Hello and welcome to the seventh annual Newport Beach Film Festival, UK Honors night here in the heart of Central London.

Tonight, we'’ll be joined by some of the biggest names from British film and television to recognize their hard work and achievements.

And, of course, we'’ll get to meet Variety'’s ten Brits to watch for 2023.

Join me as we head inside to this star studded event.

For the past 23 years, the Newport Beach Film Festival has given audiences the opportunity to enjoy the best in film and television from around the world and in turn, honoring the talents who make movies so special to our lives.

With the annual Newport Beach Film Festival honors in beautiful Newport Beach.

The festival is now in its 24th year, and we screen over 300 films from 50 different countries for almost a quarter century.

The festival has consistently championed international cinema, especially UK and Irish film, beginning in 2015, in partnership with Variety and visit Newport Beach.

The festival ventured to bring that SoCal sunshine to London and celebrate the remarkable relationship between the festival and all the UK has to offer.

But this is really, really special.

This is lovely.

And for something like the Newport Film Festival to recognize this amazing collection of talent both in front of and behind the camera is absolutely brilliant.

So to be part of it is thrilling.

I just feel so honored.

It'’s so unexpected and it'’s just such a prestigious award ceremony.

Everyone here tonight are people who I admire and aspire to be like, and it'’s what I want to see when I'’m watching television and film.

And it just feels so great to be a part of that.

It means a lot for this festival to honor all of us, and I feel really proud and I'’m just grateful that it resonates.

So thank you.

The stage is set for one of the biggest nights in British cinema.

And on a night like this, even the seasoned professionals admit to being a bit starry eyed.

The location, the people I'’m having the honor of kind of being included in the same list is crazy.

I just saw Paul Mescal.

I'’m a little bit starstruck looking down the line and like people that I really admire, it'’s like, really, it'’s a terrific honor.

coming from West Wales.

Anything remotely American felt very exotic and foreign and unattainable.

So it'’s really, really lovely.

You know, the UK is a great incubator for talent worldwide and we just really see that from the West End and classically trained actors in America.

We just have a passion and a love for British talent.

I love coming to London.

I'’m so excited to celebrate this year'’s ten Brits to watch.

So even as I'’m like seeing each of them, there'’s a little part of me that is like, I have to be professional, but oh my God, that'’s Bella Ramsey.

It'’s.

It was an honor, really.

I didn'’t know what to expect tonight and what sort of event it would be.

And it'’s it'’s great.

I'’m just I'’m so honored to be in in the list with some great people.

And yeah, it'’s going to be a nice night.

Yeah.

Being able to recognize up and coming young talent.

To me, that'’s one of the great special things that makes this event unique.

We'’re just so happy to be working with our partners.

The Newport Film Festival has been just fabulous.

It'’s just a very exciting event.

An exciting event indeed, and with amazing talent.

Wherever you look, all eyes gravitate to the winner of the Icon Award, the legendary Bill Nye.

This Icon Award recipient has a vast and accomplished portfolio across film, television and stage.

Let'’s take a look at the remarkable work of Bill Nighy.

Now I shan'’t be encouraging this skiving any longer.

You need to get back to the office.

What will they be thinking?

You see, today.

Is my pictures today.

I was merely wishing for a companion.

Well, it is my honor to welcome to the stage the oh so talented Bill Nighy.

The cool thing about this award is that for the next 24 hours or so, somebody might have to put the word icon and my name in the same sentence.

If Kazuo Ishiguro, the Nobel Prize winning novelist, offers to write a screenplay for you, I mean, I must have been very, very good in a previous life or something because it'’s just it'’s an incredible development.

It took me a long time to accept myself as someone who might be an actor, like a really long time.

And I just kept quiet and hoped I wouldn'’t get, you know, asked to leave.

But when I met David Hare, the material for the first time kind of chimed with my view about certain things, and it helped me a great deal to see myself as part of a team that was delivering specific information, which was vital.

And then that helped me with my self-consciousness and my and my confidence in myself.

As Bill said, it takes a strong team to achieve a special project like the film Living, which was the recipient of this year'’s outstanding achievement in British Cinema Award.

I'’ve never worked on a film where we know the star is going to be before we start working on it.

So this was a pure joy and this is such a fantastic reward.

And thank you very, very much, Newport Beach.

And we will be back next year in Newport Beach.

I think it'’s very gratifying that this film has been so widely received.

It'’s a story about how even if you have Oh, most of us have small, humble lives, that small, humble life can actually be magnificent.

It'’s quite easy for your life to just become very humdrum and for you to be ground down by it.

But with a bit of an effort, it was possible to transform that small, humble life into something great without actually having to abandon it.

You don'’t have to transform into some sort of superstar.

Look at the hand that'’s been dealt you and see if there'’s something you can do to flip it over from being something that'’s grinding you down to something that'’s really fulfilling.

That basically is what that movie said to me.

This film began from a chance encounter and a long conversation about cinema, specifically British cinema.

And it'’s a conversation that'’s been going on for more than 100 years.

And let'’s hope that it goes on for many more centuries because film is magic.

Magic, indeed.

And both Hollywood and the United Kingdom share a strong connection to movies.

Some of the highest grossing films of all time have roots in the UK, and their passion for cinema extends to Newport Beach in so many ways.

We were the setting of the original Cleopatra.

I mean, we were the setting for some of the most original films, you know, going back to the silent screen area and early 30s.

And eventually celebrities began to move there and they began to have their life there, like Bogie and Bacall legendary couple.

They began their romance in Newport Beach.

And that'’s because they started working on a film up in Hollywood.

But they would spend their weekends down in Newport Beach.

Newport Beach Film Festival is, first of all, so much fun.

It'’s such a great place to visit.

Everybody loves going there.

We do ten actors to watch, which is one of our very prestigious lists.

In fact, we have a couple alumni here tonight.

Paul Mescal was on our list a few years ago.

Yes, and I believe so was Letitia Wright.

Yeah, that'’s right.

Yeah.

She actually came to Newport Beach for this year'’s ten Brits to watch.

It'’s truly a thrill to be recognized for their work, and it'’s something they better get used to.

And we moved to celebrating those at the beginning and an exciting journey with variety.

Ten Brits to Watch.

This has become the standard for emerging UK talent and we are very excited to have all ten of these amazing, talented artists with us tonight.

I am so thrilled to introduce this year'’s class of ten Brits to watch.

They'’ll join alumni, including people you may have heard of, like Harry Styles and Anya Taylor-Joy.

If they could come up and accept their award.

Yes.

I just feel really recognized by such an amazing organization.

So yeah, I'’m honored.

It'’s really, really exciting.

There'’s such a fantastic group of talent here tonight.

And to be included as as one of the Brits to watch, it'’s it'’s a privilege.

I'’m a big fan of a lot of the other people so yeah, I'’m excited.

It means a lot.

I really wasn'’t expecting it when the year kind of came around, I, I didn'’t think about people to watch in 23.

So being part of that is special and random and weird and cool.

Yeah, it'’s kind of surreal.

I never really anticipated being an actor and it'’s and it'’s weird because at events like this, it'’s almost like it'’s so different to acting.

It'’s like, this isn'’t what I signed up for, but it'’s, it'’s so nice to be here.

And yeah, it'’s, it'’s a bit surreal.

I can'’t believe that I'’m here.

And yeah, I'’m just really excited.

Now we move from the ones to watch and recognize talent that is coming on the scene with performances that truly wowed us this year.

And first up is our breakout awards.

We are joined by five fantastic individuals.

And we begin with the wonderful Michael Ward.

Why not?

Because it'’s pointless.

They turned me down the first time to study architecture.

Well, that would be wonderful.

Yeah.

You have to try again.

Yeah, maybe.

You can'’t just give up.

I just want to say thank you to everyone that supports me because you know how hard it is to be a working actor.

So, yeah, man.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you.

I appreciate you.

Thank you.

Newport Beach.

Blessings, man.

Nicola Coughlan.

Where do we start?

I mean, most recognize maybe for playing Penelope Featherington, also known as Lady Whistledown, in one of Netflix'’s biggest series, Bridgerton, produced by Shonda Rhimes.

At launch, the show was watched by a record 82 million households around the world.

Let'’s take a look at Nicola.

I always get the first glass of lemonade.

I know all the best dancers are just from watching.

I can always tell when a suitor is serious about courtship just by how he looks when a young lady dances with another.

The wall even affords me the chance to hear with the footman, say in secret.

You'’ve been keeping it from me.

Thank you.

Newport Beach.

I have more of a connection with it than most because I have been in a an imaginary relationship with Seth Cohen from the OC since I was 16.

But in all seriousness, thank you for honoring me alongside these amazing actors.

This is lovely and everyone looks really happy.

So yeah, thank you very much.

Daphne Keenan first wowed global audiences as X 23 in the X-Men franchise.

Logan, which was Oscar nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Let'’s take a look at a work.

Why are.

I just wanted to say thank you to.

To the people on the refugees, which is the first job I ever did when I was nine because they took a shot on a random nine year old with no experience and certainly not reliable at all.

I just didn'’t wasn'’t a good idea.

But somehow I'’m here now and I'’m really, really honored.

I'’m going to go now.

I'’m biased myself.

Lydia West is.

It'’s well known for her breakout performance in Russell T Davies Captivating drama It'’s a Sin.

Please enjoy some of her work.

Put the hammer down.

Okay.

Don'’t you dare.

Don'’t you dare tell me what to do.

No, I didn'’t.

What kind of loving man?

I have a husband.

I am a father.

How dare you look frightened of me?

Look at me.

Look at me.

I think this is so cool.

It'’s been such a cool room with so many amazing actors.

Who.

This is really short.

Nick, you'’re.

You'’re tiny.

Yeah, but thank you.

Thank you to my team, my parents, my dad, Daniela, all my friends.

Everyone.

Thank you.

Avery was well known for her BAFTA winning role as Amy Gibson.

Netflix Smash sex education.

Should we have a look at her work?

Mr. Zombie.

Mr. Ward.

Thank you, Mr. Zombie.

I saw a film about it with what'’s her name.

And zombies are sort of like Egyptian mummies.

But they can they can walk and go about doing things.

They'’re sort of dead, but not dead.

Really lovely to be here.

Thank you to Team Living, who really did give me the best time of my life.

And that'’s genuine.

Like it was the most happy I'’ve ever been.

So thank you.

Love you all.

Everyone, everyone.

Thank you, everyone.

So sorry.

Now it'’s time to honor our artist of distinction.

Our first recipient this evening is Taron Edgerton.

I couldn'’t have.

What?

Helped you?

If I lived that life.

I still wanted it for you.

Just to be working at all is amazing.

But when someone offers you a script like Blackbird, which was written by Dennis Lehane, it really is a gift and makes you feel very lucky indeed.

Blackbird has been this tremendous creative episode in my life, and I'’m fiercely, fiercely proud of the show.

So to be recognized for the work is really great and to have a career that takes me to America and gets me recognized at American institutions like this is really, really wonderful.

It'’s just amazing to be in such, such great company.

So have a good night, everyone, and thank you to Newport Beach.

So next up, we had the pleasure of first meeting actress and producer Gemma Chan when she came to the Newport Beach Film Festival a few years ago to promote her breakout hit film in the US and around the world.

Crazy Rich Asians.

Let'’s take a look at her work.

Yes, I think that might be the solution to be able to get you there, because obviously this prize means so much to you as it should.

And I know that they'’d be thrilled if you were able to make it.

And it really is.

It'’s a lovely way to travel.

I'’m just so wanted to share the room with you all and to be celebrating the work of so many people that I admire.

So thank you so much.

Yeah, Thanks to my mom and dad.

They'’re here tonight.

I don'’t think they'’ve ever seen me.

They'’ve ever seen me get an award.

So.

Yeah.

Thank you to everyone who supported me.

This is really lovely.

Thank you.

Hello, ladies and gentlemen, the incredible Naomi Ackie.

I got to be with Someone wants me to be anyway.

Sing what I want to sing.

Be how I want to be.

Which is as big an audience as I can.

It'’s not what it'’s meant to do a whole life.

She ain'’t black and white enough.

How about she'’s not obedient?

How about she ain'’t fearful enough?

I'’m very grateful.

And I want to thank my team and my family and everyone who watches the staff.

And I'’ll just keep making stuff because it'’s really fun and it makes people feel good.

Star of stage, then television and now film Paul Mescal.

This is a guy whose career is red hot.

And let'’s take a look at his.

Good.

I'’m done.

So what'’s your sister'’s name?

Sophie.

Nice.

It'’s really true.

And my dad, though, actually.

Oh, sorry, man.

I just thought.

That'’s okay.

Thank you so much.

Newport Beach.

This is a crazy honor.

It feels like yesterday that I graduated from drama school.

And now to be accepting this just it feels like a short time and lots of water has passed under the bridge.

So thank you so much.

When I first met and was on Zoom, and I was just sort of like, you know, wasn'’t very scared of him, you know, just a little bit scared, just a little bit scared of him.

But then we got to know each other and then we became best buddies.

Yeah, we'’re good pals.

Best buddies.

Letitia Wright.

Is an award winning British actor and producer.

Let'’s take a look at her work.

You speak of my mother as if she'’s still here.

Of what she would have wanted for me.

Her hopes and her dreams.

But she'’s dead.

She'’s gone.

Nemo joined her right in front of me.

So her dreams, her goals, her hopes for me.

It doesn'’t exist.

All that we go through to make cinema happen and contribute to it.

I'’m grateful to be a part of that conversation.

I'’m grateful that we could live our dreams.

And I hope you'’re grateful, too, because we get to change lives and leave an imprint on the world because it matters.

And that'’s what I'’m grateful for.

God bless you.

So for our final award tonight, he is a versatile creative.

And whenever you know, he'’s going to be in a production, you know, it'’s going to be an amazing performance.

Let'’s look at some of the work of Toby Jones.

Amazing.

It is amazing because it'’s just static frames with darkness in between.

There'’s a little flaw in your optic nerve so that if I run the film at 24 frames per second, you don'’t see the darkness.

Wow.

Much as it'’s great to receive awards as as an individual, the great pleasure of acting.

The great secret of acting is.

Collaboration.

Empire of Light was a very unusual job insofar as it was produced by Pippa Harris and directed and written by Sam Mendes, both of whom I'’d known as a 14 year old.

We'’ve all gone our separate ways and we came together in this project and it was kind of a beautiful reunion for the three of us working on this film.

So the nerves in this case were, Will I be able to, you know, with these old, old friends who we used to dance together as teenagers and stuff.

Will I be able to deliver in their company?

Thank you, everyone.

It'’s it'’s a great pleasure.

That does it truly an outstanding lineup of incredibly talented artists from emerging fresh, new creative voices to some of the biggest and most impressive and wonderful names working in our industry today.

Keep telling your stories.

Keep doing what?

Thank you so much.

Enjoy the party and have a wonderful night.

Thank you.

The influence of cinema has been vital to the social and emotional perspective of our lives.

Films not only entertain us, but they have the power to shape our culture and consciousness.

I think films have an enormous amount of influence on our civilizations and our lives.

They have a fundamental, profound influence on how we think and our expectations.

Good or bad?

I think storytelling is is integral to the animals we are.

I think it'’s what we'’ve done for hundreds and hundreds of years.

It'’s absolutely in our genes.

And I think we see ourselves in stories.

You'’re able to know yourself better, and that'’s what I think the key to growing up and changing is, is all about.

I think films can definitely shift worlds.

I watched a film called Tomboy and I was obsessed with that film.

It'’s French and it'’s beautiful and it'’s just a piece of art, really, is how I feel.

And it definitely is definitely a shift.

Yeah.

I watched Casablanca again on the plane on the way over.

I was like, Am I going to do that to myself?

And it reminded me of the time that I saw that for the first time.

And I remember being like, not like films and stories can change your life, but also like falling in love with something that you never expected to love in, like a black and white film changes.

I don'’t know.

I remember watching that and it going like, Oh, I can enjoy this.

And it'’s not for like old people.

It'’s not just for my parents.

And that in itself is life changing because it gives you permission to embrace film in a way that I never did before.

I really believe in this tradition of people actually passing down stories through the generations, you know, our old myths and our fairy tales.

They'’ve been passed down, you know, through centuries.

This is our modern way of kind of telling and retelling stories to reshape them for each new generation.

I'’m fascinated.

The reason why we need to go into a darkened room and disappear into a movie, it'’s one of the few times, as many people are saying nowadays, you know, your phone is off and you are in a way, you put yourself in the hands of the people who are on screen and you have time off from all of the anxiety and fear of your own journey into the future.

In a way you sort of give handed over.

And that in a way must be therapeutic that you sort of have time off.

Film is forever and it impacts lives forever.

And I think that'’s what'’s very important about cinema and movies and how we can touch the hearts of people if we do it right and if we pick right.

There we have it.

The end of an incredible night to celebrate the very best of British film and television stars.

And of course, huge congratulations to all of our winners from the night.

Thank you for joining us for this incredible event.

We look forward to seeing you next year at the Newport Beach Film Festival UK HONOURS Ready for everyone to celebrate you tonight.

I mean.

Yeah, I'’m taking my shoes off.

I didn'’t want anyone to be able to tell.

And it turns out you can.

I suppose the only thing left, really, is my action.

Career seems to be a little overdue.

up..oh Great.

That was fun.

I'’m glad.

That was fun.

Thank you so much.

Good to meet you.

Yeah.

Thanks, everyone.

Thank you.

Thank you.