From Emma Stone’s tribute to mom to Robert Downey Jr’s life journey in 15 sec: Best BAFTA acceptance speeches

The BAFTAs were a night of celebrating the best in movies from all over the world. Hollywood stars flew down to London for the 77th British Academy Film Awards as it honoured Best Film, Best Director, Leading Actor, Actress and more.

The winners, including Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy and Emma Stone, delivered some beautiful speeches as they accepted the awards.

Here are some of our best speeches picks:

Emma Stone

Emma won the Best Actress award for Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, her second movie with him after The Favourite. As she took the award from Idris Elba, Emma was her naturally funny self. She began by thanking her dialect coach for all the help on the movie, “I was playing a British person in this movie and [Neil Swain] did not laugh at me when he taught me how to say ‘wart-ter,’ even though as an American I say ‘wahter,’” Stone quipped. “So thank you England for accepting me.”

The actor also made sure to thank her mother. “Because she’s the best person I know in the whole world and she inspires me every single day. She’s always made me believe this kind of crazy idea that I could do something like this and I’m beyond grateful. Without her none of this exists – including my life! So thank you for that too, mom!”

Robert Downey Jr

As he won the Best Supporting Actor award for his role of Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr gave a low down of his career. “When I was 15, I wanted to be Peter O’Toole. When I was 25, I worked for Richard Attenbourgh and Anthony Hopkins. When I was 35, I finally understood why Dickie thought Tony would be a better role model for me than Peter,” Downey Jr. said. “When I was 42, I did two films for Guy Ritchie and learned how to make big Hollywood movies with a civil British flare. I then played a guy named Tony in the MCU for about 12 years.”

Then, speaking about director Christopher Nolan, he said, “And then recently, that dude Chris Nolan suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last-ditch effort to perhaps resurrect my dwindling credibility. So I share this with my fellow nominees, this has been an exceptional year.”

Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy won Best Actor for his role as J Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenherimer. He thanked Christopher Nolan, producer Emma Thomas and Universal Pictures chief Donna Langley. He then said: “I want to thank my fellow nominees and my Oppenhomies and, in fact, all of you in the room. I know it’s a cliché to say I’m in awe of you, but I genuinely am in awe.”

Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan won Best Director for Oppenheimer and gave an acceptance speech about those who tried hard to fight against nuclear warfare. He said that while Oppenheimer ended on a “dramatically necessary note of despair,” he wanted to spotlight the “individuals and organizations who have fought long and hard to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world.”

“In accepting this I do just want to acknowledge their efforts and point out they show the necessity and potential of efforts for peace,” he added.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph

Best Supporting Actress winner Da ‘Vine Joy Randolph read her acceptance speech out from a paper and spoke about how grateful she was of the opportunities she has got. “I knew…that Mary was a character that was so much bigger than me. She shows us all what is possible when you look beyond your differences and how healing the simple act of empathy can be.” She won the award for The Holdovers.

Through tears, she added, “There have been countless Marys throughout history who have never got the chance to wear a beautiful gown and stand on this stage here in London. Telling her story is a responsibility that I do not take lightly and this award is a beautiful reminder of how her story has rippled through the world.”