At the Oscars 2017, Casey Affleck has just won the Best Actor. The actor won it for Manchester by the Sea. Earlier, he was nominated for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Casey beat La La Land star Ryan Gosling, who might have been a popular choice to win it this year. Gosling’s co-actor Emma Stone won the Best Actress for the movie. She thanked Ryan for making her laugh all the time.

Manchester by the Sea beat La La Land in the best original screenplay as well. Kenneth Lonergan’s writing had a lot to do with bringing out the best in Casey Affleck. Ben Affleck’s brother earlier hailed the writing. While many considered Gosling as the favorite to win the Best Actor award, the Washington Post reported that Affleck was a “front-runner” to win the award for his “haunted” performance in the film.

Even though Casey Affleck emerged as the winner at the Oscars 2017, he was not the original choice for the role. It was Matt Damon who was supposed to play the lead and direct the film too. However, Damon could not do either because of his hectic schedule. Casey Affleck was brought in for the lead, and the directorial responsibilities were given to Kenneth Lonergan.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Casey was the critics’ favorite for most awards earlier this year. But, he lost to Denzel Washington at the Screen Actors Guild award. Washington won it for his performance in Fences. Affleck beat Washington this time. He also beat other nominees like Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic), Ryan Gosling (La La Land) and Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge). While Emma Stone’s ex-boyfriend did not win it for his performance, she bagged it for her performance in La La Land. Brie Larson, who won the Best Actress last year, presented the award to Casey, while Leonardo DiCaprio, the winner of the Best Actor in 2016, presented it to Emma.

At the Oscars 2017, Casey Affleck thanked Denzel in his acceptance speech for teaching him “how to act.” He also said that he was thankful that he got the opportunity to be a part of the film.

“I’m really proud to be part of this community,” he said. “And I’m just so proud to be included.”

Casey won his first Oscar for a performance that already bagged the Golden Globe for him earlier. He also won the Best Actor award at the Spirit Awards, where he took a political stance by speaking against Donald Trump’s policies.

“The policies of this administration are abhorrent, and they won’t last,” Hollywood Reporter quoted him as saying.

Casey Affleck’s win was a bit overshadowed by a controversial end of the award ceremony. What happened during the presentation of the Best Picture category was nothing short of a “moment of insanity” at the Oscars. Warren Beatty kept reading the name card, while Faye Dunaway announced La La Land to be the winner. The celebration started as the film team came on stage. It was La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz who found that it was Moonlight that won the Best Picture. Beatty apparently got the wrong card that read Emma Stone’s name for La La Land. When he showed it to his fellow announcer, she saw the name of the film and declared it to be the winner. Beatty looked awkward, as Jimmy Kimmel tried to lighten the mood by cracking jokes. But, no effort to conceal the awkwardness of the situation hardly worked. </s> At Oscar 2017, Casey Affleck has just won the Best Actor. The actor won it for Manchester by the Sea. Earlier, he was nominated for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Casey beat La La Land star Ryan Gosling, who might have been a popular choice to win it this year. Gosling’s co-actor Emma Stone won the Best Actress for the movie. She thanked Ryan for making her laugh all the time.

Manchester by the Sea beat La La Land in the best original screenplay as well. Kenneth Lonergan’s writing had a lot to do with bringing out the best in Casey Affleck. Ben Affleck’s brother earlier hailed the writing. While many considered Gosling as the favorite to win the Best Actor award, the Washington Post reported that Affleck was a “front-runner” to win the award for his “haunted” performance in the film.

Even though Casey Affleck emerged as the winner at Oscar 2017, he was not the original choice for the role. It was Matt Damon who was supposed to play the lead and direct the film too. However, Damon could not do either because of his hectic schedule. Casey Affleck was brought in for the lead, and the directorial responsibilities were given to Kenneth Lonergan.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Casey was the critics’ favorite for most awards earlier this year. But, he lost to Denzel Washington at the Screen Actors Guild award. Washington won it for his performance in Fences. Affleck beat Washington this time. He also beat other nominees like Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic), Ryan Gosling (La La Land) and Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge). While Emma Stone’s ex-boyfriend did not win it for his performance, she bagged it for her performance in La La Land. Brie Larson, who won the Best Actress last year, presented the award to Casey, while Leonardo DiCaprio, the winner of the Best Actor in 2016, presented it to Emma.

At Oscar 2017, Casey Affleck thanked Denzel in his acceptance speech for teaching him “how to act.” He also said that he was thankful that he got the opportunity to be a part of the film. “I’m really proud to be part of this community,” he said. “And I’m just so proud to be included.” Casey won his first Oscar for a performance that already bagged the Golden Globe for him earlier. He also won the Best Actor award at the Spirit Awards, where he took a political stance by speaking against Donald Trump policies. “The policies of this administration are abhorrent, and they won’t last,” Hollywood Reporter quoted him as saying.

Casey Affleck’s win was a bit overshadowed by a controversial end of the award ceremony. What happened during the presentation of the Best Picture category was nothing short of a “moment of insanity” at the Oscars. Warren Beatty kept reading the name card, while Faye Dunaway announced La La Land to be the winner. The celebration started as the film team came on stage. It was La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz who found that it was Moonlight that won the Best Picture. Beatty apparently got the wrong card that read Emma Stone’s name for La La Land. When he showed it to his fellow announcer, she saw the name of the film and declared it to be the winner. Beatty looked awkward, as Jimmy Kimmel tried to lighten the mood by cracking jokes. But, no effort to conceal the awkwardness of the situation hardly worked. </s> Congratulations are in order for Casey Affleck!

The 41-year-old actor has just been honored at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday (January 8) in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Casey took home the award for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture for his performance as Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea.

He was up against Joel Edgerton (Loving), Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge), Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic), and Denzel Washington (Fences).

His brother Ben Affleck was also in attendance as a presenter.

FYI: Casey is wearing Dolce & Gabbana, David Hart for Johnston & Murphy shoes, and Montblanc cufflinks. </s> The Academy Awards honored Emma Stone, Casey Affleck, Mahershala Ali and Viola Davis in acting awards. Barry Jenkins won the adapted screenplay award for Tarell Alvin McCraney's "Moonlight" and Kenneth Lonnergan for his original script, "Manchester by the Sea."

“La La Land” came into the night with 14 Oscar nominations including actor, actress, director and picture. </s> Here’s who won the Oscar last night…

Best Actor: Casey Affleck, “Manchester By the Sea”

Best Original Screenplay: “Manchester By the Sea”

Best Costume Design: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”

Best Original Song: “City of Stars” from “La La Land”

Click Here to see more. </s> Image copyright EPA/PA Image caption Emma Stone and Dev Patel were two of the main winners of the night

La La Land has dominated the Baftas, taking five trophies - including best film and best actress for Emma Stone.

There were also awards for Lion, including best supporting actor for Dev Patel, and Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake, which was named outstanding British film at the London ceremony.

Patel said the win was "overwhelming".

Casey Affleck was named best actor for Manchester by the Sea and Viola Davis won the best supporting actress prize for Fences.

She is also nominated for an Oscar for her role in Fences, based on the August Wilson stage play of the same name.

Manchester by the Sea also won the best original screenplay, for the text by its director Kenneth Lonergan.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Highlights from the 2017 Bafta film awards

You may well be tired of hearing about La La Land, but its winning streak shows no signs of slowing down.

The recognition by Bafta is a good sign for the musical - also starring Ryan Gosling - coming just weeks before the Oscars. It had been nominated for 11 Baftas in all and is in contention for 14 Academy Awards.

La La Land has already smashed the record for the most Golden Globes, winning seven prizes last month.

Image copyright AFP/Getty Image caption Viola Davis praised playwright August Wilson in her speech

Stone was among the winners to make an oblique reference to world affairs, although the new US President Donald Trump was not explicitly mentioned during the acceptance speeches.

After thanking La La Land's director Damien Chazelle, who took home the best director statuette, Stone told the audience: "This country - and the US, and the world - seems to be going through a bit of a time, just a bit.

"In a time that's so divisive, I think it's so special we were able to come together tonight thanks to Bafta, to celebrate the positive gift of creativity and how it can transcend borders and how it can help people to feel a little less alone."

She beat Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Natalie Portman, and is also in the running for an Academy Award.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The stars hit the red carpet at the Baftas

Affleck, who plays a grieving handyman in gritty drama Manchester by the Sea, seemed taken aback by his win, saying: "The room looks very different from here. My heart is beating."

After the awards, he said he had spoken to Meryl Streep backstage about her recent Donald Trump speech.

Affleck said: "I told her how much her speech at the Golden Globes meant to all of us and how grateful I was that she did it and kicked in the door a little bit, and said it's OK to talk about these things and said it doesn't matter if we are actors, we have been given a microphone and we can speak out.

"She said, 'I think there is hope around the corner'."

Image copyright PA Image caption Kenneth Lonergan (L), director of Manchester by the Sea, and Casey Affleck with two of the film's awards

Arrival and Nocturnal Animals were nominated for nine Baftas each, but just won one award between them.

That went to sci-fi epic Arrival, starring Amy Adams, for best sound - leaving Tom Ford's latest movie, in which the actress also makes an appearance, empty handed.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were guests of honour at the star-studded ceremony, held at London's Royal Albert Hall.

The duke was there as president of Bafta to award the fellowship to veteran actor and comedian Mel Brooks.

'Out-of-body experience'

Patel, 26, was greeted with a round of applause as he accepted the prize for best supporting actor for family drama Lion, about a man who was adopted as a child and is trying to find his family in India. He is nominated in the same category at the Oscars.

The former Skins star initially appeared speechless, saying: "Wow, that just happened", before describing the win as "so overwhelming".

He stars with Nicole Kidman in Lion, which he said is "about a love that transcends borders, race, colour, anything".

Backstage, the Briton said his family was with him for the ceremony, adding: "I used to watch this with them, in Rayners Lane on the end of the Piccadilly Line. It's an out-of-body experience."

He promised to share the award with Sunny Pawar, the young boy who plays Patel's character Saroo Brierley as a child. Lion also won the best adapted screenplay.

Image copyright EPA Image caption (L-R) I, Daniel Blake star Dave Johns with director Ken Loach, producer Rebecca O'Brien and writer Paul Laverty

Ken Loach, director of I, Daniel Blake - about the struggles of living in the UK benefits system - condemned the government as he accepted the award for outstanding British film - the first of the night to be handed out.

He apologised for making a political speech so early on, but said: "Thank you to the academy for endorsing the truths of what the film says, which hundreds and thousands of people in this country know.

"The most vulnerable and poorest are treated by the government with a callous brutality that is disgraceful, a brutality that extends to keeping out refugee children we promised to help and that's a disgrace too."

'Stories deserve to be told'

Viola Davis paid tribute to her late father, who worked as a janitor and horse groomer, in her speech.

"When he took his last breath, one of the most devastating things that went through my mind is: Did his life matter?" she said.

"August [Wilson] answers that question so brilliantly, because what he did is he said that our lives mattered as African-Americans.

Image copyright AFP/Getty Image caption Tom Holland seemed delighted with his award

"The horse groomer, the sanitation worker, the people who grew up under the heavy boot of Jim Crow, the people who did not make it into history books - but they have a story, and those stories deserve to be told, because they lived."

EE's Rising Star award - the only to be voted for by the public - was won by Spider-Man: Homecoming star Tom Holland.

Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk. </s> JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD

Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.

WINNER: Barry Jenkins, Story By Tarell Alvin McCraney, “Moonlight”

Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester by the Sea”

Mike Mills, “20th Century Women”

Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias, “Little Men”

Taylor Sheridan, “Hell or High Water”

Ava Berkofsky, “Free In Deed”

Lol Crawley, “The Childhood of a Leader”

Zach Kuperstein, “The Eyes of My Mother”

WINNER: James Laxton, “Moonlight”

Robbie Ryan, “American Honey”

Matthew Hannam, “Swiss Army Man”

Jennifer Lame, “Manchester by the Sea”

WINNER: Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders, “Moonlight”

Jake Roberts, “Hell or High Water”

Sebastián Sepúlveda, “Jackie”

WINNER: Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”

David Harewood, “Free In Deed”

Viggo Mortensen, “Captain Fantastic”

Jesse Plemons, “Other People”

Tim Roth, “Chronic”

Ralph Fiennes, “A Bigger Splash”

WINNER: Ben Foster, “Hell or High Water”

Lucas Hedges, “Manchester by the Sea”

Shia LaBeouf, “American Honey”

Craig Robinson, “Morris from America”

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)

“13th”

“Cameraperson”

“I Am Not Your Negro”

WINNER: “O.J.: Made in America”

“Sonita”

“Under the Sun”

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)

The Indie Spirit Awards aren't always an indicator of how things will go the following night at the Oscars, but you can bet A24 and the folks behindare hoping it is this year. Barry Jenkins' acclaimed drama won the night with a whopping six awards, including Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Ensemble. Horror filmcame away with two wins, including Best First Feature, while the acting wins turned out pretty interesting. While Casey Affleck still won Best Actor for, Oscar favorite Mahershala Ali wasn't even nominated for Best Supporting Actor, with that award going to Ben Foster for. Isabelle Huppert won Best Actress for, while Molly Shannon was shown some much-deserved love forThe full list of winners is below. </s> Molly Shannon accepts the award for best supporting female for "Other People"

Molly Shannon accepts the award for best supporting female for "Other People" Image Credit: AP

The cast and crew of "Moonlight" pose in the press room with their awards for best feature

The cast and crew of "Moonlight" pose in the press room with their awards for best feature Image Credit: AP

Best Male Lead winner Casey Affleck accepts his award for the film "Manchester by the Sea"

Best Male Lead winner Casey Affleck accepts his award for the film "Manchester by the Sea" Image Credit: REUTERS

Cast and crew of The Witch with their award for Best First Feature.

Cast and crew of The Witch with their award for Best First Feature. Image Credit: REUTERS

Writer and director Barry Jenkins of Moonlight holds up the best picture Oscar in front of host Jimmy Kimmel.

Writer and director Barry Jenkins of Moonlight holds up the best picture Oscar in front of host Jimmy Kimmel. Image Credit: Reuters

Sunday might be dominated by La La Land, but Saturday belonged to Moonlight.

Barry Jenkins’ luminous coming-of-age tale swept Saturday’s Film Independent Spirit Awards, taking home six awards including best feature. Moonlight won every award it was nominated for at the 32nd annual indie awards, the dressed-down, beachside ceremony held the day before the Academy Awards.

Moonlight won for its directing, screenplay, cinematography and editing. It was also honoured for its ensemble cast in the Spirit Awards’ Robert Altman Award. Backstage, Jenkins said its tale of a poor, young, black kid in Miami stood in stark contrast to President Donald Trump’s administration.

“I think Moonlight exists as a beacon of inclusivity,” said Jenkins, flanked by his African-American cast and producers.

The afternoon ceremony frequently had a strong political tenor. Casey Affleck, who won best actor for Manchester by the Sea, wore a shirt with the word “love” in Arabic.

“The policies of this administration are abhorrent and will not last,” said Affleck, accepting his award. Backstage, he spoke about “the torrent of terrifying news that comes out of Washington every day.”

Some Oscar contenders were missing their presumed rivals at the Spirit Awards, which only nominated films made for $20 million (Dh73.4 million) or less (and thus disqualifying the Academy Awards favourite La La Land). But if Moonlight, nominated for eight Oscars including best picture, is to pull off the upset on Sunday, it has some history on its side. The last three Spirit Awards best-feature winners — Spotlight, Birdman, 12 Years a Slave — all went on to win best picture at the Oscars.

Host Nick Kroll and John Mulaney maintained a rigorously irreverent tone through a ceremony often punctuated by belly laughs. In their opening monologue, Kroll mockingly defended the common charge of “liberal elitism” often thrown at Hollywood events like the Spirits.

“We’re not in a bubble. We’re in a tent,” said Kroll, referring to the Spirits’ Santa Monica, California, home. “We’re fringe artists on a California beach. If we leaned any further to the left, we’d topple into the ocean.”

Instead of a lengthy in memoriam reel, they opted instead for a highlight of those who didn’t die, singling out Milos Foreman and Tim Allen while Andy Samberg, doing his best Eddie Vedder, sang Pearl Jam’s Alive.

Best actress went to Isabelle Huppert, the French actress of Elle, who bested Natalie Portman and Annette Bening. Just as Affleck wasn’t up against Oscar favourite Denzel Washington in best actor, the best actress category was missing Emma Stone of La La Land.

Molly Shannon, the former Saturday Night Live cast member, supplied one of the afternoon’s highpoints. She was visibly overjoyed by winning best supporting actress for her performance in Other People. She concluded her speech by exclaiming, “I really truly feel like a ... SUPERSTAR!” — aping her old SNL character.

Other awards also went to films far outside the Oscar candidates. Robert Eggers’ well-researched The Witch, set in 17th century Massachusetts, won for both best first feature and best first screenplay. He thanked the Puritans for “writing down so much stuff.”

Ezra Edelman’s O.J.: Made in America took best documentary. Best foreign language film went to Maren Ade’s Toni Erdmann.

The Cassavettes Award, which honours the best feature made for less than $500,000 went to Andrew Ahn’s Korean gay-immigrant drama Spa Night. Taking the stage Ahn first remarked, “I’m going to barf,” but quickly collected himself, speaking tenderly about his parents’ acceptance of their gay son and the need for acceptance of immigrants, gays and other communities.

“We are part of this great country,” said Ahn. “And we are undeniable.” </s> Musical “La La Land” won big at Britain’s main film awards on Sunday as it scooped the prize for best film, while Emma Stone and Damien Chazelle picked up awards for best actress and best director respectively. Dev Patel won the best supporting actor award for Lion at British Academy Film Awards 2017.

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La La Land won five gongs in total to keep its hot streak in the movie awards season going before the Oscars later this month, as it also picked up awards for cinematography and original music. Amid the awards there were also veiled references to new US President Donald Trump, who has caused controversy with his plans to build a wall on the Mexican border and his restrictions on migration.

“In a time that’s so divisive I think it’s really special that we were able to come together… to celebrate the positive gift of creativity and how it can transcend borders and how it can help people to feel a little less alone,” Emma Stone said in her acceptance speech.

“La La Land”, a throwback musical about an aspiring actress and a jazz pianist who are trying to make their way in Hollywood, had been nominated for 11 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards. Its success follows on from the Golden Globes, where it picked up seven awards. It has a joint-record 14 nominations for the Academy Awards on February 26, Hollywood’s highlight of the awards season.

Justin Hurwitz, who won the award for the film’s music, said that he hoped the success of the film might prompt a renaissance in the genre. “I love to go the theatre and see musicals. So if this can help any more musicals get green-lit, that would be amazing,” he told Reuters ahead of the ceremony.

While Stone triumphed, co-star Ryan Gosling lost out in the best actor category to Casey Affleck, for his performance in family drama “Manchester by the Sea”. Gosling was also notable by his absence, with the film’s producers saying he had a family matter to attend to. “Manchester by the Sea” picked up two awards in total, with Kenneth Lonergan’s picking up an award for original screenplay.

A popular pick among the audience in the Royal Albert Hall, Londoner Dev Patel, 26, won best supporting actor for his performance in “Lion”, which charts the real-life story of an Indian boy adopted by an Australian couple. The film also won an award for best-adapted screenplay.

Viola Davis took home the prize for best supporting actress for her performance in “Fences”, an adaption of a Pulitzer Prize-winning play about the life of a black family in 1950s Pennsylvania.

She alluded to issues with race relations in the United States in her acceptance speech, and defended Meryl Streep, who was criticised by Trump after the Golden Globes. “Anyone who labels Meryl Streep ‘an overrated actress’ obviously doesn’t know anything about acting,” she told reporters. “That’s not even just directed towards Donald Trump, that’s directed towards anyone.”

Outspoken director Ken Loach turned his ire onto British politicians, lambasting the “callous brutality” of the government as he accepted the award for “I, Daniel Blake”, an unflinching depiction of a man’s struggles while on benefits.

However, some of the political interventions were more light-hearted. American director Mel Brooks, who wrote and directed “The Producers”, a 1968 comedy about the producers of a musical about Nazi Germany, also made light of the current political situation.

“I’m not afraid of Trump, not at all,” Brooks told reporters, after he won an award for contribution to film, known as the Fellowship. “I think he’s mostly an entertainer.”
Casey Affleck wins the Best Actor for his role in Manchester by the Sea, which also won Best Original Screenplay.