Barry Keoghan dedicated his BAFTA win on Sunday night to his baby son, his late mother and "the kids that are dreaming to be something from the area that I came from" - Dublin's north inner city.
The 30-year-old picked up the Best Supporting Actor prize for his role in The Banshees of Inisherin after his co-star Kerry Condon won the Best Supporting Actress gong for the film.
The black comedy written and directed by Martin McDonagh also took the awards for Outstanding British Film and Original Screenplay during the ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday.
Barry Keoghan thanks Ireland for his BAFTA ❤️🍀 #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/SsDqX5EGkv
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) February 19, 2023
Keoghan thanked Ireland and the film's cast and crew during his acceptance speech.
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Reflecting on what the prize means for Ireland, Keoghan said: "It encourages the arts at home and we are an island of storytelling and great actors and poets and writers.
"And this helps the industry massively at home and encourages people to send the scripts in and go for what they want to do."
He added that he planned to celebrate his win with his son Brando by ordering room service after the ceremony and that he will keep the award under a picture of his mother, who died when Keoghan was a child.
Condon said winning the Best Supporting Actress award was "really surreal".
Speaking in the BAFTA winners' room, the Irish actress, 40, said: "Oh my God, the whole thing was just this blackout weird moment.
"All I remember is looking and seeing all the boys looking at me like, 'get up’. It was just it was really surreal."
Reflecting on why her role as Siobhan resonated with so many people, she said: "I hope it's because she was able to be kind to somebody who annoyed her and I think it's because she was evolved.
"And I think maybe because she showed a lot of inner strength and a lot of sadness that people experience, and also that a lot of her life is taking care of her brother or taking care of somebody else.
"And I think a lot of women sacrifice their lives for their children or for their husbands, or whoever."
An Irish Goodbye, which is set in Northern Ireland and follows two estranged brothers who come together after their mother's death, also won the British Short Film award at the ceremony.
The film's co-director Ross White said the makers are "so honoured" to be a part of the Irish talent that won so many awards.
Speaking in the winners' room, he said: "It's a remarkable year for Irish film and the talent on display across all the awards.
"We are a very small part of that but we're so honoured to be a part of that.
"We're representing Northern Ireland as well, it just means a lot for us.
"Our fellow nominees in Colm Bairéad for The Quiet Girl, beautiful film, the Banshees team, to see this Irish talent all being recognised in this way, it's such an honour and fills us with pride."
Source: Press Association
