Chiwetel Ejiofor and Judi Dench both won in categories at the Irish Film and Television Awards, with Philamena winning for top International Film.
According to The Hollywood Reporter Chiwetel Ejiofor won for International Actor, with Judi Dench winning International Actress for her role in Philamena. Philamena also overtook 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, and Wolf of Wall Street for International Film. Michael Fassbender also won for Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as Ejiofor’s vicious slave owner in 12 Years a Slave.
The best film went to the black comedy Calvary which, along with Byzantium and Philomena, was the biggest winner picking up three top awards.
Ejiofor was recently rumored to be in the running for the next villain in the upcoming James Bond movie slated for a late 2015 release. Coincidentally, Dench was a regular in Bond movies since 1995’s Goldeneye taking the role of “M”, the head of the Foreign Intelligence wing of Her Majesty's Secret Service, and 007’s boss. Dench’s character met her demise in the last Bond installment Skyfall and was replaced by Ralph Fiennes.