AACTA ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS FOR THE 2024 AACTA AWARDS PRESENTED BY FOXTEL GROUP

Cate Blanchett, Simon Baker and Rebel Wilson graced the red-carpet at the star-studded 2024 AACTA Awards Ceremony presented by Foxtel Group. They were joined by Margot Robbie who was honoured for her outstanding career with the AACTA Trailblazer Award. Watch highlights from the Ceremony on Foxtel, Binge, and AACTA TV

 The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) are proud to announce the full list of Award winners, including the AACTA International Awards and public-voted Audience Choice Awards. After another high-quality year of Australian screen content, Talk to Me, The Newsreader, Deadloch and The New Boy walked away as the big winners.

Rebel Wilson graced the red carpet prior to hosting the ceremony held at HOTA (Home of the Arts) on the Gold Coast. She was joined by Margot Robbie, Ron Howard and Cate Blanchett at the star-studded ceremony as the industry came together to honour the country’s best and brightest screen talent at the 2024 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Group.

Talk to Me was the biggest winner of the night, adding a further three Awards to their collection and taking their total wins to eight following the AACTA Industry Awards earlier in the week. Arguably the biggest highlights for the production were taking home Best Film and Best Direction in Film, the latter of which was bestowed upon sibling YouTuber’s turned directors Danny and Michael Philippou.

The Newsreader and Deadloch also enjoyed great success with five AACTA Awards each. The Newsreader once again took out Best Drama Series, with the second season adding to its collection of six awards from season one. Comedy duo Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan were awarded Best Screenplay in Television for penning Deadloch.

In terms of individual accolades, rising star Sophie Wilde won Best Lead Actress in Film for her performance in Talk to Me, while another young talent Aswan Reid won Best Lead Actor in Film for his turn in The New Boy. Anna Torv went back-to-back with her second win for Best Lead Actress in a Drama for her role as Helen Norville in The Newsreader. Hugo Weaving successfully added two trophies to his collection. Performances in Love Me and The Rooster secured Weaving awards for Best Lead Actor in a Drama and Best Supporting Actor in Film respectively. Previous AACTA winner Kate Box also scooped a prize for her role in Deadloch, walking away with an award in one of the new categories for 2024; Best Acting in a Comedy.

The AACTA Trailblazer Award highlights the achievements, abilities, and success of an Australian screen practitioner who inspires others in the industry. This year, the Trailblazer recipient was none other than Margot Robbie. Robbie’s career has seen success both in front of the camera and via her production company LuckyChap, where she continues to champion female-driven stories. Her most recent film Barbie smashed box office records and was the biggest film of 2023.

Awards season favourites Barbie, The Bear and Oppenheimer were among the winners of the AACTA International Awards, which were also presented as part of the ceremony. Individual international winners included Cillian Murphy, Margot Robbie and Christopher Nolan.

Last year, AACTA announced the inaugural Brian Walsh Award in honour of the late industry-tycoon. This year’s recipient was Ngali Shaw, who accepted the honour on-stage from virtual presenter Nicole Kidman.

Once again, Australians had the chance to vote on their favourite stars across film, television and digital productions through the AACTA Audience Choice Awards. Having received a record 300,000 votes, the big winners of the night included home grown talent such as digital creator Kat Clark and her family, Margot Robbie and media personality Sophie Monk. The Matilda’s continued their golden run, taking home the award for Australia’s Favourite Sporting moment for their performance at the 2023 Women’s Football World Cup.

Other highlights of the ceremony included honouring the late Cal Wilson who posthumously received the AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performer. Cultural phenomenon Bluey also continued to break records, taking home its 5^th award in five years for Best Children’s Program.

AFI Chair Jack Christian said, "As we reflect on the remarkable achievements showcased at the 2024 AACTA Awards, we are reminded of the boundless creativity and dedication within Australia's screen industry. From captivating performances to ground-breaking productions, the winners have exemplified excellence in storytelling. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all recipients and express our gratitude to our partners for their continued support in celebrating our nation's rich cinematic and television landscape."

Amanda Laing, Foxtel Group Chief Commercial and Content Officer and BINGE Managing Director, said, “What an incredible showcase of Australian storytelling and talent we have seen at the AACTA Awards. Stories that have delighted and entertained audiences across the year, and that are making waves not only here but around the world. The Foxtel Group is proud to be part of a community that is producing such remarkable work. Congratulations to all the winners.”

The 2024 AACTA Awards Ceremony will be broadcast on Channel Ten at 7pm AEDT, Saturday 10 February. A special director’s cut including all awards from the ceremony will be available at 7:30pm on Sunday 11 February on BINGE and Foxtel On-Demand and on AACTA TV. Clips from the show will be available AACTA’s YouTube Channel.

The 2024 AACTA Awards forms part of the inaugural AACTA Festival, a four-day celebration of Australia’s vibrant screen industry. With more than 90 events, AACTA Festival will present a dynamic array of inspiring panels, meet-and-greets, screenings and activities offering a place for the Australian screen industry to connect from February 8-11, 2024. Many nominees and winners from the AACTA Awards will be presenting on panels and discussions throughout the Festival. AACTA Festival will be held at the Home of the Arts (HOTA) on the Gold Coast, a destination renowned for its beauty and vibrant cultural scene. Find out more at aactafestival.com

Queensland’s Tourism Minister Michael Healy said the Gold Coast was the perfect place to recognise the industry’s best.

“On behalf of Queenslanders I congratulate all of the incredible talent who have been recognised with AACTA Awards.

“Hosting some of the world’s hottest talent on the Gold Coast for these awards shines the spotlight on the incredible film and television content being produced right here in Queensland and shares our beautiful tourism experiences with global fans. The invitation is open to all to come and experience our picture-perfect sets and make your next holiday to Queensland.”

Queensland Minister for Arts Leeanne Enoch said the AACTA Awards has been a dazzling celebration of screen culture.

“The inaugural AACTA Awards and Festival has connected local audiences with many of Australia’s most revered screen practitioners, while recognising the achievements of our industry’s talent and inspiring the next generation of screen storytellers. 

“The Queensland Government, through the great work of Screen Queensland, couldn’t be prouder to have supported this event to make the Gold Coast its home, and we congratulate all the 2024 AACTA Award nominees and winners.”

“What an honour it has been to host Australia’s best and brightest film and television talent here on the Gold Coast for the AACTA Awards”, said Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.

“It must be a near impossible task to choose the winners among the extraordinary list of nominees this year, but they did it and I want to congratulate all of the awardees. Special congratulations to Margot Robbie for taking home the AACTA Trailblazer Award – right here in her home town.

We can’t wait to welcome back the AACTAs in 2025!” 

Key Details:

AACTA Festival: Thursday, 8 February – Sunday, 11 February

For information on the AACTA Festival, click here.

See the full list of 2024 AACTA Award Winners below

FILM

In film, 6 productions won across 16 awards

FILM                                                                                                                   

• AACTA Award for Best Direction in Film: Talk to Me – Danny Philippou, Michael Philippo
• AACTA Award for Best Film: Talk to Me – Samantha Jennings, Kristina Ceyton – Causeway Films
• AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in Film: Aswan Reid – The New Boy
• AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in Film: Sophie Wilde – Talk to Me
• AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film: Hugo Weaving – The Rooster
• AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film: Deborah Mailman – The New Boy
• AACTA Award for Best Casting in Film presented by Casting Networks:Shayda – Anousha Zarkesh
  • AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Film: The New Boy – Warwick Thornton
  • AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Film: Carmen – Emily Seresin
  • AACTA Award for Best Editing in Film presented by Spectrum Films: Talk to Me – Geoff Lamb
  • AACTA Award for Best Hair and Makeup presented by HASK: Talk to Me – Rebecca Buratto, Paul Katte, Nick Nicolaou
  • AACTA Award for Best Indie Film: Limbo – Ivan Sen (Dir.), David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, Rachel Higgins – Bunya Productions
  • AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Film: Talk to Me – Cornel Wilczek
  • AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Film: The New Boy – Amy Baker
  • AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Film: Talk to Me – Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman
  • AACTA Award for Best Sound in Film Talk to Me – Emma Bortignon, Pete Smith, Nick Steele

In television, 14 productions won across 28 awards 

TELEVISION

• AACTA Award for Best Acting in a Comedy: Kate Box – Deadloch
• AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program: Bluey – Joe Brumm, Charlie Aspinwall, Sam Moor, Daley Pearson – Ludo Studio (ABC)
• AACTA Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Program: Hard Quiz – Chris Walker, Kevin Whyte, Tom Gleeson, John Tabbagh – Thinkative Television and ABC (ABC)
• AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performer presented by Network Ten: Cal Wilson – The Great Australian Bake Off
• AACTA Award for Best Drama Series: The Newsreader – Joanna Werner, Michael Lucas – Werner Film Productions (ABC)
• AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment Program: Old People's Home for Teenagers – Tony De La Pena, Tara McWilliams, Emily Potts – Endemol Shine Australia (ABC)
• AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama presented by BINGE: Hugo Weaving – Love Me
• AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama presented by BINGE: Anna Torv – The Newsreader
• AACTA Award for Best Lifestyle Program: Gardening Australia – Gill Lomas – ABCTV (ABC)
• AACTA Award for Best Miniseries: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart – Jodi Matterson, Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky, Barbara Gibbs, Sarah Lambert, Glendyn Ivin – Made Up Stories, Amazon Studios, Fifth Season (Amazon Prime Video)
• AACTA Award for Best Narrative Comedy Series: Colin From Accounts – Ian Collie, Rob Gibson, Patrick Brammall, Harriet Dyer – Easy Tiger (Binge, Foxtel)
• AACTA Award for Best Reality Program: MasterChef Australia – David Forster, Simon Child, Eoin Maher, April Mackay – Endemol Shine Australia (Network Ten)
• AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television: Deadloch (Episode 1) – Kate McCartney, Kate McLennan
• AACTA Award for Best Stand-Up Special: Hannah Gadsby: Something Special – Hannah Gadsby, Kevin Whyte, Kathleen McCarthy, Jenney Shamash, Frank Bruzzese – Guesswork Television Pty Ltd (Netflix)
• AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama: Hunter Page-Lochard – The Newsreader
• AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama: Heather Mitchell – Love Me
• AACTA Award for Best Casting in Television presented by Casting Networks: Deadloch – Alison Telford, Kate Leonard
• AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Television: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart – Episode 1 – Sam Chiplin
• AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Television: The Newsreader – Episode 4 – Zed Dragojlovich
• AACTA Award for Best Direction in Drama or Comedy: The Newsreader (Episode 4) – Emma Freeman
• AACTA Award for Best Direction in Nonfiction Television: The Australian Wars (Episode 1) – Rachel Perkins, Dylan River, Tov Belling
• AACTA Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program: The Australian Wars – Darren Dale, Rachel Perkins, Belinda Mravicic – Blackfella Films Pty Ltd (NITV, SBS)
• AACTA Award for Best Editing in a Documentary: The Australian Wars – Andrea Lang, Mark Atkin, Hilary Balmond
• AACTA Award for Best Editing in Television: Deadloch – Episode 1 – Angie Higgins
• AACTA Award for Best Entertainment Program: Eurovision Song Contest 2023 - Grand Final – Paul Clarke, Emily Griggs – Blink TV Production Pty Ltd (SBS)
• AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Television: Deadloch – Episode 1 – Amanda Brown
• AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Television: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart – Episode 1 – Melinda Doring
• AACTA Award for Best Sound in Television: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart – Episode 6 – David Lee, Robert Mackenzie, Leah Katz, James Ashton

DOCUMENTARY                                                                                                  

• AACTA Award for Best Documentary: John Farnham: Finding The Voice – Poppy Stockell (Dir.), Mikael Borglund, Paul Clarke, Martin Fabinyi, Olivia Hoopmann – Beyond Oz in association with Blink TV Production
• AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary: The Giants – Sherwin Akbarzadeh
• AACTA Award for Best Original Score in a Documentary: The Dark Emu Story – Caitlin Yeo, Damien Lane
• AACTA Award for Best Sound in a Documentary: Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story – David Williams

ONLINE                           

• AACTA Award for Best Online Drama or Comedy: Latecomers – Liam Heyen, Hannah Ngo, Angus Thompson, Emma Myers, Nina Oyama, Madeleine Gottlieb, Alistair Baldwin – Mad Ones Films & Lazy Susan Films

SHORT FILM

• AACTA Award for Best Short Film: Finding Addison – Francisca Braithwaite, Jess Milne, Nick Bolton – Blue Sparrow Entertainment

OTHER

• AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – Andrew Whitehurst, Kathy Siegel, Alistair Williams, Julian Hutchens, Ian Cope – Rising Sun Pictures

INDIVIDUAL

• 2024 AACTA Trailblazer Award Recipient: Margot Robbie
• 2024 AACTA Byron Kennedy Award Recipient: Bruna Papandrea
• 2024 AACTA Brian Walsh Award Recipient: Ngali Shaw
• 2024 AACTA Reg Grundy Award Recipient: Rachel Berger (Seriously Funny)

AACTA AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

• AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite TV Show: Ginny & Georgia
• AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: Barbie
• AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Actress: Margot Robbie
• AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Actor: Adam Sandler
• AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Media Personality: Sophie Monk
• AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Digital Creator: Kat Clark and family @katclark
• AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Sporting Moment: Soccer: Matilda's World Cup run

AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

• AACTA International Award for Best Actor in a Series: Jeremy Allen White – The Bear
• AACTA International Award for Best Actress in a Series: Sarah Snook – Succession
• AACTA International Award for Best Comedy Series: The Bear 
• AACTA International Award for Best Direction in Film: Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan
• AACTA International Award for Best Drama Series: Succession
• AACTA International Award for Best Film: Barbie
• AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actor in Film: Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
• AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actress in Film: Margot Robbie – Barbie
• AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay in Film: Poor Things – Tony McNamara
• AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film: Ryan Gosling – Barbie
• AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film: Vanessa Kirby – Napoleon