Oldman triumphs again at movie awards

Gary Oldman accepts the award for best actor - film for "The Darkest Hour" at the 23rd annual Critics' Choice Awards

GARY Oldman celebrated the UK release this weekend of Darkest Hour, in which he portrays Winston Churchill in the early days of his wartime premiership, by collecting another Best Actor award.

The London-born star carried off the Critics’ Choice award in California, just a few days after his victory at the Golden Globes.

Fellow Briton Ewan McGregor also followed his earlier success by winning best actor in a limited TV series for his role as twin brothers in Fargo.

The Shape Of Water, which stars Londoner Sally Hawkins, was the most celebrated film of the night, winning four awards, including best picture and best director for Guillermo Del Toro.

Del Toro brought Ms Hawkins and co-star Octavia Spencer to the stage, as well as screenwriter Vanessa Taylor, to address the recurring theme this awards season of the treatment of women in Hollywood.

“For everyone that has been unequal in working with women, let me show you who stands here with us and made this movie possible,” he said.

“Let me tell you one thing: you don’t know what you’re missing.”

The organisers presented Gal Gadot, the star of Wonder Woman, with an award for furthering the image of women on screen.

But the night was not without controversy, with best actor in a comedy award going to The Disaster Artist’s James Franco, hours after claims of him behaving sexually inappropriately were published in the Los Angeles Times. Franco did not collect his award despite organisers billing his appearance.

Five women have alleged that he had been sexually inappropriate, the paper said. Franco said previously that allegations on social media were “not accurate”.