Dev Patel scoops Best Young Actor award
BRITISH-Asian actor Dev Patel scooped the Best Young Actor award at the Critics’ Choice Awards last night in another night of award joy for the team behind Brit-film Slumdog Millionaire.
The 18-year-old, who stars in the rags to riches story about an unlikely winner of Who wants to be a Millionaire, beat off stiff competition to scoop the prize.
The Critics’ Choice awards is voted by 200 TV, radio and online film critics from the US and Canada.
The award is the fifth that Patel was won for his portrayal of Jamal Malik in Slumdog Millionaire. He previously scooped the Most Promising Newcomer awards at both the British Independent Film Awards and Chicago Film Critics Association Awards.
Patel was not at the California event but his award was accepted on his behalf by co-star Freida Pinto.
Alongside Patel’s win there was further joy for the team behind the Oscar hopeful.
A star-studded audience including the likes of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Sean Penn and Dustin Hoffman saw the film win a further four awards – best film, best director (Danny Boyle), best writer (Simon Beaufoy) and best composer (A.R.Rahman).
Collecting his award, a stunned Danny Boyle said: “As a Brit, back in the old country, it is amazing to see how generous you have been to this film.”
“You’re mad really,” he continued backstage. “You’re a bit like the Indians are mad about movies. When you find a movie you love, you go for it really.”
The film, which is released across the UK today, has already scooped over 25 awards.
On Sunday it will learn its fate at the Golden Globe awards where it is nominated for 4 awards.
Should the film win any of its Golden Globes it will stand a good chance of Oscar glory when nominations are announced on 22 January.
