Olivia Colman has won the Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 91st Academy Awards for her part as Queen Anne in The Favourite. She picked up her first Academy Award at the ceremony in Hollywood on Sunday night at the Dolby Theatre.
Colman walked away with The Favourite‘s only Oscar of the evening in what was a stunning upset overfrontrunner Glenn Close.
Olivia Colman had already bagged a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for her portrayal of the last Stuart monarch. She was also named Best Actress at the British Independent Film Awards and the Venice Film Festival.
The Favourite tells the story of rivalries at the court of Queen Anne, focusing on the battle for control of the monarch between Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough and Abigail Masham.
The film, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, was up for a total of ten Academy Awards, including a nod for the man at the helm himself and nominations for Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design and Best Production as well as Best Film. Sadly, it did not walk away victorious in any of the categories.
The Favourite has already enjoyed considerable success across awards season with wins as Best Film and Best British Film at the BAFTAs and a string of awards for costume designer, Sandy Powell, as well as the acting prizes already won by Olivia Colman and a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for Rachel Weisz.
The film also made some royal history as it was the first time a portrayal of Queen Anne was nominated for an award. The Stuart monarch reigned between 1702 and 1714, having succeeded her brother in law, King William III. She outlived all her children, and on her death, the Crown passed to the House of Hanover with King George I taking the throne.
