He said: ”I would like to thank the directors who took the chance on me….to all the drivers who drove me early and late and kept me safe…to the people who prepared the food for us…thank you. To my assistants..to the crews who worked impossible hours…and of course to my fellow actors to always manage to fight their way to this mythical place called Hollywood, nobody has it better than us right? So try to act grateful. This can only end where it started so I want to say a simple thank you to my parents and my beautiful wife and partner.”
Elsewhere at the prestigious ceremony – which celebrated its 20th year – Birdman swept the board winning in seven categories, including three for the film’s star, Michael Keaton, who took the prizes for Best Actor, Best Comedy Actor, and Best Acting Ensemble.
Boyhood was also praised, picking up the Best Picture and Best Director awards at the event – which took place at the Hollywood Palladium – as well as Best Supporting Actress for Patricia Arquette and Best Young Actor for 20-year-old Ellar Coltrane.
Other films praised during the evening included The Grand Budapest Hotel, which won Best Comedy, and Guardians of the Galaxy, which was crowned Best Action Movie.
The full list of winners from the 20th Critics’ Choice Movie Awards:
Best picture
Boyhood
Best actor
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Best actress
Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Best director
Richard Linklater – Boyhood
Best acting ensemble
Birdman
Best adapted screenplay
Gone Girl
Best original screenplay
Birdman
Best comedy
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best actress in a comedy
Jenny Slate – Obvious Child
Best actor in a comedy
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Best supporting actress
Patricia Arquette- Boyhood
Best supporting actor
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash
Best song
‘Glory’ – Common/John Legend – Selma
Best animated feature
The LEGO Movie
Best action movie
Guardians of the Galaxy
Best actress in an action movie
Emily Blunt – Edge of Tomorrow
Best actor in an action movie
Bradley Cooper – American Sniper
Best young actor/actress
Ellar Coltrane – Boyhood
Best sci fi/horror movie
Interstellar
Best documentary feature
Life Itself
Best cinematography
Birdman – Emmanuel Lubezki
Best visual effects
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Best editing
Birdman – Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione
Best art direction
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Adam Stockhausen/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator
Best costume design
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Milena Canonero
Best hair & makeup
Guardians of the Galaxy
Best score
Antonio Sanchez – Birdman
Best foreign language film
Force Majeure (Sweden)