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Baz Luhrmann's Elvis and ABC TV's Mystery Road: Origin clean up at the AACTA Awards – as it happened

The biggest names in Australia's film and television industry have celebrated the 2022 AACTA Awards in Sydney, with Baz Luhrmann's Elvis and ABC TV's Mystery Road: Origin the big winners.

Look back on all the updates and red carpet glamour in our blog.

Key events

Live updates

We'll wrap up our live coverage here

By Jessica Riga

Thank you for joining us tonight as we celebrated the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards!

We can stay up to date here on the ABC News website or on our app.

ABC dominates AACTA Awards

By Jessica Riga

ABC TV has won 15 television awards across the AACTA ceremonies on Monday and Wednesday, in addition to the awards for best documentary and best original score, for River, narrated by Willem Dafoe.

Besides sweeping the drama categories for Mystery Road: Origin, ABC also dominated the comedy categories, winning best comedy performer for Tom Gleeson, for Hard Quiz, and best comedy program, for the final season of Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell.

ABC TV also swept up best children's program, for Bluey, best documentary or factual program, for Miriam Margoyles: Australia Unmasked, and best lifestyle program, for Gardening Australia.

Where can you stream all these winners for free? On ABC iview, of course!

Call for funding from Elvis designer

By Jessica Riga

In case you missed it, costume, production and set designer Catherine Martin was honoured with the AACTA's Longford Lyell Award for lifetime achievement.

Backstage, Martin spoke to Hannah Story from ABC Arts about the importance of big-budget films for training the next generation of talent.

"We have a responsibility to keep giving back in terms of skill-sharing. The more work we do, and the more works [filmed] here, at all different levels, the better we get at what we're doing," said Martin.

She also pointed to the importance of education — noting that she and Luhrmann were the beneficiaries of the Whitlam government's free tertiary education.

"When you have free education and it's accessible to more people, we as a culture become richer because the pool of likely candidates expands.

"Free education, funding for the arts and culture, that's part of being a healthy society, because [you're] telling your own stories."

You can continue reading this story in the link below.

Just joining us now? Here's the full winners list

By Jessica Riga

In film:

  • Best film: Elvis
  • Best director: Baz Luhrmann (Elvis)
  • Best leading actress: Leah Purcell (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson)
  • Best leading actor: Austin Butler (Elvis)
  • Best supporting actress: Olivia DeJonge (Elvis)
  • Best supporting actor: Sean Harris (The Stranger)
  • Best original screenplay: Thomas M Wright (The Stranger)
  • Best cinematography: Mandy Walker (Elvis)
  • Best editing: Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond (Elvis)
  • Best costume design: Catherine Martin (Elvis)
  • Best indie film: A Stitch in Time
  • Best documentary: River

In television:

  • Best drama series: Mystery Road: Origin (Bunya Productions / ABC)
  • Best miniseries: The Twelve (Warner Bros. / Easy Tiger Productions / Binge / Foxtel)
  • Best direction in drama or comedy: Dylan River (Mystery Road: Origin)
  • Best lead actress in a television drama: Tuuli Narkle (Mystery Road: Origin)
  • Best lead actor in a television drama: Mark Coles Smith (Mystery Road: Origin)
  • Best supporting actress in a television drama: Brooke Satchwell (The Twelve)
  • Best supporting actor in a television drama: Thomas Weatherall (Heartbreak High)
  • Best comedy performer: Tom Gleeson (Hard Quiz)
  • Best comedy program: Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell (ITV Studios / ABC)
  • Best entertainment program: LEGO Masters Australia (Endemol Shine / Nine Network)
  • Best children's program: Bluey (Ludo Studio / ABC)
  • Best factual entertainment program: Old People's Home for Teenagers (Endemol Shine / ABC)
  • Best documentary or factual program: Miriam Margoyles Australia Unmasked (Southern Pictures / ABC)
  • Best lifestyle program: Gardening Australia (ABC)
  • Best reality program: MasterChef Australia (Endemol Shine / Network 10)

Elvis and Mystery Road: Origin are big winners at AACTA Awards 2022

By Jessica Riga

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic and ABC TV's Mystery Road: Origin swept the Australian screen awards, while Netflix's wins for Heartbreak High reboot capped a strong showing for the streaming giant.

You can check out Hannah Story's full article in the link below.

Here's how Mystery Road: Origin dominated the TV categories

By Jessica Riga

The ABC production won:

  1. 1.Best Drama Series
  2. 2.Best Lead Actress, Tuuli Narkle
  3. 3.Best Lead Actor, Mark Coles Smith
  4. 4.Best Direction
  5. 5.Best Cinematography
  6. 6.Best Editing
  7. 7.Best Sound

What did we think of the AACTAs this year?

By Jessica Riga

Hit that 'leave a comment' button to have your say!

Elvis well and truly cleaned up at this year's AACTA Awards

By Jessica Riga

Here's the full list of awards it won:

  1. 1.Best Film
  2. 2.Best Direction
  3. 3.Best Lead Actor - Austin Butler
  4. 4.Best Supporting Actress - Olivia DeJonge
  5. 5.Best Cinematography
  6. 6.Best Costume Design
  7. 7.Best Editing
  8. 8.Best Production Design
  9. 9.Best Sound
  10. 10.Best Hair and Makeup
  11. 11.Best Visual Effects or Animation
  12. 12.Audience Choice Award for Best Film

Elvis wins AACTA Award for Best Film

By Jessica Riga

Key Event

The nominees are...

  • Elvis - WINNER
  • Sissy
  • The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson
  • The Stranger
  • Three Thousand Years of Longing
  • Here Out West

And Elvis takes out the top prize!

Director Baz Luhrmann thanks Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

"She stood by us through thick and thin when COVID came. So, big love, and a big thank you for her."

Sean Harris wins Best Supporting Actor for The Stranger

By Jessica Riga

Key Event

He beat out:

  • Simon Baker, Blaze
  • Jemaine Clement, Nude Tuesday
  • Malachi Dower-Roberts, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson
  • Tom Hanks, Elvis

Catherine Martin thanks Baz Luhrmann

By Jessica Riga

It's a great honour to receive this award and be recognised for a body of work to which I have devoted my adult life.

There is a personal dimension to the honour as well — in receiving an award named for Raymond Longford and Lottie Lyell — partners in work, art, and in life. My own work is indivisible from my creative partnership with Baz Luhrmann, who has been my husband for 25 years. I know — I need an award for that too.

Creativity can be lonely. Terrifying and overwhelming at times. And to have someone by your side to share the treacherous territory and unexpected twists and turns is an extraordinary gift.

My own career has spanned a period of great progress for women in the arts and entertainment. I was particularly moved by Mandy Walker's historic win on Monday as the first woman ever to win the AACTA for Cinematography. For my part, I am privileged to have risen alongside many, many talented and dedicated women.

 I'm very excited to take my place in the future of this industry in Australia. It's a vibrant future, a diverse future, a technicolour rainbow of a future. A future that I fundamentally believe is changing for the better.

Catherine Martin honoured with the Longford Lyell Award

By Jessica Riga

Key Event

Costume, Production and Set Designer, Producer and Academy Award winner Catherine Martin has been honoured for her outstanding global contribution and influence to film, with the Longford Lyell Award.

Martin is the most awarded Australian in Oscar history with 4 Oscars, 5 BAFTAs and a Tony Award as well as 5 AFI, 3 AACTA Awards and the Byron Kennedy Award.

"Australia, with its myriad filmmaking opportunities and wonderful talents, has been extraordinarily fertile soil for my body of work, and for this I am truly grateful," she told the Academy.

Martin has worked alongside husband, chief collaborator, Oscar-nominated director, producer and writer, Baz Luhrmann, to create some of the most prolifically visual and stunning film costumes and sets that are part of global screen folklore.

Martin's body of work includes Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Australia, The Great Gatsby and Elvis.

Mark Coles Smith wins Best Lead Actor in a Drama for Mystery Road: Origin

By Jessica Riga

Key Event

Another win for Mystery Road: Origin! Coles Smith beat out:

  • Jamie Dornan, The Tourist
  • James Majoos, Heartbreak High
  • Sam Neill, The Twelve
  • Hugo Weaving, Love Me

Again, this was another big award that was glossed over, which is a shame.

Olivia DeJonge wins Best Supporting Actress for Elvis

By Jessica Riga

Key Event

She beat out:

  • Jada Alberts, The Stranger
  • Jessica De Gouw, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson
  • Joanna Lumley, Falling For Figaro
  • Yael Stone, Blaze

The AACTAs didn't show this award in full, which is a little disappointing as it's one of the bigs ones.

Mystery Road: Origin wins Best Drama Series

By Jessica Riga

Key Event

The nominees are...

  • Bump
  • Heartbreak High
  • Love Me
  • Mystery Road: Origin - WINNER
  • The Tourist
  • Wolf Like Me

More Audience Choice Awards announced

By Jessica Riga

Heartbreak High is cleaning up these audience choice awards!

Bryn Chapman Parish and Chloe Hayden won Best Actor and Actress respectively.

Abbie Chatfield also won the Audience Choice Award for Best TV Personality. 

LEGO Masters wins Best Entertainment Program

By Jessica Riga

The nominees are...

  • Eurovision - Australia Decides - Gold Coast 2022
  • LEGO® Masters Australia - WINNER
  • Mastermind
  • RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under
  • The Dog House Australia
  • The Voice Australia

In memoriam pays tribute to Uncle Jack Charles, Olivia Newton-John

By Jessica Riga

It's time now for the in memoriam, which has paid tribute to John Hamblin, Judy Banks, Jack Charles, Vincent Gil, Rod Marsh, Max Walsh, Robin Dalton, Ernie Carroll, Caroline Jones, Shane Warne, Di Kershaw, Andrew Symonds, Chris Wilson, Olivia Newton-John and more.

More Audience Choice Award winners announced

By Jessica Riga

Heartbreak High has won the Audience Choice Award for Best TV Series, beating out the likes of Bluey, Gogglebox and MAFS.

Nine's Women's Footy won the Audience Choice Award for Best Sports Program while Seven's 2022 AFL Grand Final won Best Sports Commentary Team.

Chris Hemsworth gets a standing ovation as he accepts Trailblazer Award

By Jessica Riga

"I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do what I do, to tell stories, to act, to be able to take on many different adventures across the globe," he says.

He thanks his parents, his wife, and Russell Crowe, saying he has paved the way for many actors.

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