BAFTAs and Grammys: from gongs, guest lists and gaffes

Bafta went gaga for La La Land, Adele galvanised the Grammys - and political drama reigned 
The Weekender

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With tears, kisses and politics in nearly every speech, award season is in full swing. Last night brought Sunday-night drama on both sides of the Atlantic, with the Baftas over here and the Grammys in Los Angeles. Welcome to the gong show.

Two guvnors

With Stephen Fry and James Corden fighting it out on either side of the Atlantic for the title of host with the most, seasoned pro Fry got his shots in early. “Casey Affleck is without doubt one of the most brilliant actors in his family,” he quipped with his customary irreverence, before dishing out jabs for the Government, Southern rail and Ken Loach.

And Corden? The all-singing, all-dancing The Late Late Show host didn’t hold back on the showbiz razzle as he rose onto the stage, performed a comedy tumble down the staircase and dropped a Hamilton-style rap.

Going going: James Corden takes a trip
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

He even secured his parents’ A-list dates to the Grammys — with Heidi Klum and Nick Jonas. “Well, your mum and I had an understanding, and Heidi is my free pass tonight,” said Corden’s dad Malcolm. That’s points on the board for Corden Senior.

The PDAs

At the Grammys Adele only had eyes for one person, Beyoncé. When Adele won Album of the Year she said she couldn’t possibly accept the award, because Lemonade was so “monumental”. Ever resourceful, Adele solved the problem by breaking it in two, to share with the American singer. She went on to love-bomb Beyoncé, who “moves my soul every day”. Adele thanked Beyoncé for the “empowering way you make my black friends feel. You make them stand up for themselves.” Beyoncé reciprocated with a happy tear.

Over at the Royal Albert Hall, Fry wasn’t shy about his feelings either. He started off the night by welcoming Meryl Streep with a full-on kiss, saying: “Only a blithering idiot would think she’s not the greatest actress.” Streep, who was nominated for her role in Florence Foster Jenkins, kissed him right back.

Grammy Awards 2017 - In pictures

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Bellies vs bare shoulders

Baby bumps are trending — Beyoncé exhibited hers like a prize watermelon at the Grammys in a custom-made bikini by Peter Dundas. Far from alone in her belly baring, she was joined Stateside by fellow female heavyweights Lady Gaga and Rihanna, who showed solidarity with their blooming sister by placing their midriffs on display.

Understandably, given the sub-zero temperatures in the capital last night, those out on the tiles in London chose to keep their middle ground under wraps, opting to flash the prerequisite award-ceremony flesh via off-shoulder gowns and strapless dresses. Leading the charge on this was the Duchess of Cambridge, who wore an embroidered gown by her favourite Alexander McQueen. She was joined by Amy Adams, who dazzled in emerald Tom Ford, and Thandie Newton, who put her clavicles on display in a black corseted gown by British designer Osman. Plunging necklines were also a thing this side of the Atlantic, notably among Hollywood royalty Emma Stone — in a dress-under-trousers combo by Chanel — and Nicole Kidman, who kept it classic and classy in a custom diamanté- trimmed gown by Armani Privé.

The best-dressed Brits abroad included Adele, who galvanised in green Givenchy.

Stunning: Nicole Kidman on the red carpet (Getty Images)
Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The guests of honour

There was no royal box for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They watched the Baftas in the stalls with everyone else, sitting next to Bafta chief executive Amanda Berry, and smiling politely when Ken Loach called out the Government’s “callous brutality”. A trip to the Royal Albert Hall was an easy Sunday night out for the royals, who recently moved to nearby Kensington Palace — a cheap taxi ride there and easy to dash home in time to relieve the royal babysitter before midnight.

Royal arrival: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 
Getty Images

The guest of honour in the US was younger. Beyoncé and Jay Z decided not to get childcare but to bring their five-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, along to enjoy the evening. Her outfit was a tribute to Prince and in step with the gender-neutral trend: a bubblegum- pink Gucci tuxedo with a black trim and a white ruffled shirt. She sat on her father’s lap, joined in when Corden led a sing-along of Sweet Caroline and stole the show from Bruno Mars with her dancing.

British Academy Film Awards 2017

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Let’s talk politics

“In a time that’s so divisive, it’s really special that we were all able to come together tonight,” said Emma Stone as she clutched her Bafta Best Actress gong for La La Land. OK, so most of us watched last night’s transatlantic glitz from the comfort of our London living rooms but those who did make the cut didn’t hold back on Brexit and Donald Trump. The 45th President of the United States was “D Who Must Not Be Named”, failing to get a name check at the Baftas. Best Supporting Actress Viola Davis gave a rousing tribute to “the people who did not make it into the history books”, while Beyoncé used the Grammys to remind us that “it’s vital that we learn from the past and recognise our tendencies to repeat our mistakes”.

Stephen Fry threatened to invoke Article 50 in order to move on from one award to the next, while Loach lamented “the most vulnerable and poorest are treated by the Government with a callous brutality that is disgraceful”. Who says politics and showbiz don’t mix? Er, Tory MP Tim Loughton, who tweeted: “Just had a great night at the Baftas apart from the usual predictable drivel from Ken Loach in his own La La Land.” Spoilsport.

The blunders

While smooth Fry started the Baftas with some romance, Corden kicked off the Grammys by falling into a hole. A real one.

After the glitch with staging he bounced back with his trademark, jolly slapstick, minus one shoe that had fallen off during the whole shtick. Luckily he was wearing clean socks, in a fetching pale pink.

Adele made him feel better by making her own gaffe, stopping her tribute to George Michael in the first chorus of Fast Love because it was off-key. She swore, then apologised for her language, saying that she didn’t want to mess it up for him. Her performance at last year’s Grammys was marred by technical problems and she was upset to make another mistake. But the audience was enjoying her performance too much to care about the odd expletive and wrong note.

The Baftas were less dramatic. Viola Davis momentarily forgot Michelle Williams when she was acknowledging all her fellow nominees but generally we just got on with it — that’s the London way.

The Special Relationship

Like two punch-drunk prize fighters propping each other up after going the whole nine rounds, the special relationship was still staggering on at both awards ceremonies. Hollywood love-in La La Land scooped five awards, beating out British I, Daniel Blake for Best Film, while Emma Stone pipped Emily Blunt to Best Actress.

Across the pond, Adele left the Grammys clutching her own perfect five for her album, 25 (you do the maths), while David Bowie’s Blackstar posthumously clocked up five awards of its own.

Still, Adele knew her place by bowing to Beyoncé, everyone’s favourite superpower. Perhaps it’ll be a red, white and blue Brexit after all, with a few stars and spangled stripes thrown in.

What happened next

Award ceremonies can be tiring affairs. You need to decompress with a drink and a dance afterwards. At the Weinstein Company Bafta bash, or should that be Baftaparty, the vodka cocktails flowed. FKA twigs and Naomi Campbell came along, despite not being at the ceremony, and hung out with Amy Adams, Viola Davis and her husband Julius Tennon, eating filled pastries.

Matt Damon and Eddie Redmayne’s bromance blossomed and Michael Fassbender spoke to political demonstrators outside the gala dinner at the Grovesnor House Hotel.

In Los Angeles the Warner party was too popular — security guards threatened to shut it down if the front area wasn’t clear and Ed Sheeran was overheard saying he was turned away “due to capacity issues”. Adele celebrated her awards sweep at the Sony Music after-party at the Bel Air Hotel with her manager Jonathan Dickens. Meanwhile Rihanna fuelled her evening by drinking out of a diamond-encrusted hip flask as she party hopped. It’s all work (work work work work) to her.

See the full list of winners here.

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