Emma Thompson Dedicates Award to Alan Rickman

7 February 2016

Emma Thompson dedicated her Evening Standard British Film Award win to the late Alan Rickman.

Emma Thomson

The 56-year-old actress picked up the Award for Comedy for 'The Legend of Barney Thomson' at this evening's (07.02.16) ceremony, and paid tribute to her "dearest" friend - who died of cancer last month - as she accepted her prize from Stanley Tucci.

She said: "I'd like to commit this moment in time to dearest Alan Rickman who many of us are dearly missing tonight. It's so depressing but there it is, it does happen.

"He did say I'd always end up looking like my mother, and he was right. "

Elsewhere at the ceremony - which was hosted by Simon Amstell - Idris Elba beat off competition from Michael Fassbender and Tom Courtenay to scoop the Best Actor accolade for his performance in 'Beasts of No Nation' and was stunned by his win.

He said: "Thanks you so much, I'm star struck. I haven't prepared a speech so I'm going to speak from the heart.... Arsenal did well today. But seriously, everyone here is really genuine and loving."

Dame Maggie Smith picked up the Best Actress prize for her role in 'The Lady in the Van' and claimed her win was proof there are parts for "very, very" old actors.

The 81-year-old legend said: "See there are parts for older actress. Even parts for very, very old actors. I'd like to say straight off.. there wasn't a blade of prosthetics."

'Game of Thrones' actress Maisie Williams won the Rising Star award.

The 18-year-old star told the audience at the BBC Television Centre in west London: "It was so wonderful to get into this career and to know you're doing a good job is really, really lovely."

'Brooklyn' was named Best Film, and 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' won the Glass Award for Blockbuster of the Year, and Anthony Daniels - who plays C3PO - accepted the honour, apologising for not wearing his robotic suit.

He said: "This is probably the first and last time I will win an award. So I'm going to make the most of it."

Evening Standard British Film Awards list of winners:

Best Screenplay:

Emma O'Donoghue, 'Room'

Technical Achievement:

Mark Digby, 'Ex Machina'

Award for Comedy:

Emma Thompson, 'The Legend of Barney Thomson'

Best Documentary:

'Amy'

Rising Star:

Maisie Williams