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Daisy Ridley crowned Best Actress at Empire Film Awards as Star Wars: The Last Jedi wins big

Actress Daisy Ridley, winner of the Best Actress award, on stage during the Rakuten TV EMPIRE Awards 2018: Getty Images
Actress Daisy Ridley, winner of the Best Actress award, on stage during the Rakuten TV EMPIRE Awards 2018: Getty Images

The force was strong with Star Wars as The Last Jedi dominated the Rakuten Empire Film Awards, taking home six gongs including Best Film.

Episode VIII was the big winner at Sunday night’s bash where Rian Johnson was awarded Best Director and Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, was hailed an Empire Icon. It also took home gongs for Best Visuals and Best Costume Design.

British star Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, beat Oscar winner Frances McDormand to pick up Best Actress, while Hollywood star Hugh Jackman was honoured with Best Actor for his final swansong as Wolverine in Logan.

It was a triumphant night for British film with Josh O’Connor fighting off tough competition to win Best Male Newcomer for his portrayal of young farmer Johnny Saxby in God’s Own Country.

The Francis Lee directed film beat The Death Of Stalin, Paddington 2, Oscar nominated Darkest Hour and WWII epic Dunkirk to win Best British Film.

Dafne Keen picked up Best Female Newcomer for her role as X-23 in Logan while Edgar Wright was honoured with the Empire Visionary award on the same night his hit film Baby Driver won Best Soundtrack.

But the night’s biggest winner was Steven Spielberg who received a standing ovation as he was presented with the Legend of Our Lifetime award for a career spanning four decades.

Winner: Daisy Ridley at the Empire awards (Getty Images)
Winner: Daisy Ridley at the Empire awards (Getty Images)

Empire’s Editor-In-Chief Terri White said: “This year’s Empire Awards might just be the most exciting yet! It was a hugely important year for cinema, both on screen and off, and from Get Out to Wonder Women to Star Wars: The Last Jedi and God’s Own Country.

“I’m thrilled to see such a rich, diverse and diverse group of winners. The Empire readers really know their stuff.”

The Force is strong: Ridley with her Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill (Getty Images)
The Force is strong: Ridley with her Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill (Getty Images)

Full list of winners:

EMPIRE ‘LEGEND OF OUR LIFETIME’ AWARD, PRESENTED BY RAKUTEN TV

Steven Spielberg

EMPIRE ICON PRESENTED BY BMW

Mark Hamill

EMPIRE INSPIRATION AWARD

Amma Asante

EMPIRE VISIONARY AWARD

Edgar Wright

BEST FILM, PRESENTED BY SKY CINEMA

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

BEST DIRECTOR, PRESENTED BY VUE ENTERTAINMENT

Rian Johnson – Star Wars: The Last Jedi

BEST MALE NEWCOMER

Josh O’Connor — God’s Own Country

BEST FEMALE NEWCOMER: THE HILTON PARK LANE

Dafne Keen – Logan

BEST ACTRESS, PRESENTED BY RAKUTEN TV

Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Last Jedi

BEST ACTOR, PRESENTED BY RAKUTEN TV

Hugh Jackman – Logan

BEST SCREENPLAY

Get Out

BEST SCI-FI/FANTASY, PRESENTED BY THREE

Wonder Woman

BEST BRITISH FILM, PRESENTED BY THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

God’s Own Country

BEST HORROR

Get Out

BEST DOCUMENTARY

I Am Not Your Negro

BEST COMEDY, PRESENTED BY MONKEY SHOULDER

The Death Of Stalin

BEST THRILLER, PRESENTED BY ABSOLUTE RADIO

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Coco

BEST SOUNDTRACK

Baby Driver

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Baby Driver

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS, PRESENTED BY VUE ENTERTAINMENT

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

BEST MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING

Beauty And The Beast

BEST TV SERIES, PRESENTED BY THREE

The Crown

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES

Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies)

BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES

Jason Isaacs (Star Trek: Discovery)