In an embarrassing mix-up, Carey Mulligan’s name was accidentally read out as the winner for Best Supporting Actress instead of the actual winner, Kerry Condon, at Sunday night’s BAFTA Awards.
The mistake happened when “CODA” actor Troy Kotsur, who won Best Supporting Actor at last year’s awards ceremony, introduced the nominees along with a sign language interpreter. As clips of the nominees’ performances were shown, the interpreter read out Mulligan’s name to cheers and cheers. After a few seconds, he said quickly, “Kerry Condon…Kerry Condon.” It’s unclear whether Kotsur or his interpreter made the mistake.
Condon, who was nominated for her role in The Banshees Of Inisherin, quickly took the stage to accept her award. “Oh my god, thank you so much, really. It means so much to me,” she told the audience.
In the room at London’s Royal Festival Hall where the ceremony took place, Kotsur’s slip drew some murmurs but was quickly swept away, and Condon was soon on his way to the stage. It was her name that appeared on screen as the winner, which is likely why co-star Colin Farrell encouraged her to collect the prize.
However, when the camera panned to Kerry and revealed some confused faces behind her, it was clear that some in the audience were confused at what had just happened. The camera didn’t pan to Mulligan, who was nominated for her role as New York Times reporter Megan Twohey on She Said. As the first two-thirds of the show was delayed on BBC One, the moment was cut from the last broadcast.
Afterwards, at the winners’ press conference backstage, Condon described getting up on stage to accept the award as a “surreal” experience, although it’s unclear whether she was referring to the mix-up or her victory. “The whole thing was just like that weird blackout moment,” she said. “All I remember is looking and seeing all the guys [from the film] looked at me like ‘get up!’ It was really surreal.”
She also stopped in the middle of the press to watch a live broadcast of the film’s writer-director Martin Mcdonagh, who accepted an award for Best Original Screenplay and thanked the BAFTA. “Oh I didn’t thank BAFTA!” exclaimed Condon, who thanked Alan Parker, Mcdonagh, the crew, the cast, her family and her horses and dogs for showing her “so much love.”
“When you get up there, let me tell you, you don’t know what’s going on,” she told the press.
