Leonardo DiCaprio is clearly on a mission to earn his first Oscar with the modern western, The Revenant, and he’s earned another accolade along the way.
On Valentine’s Day, DiCaprio and other people behind the film collected multiple honors at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts or BAFTA Award, which was held at the historic Royal Opera House in London.
The BAFTAs – considered by many to be the UK version of the Oscars – not only named Leonardo DiCaprio as Best Actor, but also named The Revenant as the Best Film of the Year. Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu also received an award for Best Director.
The one and only @LeoDiCaprio wins the Leading Actor award, his first BAFTA, for @RevenantMovie! pic.twitter.com/IQqK88Vt2i
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) February 14, 2016
Prior to the BAFTAs, the 41-year-old Titanic star also nabbed Best Actor honors from the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild. Critics are already predicting that he will go on to take the much-coveted Oscar, judging by the film’s critical and commercial success.
Other big winners at the BAFTAs include Brie Larson, who won Best Actress for her performance in the Canadian-Irish drama Room; Mark Rylance as Best Supporting Actor for his role in Bridge of Spies; and Kate Winslet as Best Supporting Actress for her role in Steve Jobs.
Following her Supporting Actress win, Kate Winslet chats about how she secured her role in Steve Jobs. #BAFTAshttps://t.co/ztcfdo4A3F
— BBC One (@BBCOne) February 14, 2016
Leonardo DiCaprio, who has never won a BAFTA before, acknowledged his fellow actors and thanked the people who inspired him to endure the arduous film-making process.
He also paid tribute to his mother, who was celebrating her birthday on the night of the awarding ceremony.
“I didn’t grow up in a life of privilege, I grew up in a very rough neighborhood in East Los Angeles. This woman drove me three hours a day to a different school to show me a different opportunity,” DiCaprio said. “It’s her birthday today, mom happy birthday. I love you very much.”
Leonardo DiCaprio Honors His Mom in this Touching Speech
Apart from racking up awards, Leonardo DiCaprio also won a bid to participate in a Mongolian expedition with Swedish “environmental explorer” Johan Ernst Nilson. The actor dropped an impressive $95,000 to embark on a 10-day journey in which he and other adventurers will explore Lake Hovsgol, the largest freshwater lake in Mongolia.
Next stop Mongolia? @LeoDicaprio wins $95K bid for expedition at star-studded #amfAR auction https://t.co/Cy9CcPqoLS pic.twitter.com/Ywo5WJS9OY
— People Magazine (@people) February 12, 2016
