old filmmaker took the accolade for the first time and admitted he thought it would be much "simpler" accepting his own prize than the last time he appeared on stage at the ceremony, when he was handed the Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role statuette in 2009 as the ceremony posthumously honoured his 'The Dark Knight' star Heath Ledger, but ultimately realised that wasn't the case.
Taking to the stage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday (07.01.24), he said: "Thank you Golden Globes.
The only time I've been on this stage before was accepting on behalf of our dear friend Heath Ledger and that was complicated and challenging for me and in the middle of speaking I got all stuck and Robert Downey Jr. caught my eye and gave me a look of love and support, the same look he's giving me now, the same love and support he's shown so many people in our community over the years.
"I thought it would be simpler accepting for myself but as a director I realise I can only accept this on behalf of people because as director we bring people together and try and get them to give their best.
"Robert, Cillian my partner in crime of 20 years, Matt wherever you went, and Florence and Emily, the incredible work of our amazing crew, so many people to thank.
"Donna Langley at Universal for seeing potential in very challenging material, Chuck Roven for giving me the book and urging me onward, so many other people to thank.
"Emma Thomas, my partner in life and art, I love you."
Christopher took the award ahead of Bradley Cooper ('Maestro’), Greta Gerwig (‘Barbie’), Yorgos Lanthimos (‘Poor Things'), Martin Scorsese (‘Killers of the Flower Moon’) and Celine Song ('Past Lives’).
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