Empire Film Awards: Aspiring actress Sarah Harding mingles with her film star peers as Avatar leads the winners

By Emily Sheridan

I'm a film star now... Sarah Harding dazzles in a little black dress and nude peep-toe satin heels as she poses on the red carpet of the Empire Film Awards in London


During Girl's Aloud's hiatus, Sarah Harding has been focusing her energies on building her acting career.

So last night the 28-year-old singer attended her first ever film bash as an actress in her own right when she attended the Empire Film Awards.

But with only a supporting role in the St Trinian's sequel, Harding wisely didn't attempt to steal the limelight with a floor-length gown and showed off her tanned physique in a cowl-neck black and pink dress and killer heels.

Since the girl group announced they were taking a year-long break in June last year, Harding has played a rebellious schoolgirl in St Trinian's II: The Legend Of Fritton's Gold and BBC drama Freefall.

Harding was among dozens of stars who dressed up for the star-studded bash at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Going for more traditional full-length glamour in a long blue dress was Jaime Winstone, who arrived with her whole family to watch her father Ray pick up the Outstanding Contribution To British Film Award.


To dye for: Jaime Winstone wore a midnight blue gown and a peroxide blonde bob (left) while screenwriter Jane Goldman for a black mini-dress, cardigan and knee-high boots


Family affair: Jaime joined sister Lois (left) and her parents Ray and Elaine Winstone to see the actor pick up an Outstanding Contribution To British Film Award


The big winners at last night's awards - which is voted for by the public - was sci-fi epic Avatar, which was named Best Film, Best Director for James Cameron and Best Actress for Zoe Saldana.

In a pre-recorded video speech, Cameron thanks the magazine's readers for rewarding him in categories where Bafta and Oscar bosses failed to.

He said: 'Clearly the Empire magazine readership are more discerning than the British or American academies.

'Of course, we know that the director just takes credit for the work of others, but I'm very happy to take the credit for them.'


Winners: Nowhere Boy's Aaron Johnson with her Best Newcomer accolade (left), Christoph Waltz (centre) won Best Actor, while Sir Ian McKellen was named Empire Icon


The Brit pack: Jude Law and Ray Winstone celebrate their wins


Following his Oscar success, Austrian actor Christoph Waltz won Best Actor for Inglourious Basterds.

He paid tribute to the film's director: 'I can't hold an award of any kind without thanking Quentin Tarantino, out of whose wonderful imagination this came.'

Law was presented with the Empire Hero award by his former co-star Gwyneth Paltrow, who appeared alongside him in The Talented Mr Ripley and Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow.


Coupled up: Winner Johnson was joined by his pregnant fiancée Sam Taylor Wood (left), while Sex, Drugs And Rock 'N' Roll star Andy Serkis brought his wife Lorraine Ashbourne


Introducing Law, Paltrow admitted she may have drunk too many Jameson cocktails, who were sponsoring the event.

She even turned the air blue when she said: 'The winner of this award is that rare breed who is both character actor and movie star, versatile and substantial. He's worked with some of the world's greatest film-makers, the motherf**ker...

'Please be upstanding for the gorgeous, beautiful, talented Jude Law! Stand up. I know we're in England but it's OK to show some love.'

The actor said: 'I don't feel much like a hero - here's all the real heroes out there. But I suppose thanks to Jameson and Empire I can be a hero for one day, like David Bowie


Legging it: (L-R) Former EastEnders actress Michelle Ryan (left), Kick-Ass star Chloe Moretz and X-Men Origins: Wolverine star Lynn Collins

'This makes me think of all the great people I've worked with, all the actors and directors and editors and composers, and they all contributed to what we just saw - especially my late, great friend Anthony Minghella. Thank you very much.'

Accepting the Empire Icon Award for his six decade-long career from his Waiting For Godot co-stars Patrick Stewart and Roger Rees, McKellen joked: 'These two beautiful men, I've been working with them separately on Waiting for Godot. The thing is that just one of them is gay, and it's very difficult to tell which one.

'After six months with Patrick in the dressing room I really thought I could live with him; he just wants to sit down and have a chat about his career...

'I always set out to be a stage actor, but rather late in the day I made films that people actually saw - so let that be an inspiration to those of you who have not yet stood up here receiving one of these. Be ready for the luck when it comes, is my advice.'


Two by two: Bafta-winning actor/writer Noel Clarke and his wife Iris (left) and comedian Johnny Vegas with his girlfriend, Irish TV producer Maia Dunphy

And the winners are...Best Film: Avatar
Best Director: James Cameron - Avatar
Best Actress: Zoe Saldana - Avatar
Best Actor: Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
Best Newcomer: Aaron Johnson - Nowhere Boy

Best Comedy: In The Loop
Best Sci-Fi: Star Trek
Best Thriller: Sherlock Holmes
Best Horror: Let The Right One In

Best British Film: Harry Brown

Empire Icon: Sir Ian McKellen
Empire Hero: Jude Law
Empire Inspiration: Andy Serkis

Outstanding Contribution To British Film Award: Ray Winstone


source: dailymail