Janney wins her first Academy award, against competition from Laurie Metcalf and Lesley Manville, for her dark turn as Tonya Harding’s mother
Allison Janney has won the Oscar for best supporting actress at the 90th annual Academy Awards for her brash turn as LaVona Golden in I, Tonya. Nominated for an Oscar for the first time, the veteran took the award ahead of Laurie Metcalf of Lady Bird, who was considered Janney’s closest competition in the category.
In her acceptance speech, Janney joked “I did it all myself!” before going on to thank her collaborators on the film, as well as veteran actor Joanne Woodward, with whom she appeared in the 1993 TV movie Blind Spot.
I, Tonya review – Margot Robbie superbly uninhibited as reviled ice-skater Read more
In the blackly comic Tonya Harding biopic directed by Craig Gillespie, Janney plays the figure-skating prodigy’s chain-smoking, domineering mother. Janney was previously best known for playing White House press secretary CJ Cregg in The West Wing.
I, Tonya tells the story of Harding, the disgraced American figure skater who was banned from the sport after an investigation into her involvement in an attack on rival Olympian Nancy Kerrigan. At the Oscars, 58-year-old Janney added another trophy to her collection after sweeping the Golden Globes, Baftas, Critics’ Choice, and Screen Actors Guild awards.
As well as Metcalf, Janney also beat out Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water), and Mary J Blige (Mudbound).
FIGURE skater Tonya Harding might have thought her sporting scandal was confined to the history books - but she was wrong.
The disgraced Olympian is the focal point of new Hollywood movie I, Tonya. Here's the lowdown on the movie and when you can watch it...
Splash News Tonya Harding and Margot Robbie pose together on the red carpet
What is I, Tonya? Who does it star?
I, Tonya is a biographical film which follows the career of former figure skater Tonya Harding and her fall from grace.
The film begins with a four-year-old Tonya being forced to ice skate by her mother, who soon forces her child out of school so that she can focus on the sport.
Tonya soon finds love with abusive Jeff Gillooly, who becomes implicated in an attack on Tonya's rival Nancy Kerrigan - intended to give his girlfriend an advantage in the sport.
Tonya soon finds herself in court and her future in the sport is brought into jeopardy.
What was Nancy's response to it all?
The skating survivor was left fearing for her career and fitness.
Talking of the attempted sabotage, she told MailOnline: "After I walked through some curtains, someone came from behind them and ran alongside me on my right.
"He hit me very hard, just once, then kept running. Fortunately, I guess, his aim was bad.
"The doctors who treated me told me that if the bar had hit me one finger-width lower my knee cap would have been smashed and I might never have walked again."
Alamy I, Tonya tells the true story of figure skater Tonya Harding's fall from grace
When was I, Tonya released and what's the runtime and age certificate?
Like many films, I, Tonya was released earlier in the US than the UK - with American audiences being able to see it from September 8, 2017.
I, Tonya was released in the UK on February 16, 2018.
It has been given a 15 certification by the BBFC due to "very strong language and scenes of domestic violence."
I, Tonya has a running time of 119 minutes.
Where have viewers seen Margot Robbie before?
In just a few years talented and beautiful actress Margot Robbie has gone from soap actor to one of the hottest prospects in Hollywood.
She wowed film fans in her sexy, sassy role as Harley Quinn in action-packed film Suicide Squad, where she brandished a baseball bat and made herself up with neon cosmetics.
The former Neighbours actress has also starred in The Legend of Tarzan, Goodbye Christopher Robin, The Wolf of Wall Street and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
Rex Features Margot Robbie's latest role is a far cry from her sassy, hot-pant clad character Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad
Who else is in the cast of I, Tonya?
Sebastian Stan
Sebastian Stan portrays Jeff Gillooly, Tonya's husband who becomes implicated in the attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan.
Sebastian is best known for his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the Winter Soldier.
Allison Janney
One of the greatest acting talents in Hollywood, Allison Janney has starred in a plethora of critically acclaimed films including Juno, The Help, Finding Nemo, The Girl on the Train and Hairspray.
She also starred in White House drama The West Wing - playing the role of Press Secretary and then Chief of Staff C.J. Cregg
I, Tonya sees Allison take on the role of LaVona Fay Golden, mother to Tonya Harding.
AP:Associated Press Sebastian Stan stars as Tonya's troubled husband
What are reviews saying about I, Tonya?
The Guardian said: "Unevenly told and patchily performed, there's still a morbid curiosity that keeps I, Tonya at least diverting.
"It's brash and shaggy and while Robbie might not quite stick the landing, Janney's performance is gold."
Entertainment Weekly was more complimentary of Margot Robbie's performance.
They said: "Robbie is the real revelation. In a performance that goes far beyond bad perms and tabloid punchlines, she's a powerhouse: a scrappy, defiant subversion of the American dream."
What BAFTA 2018 awards was I, Tonya nominated for?
I, Tonya scooped up nods for the following categories at the 2018 BAFTA nominations:
Best original screenplay
Best actress - Margot Robbie
Best supporting actress - Allison Janney
Best costume design
Best make up & hair
What Oscars has I, Tonya been nominated for?
Best actress - Margot Robbie
Best supporting actress - Allison Janney
Best editing
Margot Robbie has missed out on the Best Actress Oscar for I, Tonya.
Frances McDormad took home the Academy Award on Sunday for her incredible portrayal of Mildred Hayes in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
The Australian star graciously stood up and applauded the 60-year-old veteran star as she took to the stage to accept her statuette.
Scroll down for video
Aussie hopes dashed! Margot Robbie misses out on Best Actress Oscar for I, Tonya to Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri star Frances McDormand
The triumph was Frances' second overall in the Best Actress category, after winning for her leading performance in the 1996 film Fargo.
'I'm hyper ventilating a little bit. If I fall over pick me up, because I have got some things to say,' the veteran actress started her rousing acceptance speech.
After thanking a number of individuals, Frances asked the audience to allow her to 'get some perspective' and then asked the women in the room to stand with her.
'I'm hyper ventilating a little bit. If I fall over pick me up, because I have got some things to say,' the veteran actress started her rousing acceptance speech
Rousing: After thanking a number of individuals, Frances asked the audience to allow her to 'get some perspective' and then asked the women in the room to stand with her
'If I may be so honoured to have the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight, Meryl [Streep], if you do it everybody else will,' she quipped.
'The filmmakers, the producers, the directors, the writers, the cinematographers, the composers, the song writers, the designers,' she described.
'Look around everybody. Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed,' she continued.
'Don't talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple of days or you can come to ours, whichever suits you best, and we will tell you all about them,' she offered.
'If I may be so honoured to have the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight, Meryl [Streep], if you do it everybody else will,' she quipped
'Look around everybody. Look around, ladies and gentlemen, because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed,' she continued
Margot and her I, Tonya co-star Alison Janney, who won Best Supporting Actress earlier in the night, stood up and happily applauded Frances' rousing speech.
Not only did Margot play the lead role of Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, her newly-formed production company LuckyChap Entertainment produced the film.
The independent film has made approx. $33.9 million USD at the box office.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Allison Janney won her first Oscar on Sunday for her supporting role as the demanding and abusive mother to Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding in the mockumentary“I, Tonya.”
90th Academy Awards - Oscars Backstage - Hollywood, California, U.S., 04/03/2018 – Allison Janney poses with the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "I, Tonya." REUTERS/Mike Blake
Janney, 58, a seven-time Emmy winner, swept all major acting honors this season, including Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globe and BAFTA awards.
“I did it all by myself,” Janney said facetiously to laughter from the audience.“Nothing further from the truth.”
Janney plays LaVona Golden, the mother of U.S. Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding, in the independent comedy about the disgraced and troubled athlete who is best remembered for her role in a 1994 assault on rival skater Nancy Kerrigan.
Janney is most familiar to audiences from her roles on 2000’s White House television drama“The West Wing” and current TV comedy“Mom.” Her past film credits include supporting roles“America Beauty,”“The Hours” and“Juno.”
90th Academy Awards - Oscars Show - Hollywood, California, U.S., 04/03/2018 - Allison Janney kisses Sam Rockwell. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
“I, Tonya” screenwriter Steven Rogers wrote the role of the hard-driving, foul-mouthed LaVona expressly for Janney, partly as a way for her to demonstrate her range.
“Steven Rogers, look what you did, look at what you did,” Janney said accepting the award.“You’re a brilliant writer. Thank you for the gift of LaVona. I did not see this coming. You did. You give new meaning to the word friend.”
Slideshow (2 Images)
The actress is almost unrecognizable in the movie behind a wig, large glasses and with a parakeet on her shoulder.
“He wanted to show people what else I could do, that I could play someone this far away from myself and yet make her real and grounded,” Janney said last year.“I have to say it’s hard to say you had fun playing someone so awful, but it was a fun challenge.”
Janney’s first passion was ice skating and she had hopes as a teenager of competing in the Olympics before an accident and the realization that she was too tall to succeed ended her dreams.
She later studied acting under Paul Newman at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, and credits Newman’s late wife, actress Joanne Woodward with encouraging her career.
