Jesse Armstrong on bittersweet BAFTA parting gift for ‘Succession’

Jacob Sarkisian
·3 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The Best Drama Writer category at Sunday’s 2024 BAFTA TV Crafts Awards was a pretty stacked one. “Black Mirror” creator Charlie Brooker was nominated with “Ms. Marvel” creator Bisha K. Ali for their work on “Black Mirror: Demon 79” while British favourite Sally Wainwright was cited for “Happy Valley,” a critical darling over here in the UK. Sarah Phelps was also nominated for “The Sixth Commandment” while Emmy-winner Jesse Armstrong was recognized for his work on awards-juggernaut “Succession.”

We spoke to Armstrong on the red carpet at the Craft Awards, which were held at The Brewery in East London. Armstrong was keen to point out the strength of his fellow nominees and how this category felt like a particularly impressive one, while he said he was grateful that his American show was recognized by the British BAFTAs.

More from GoldDerby

“We’re an American show made by HBO so to be here with my British peers is really lovely, especially… I mean, all of them, to be honest,” Armstrong said. We then spoke about awards ceremonies in general. Armstrong is no stranger to these. He was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar in 2009 for “In the Loop” while he won three Golden Globes (all for Best Drama TV Series) and seven Emmys (four for Best Drama Writing, three for Best Drama Series) for “Succession.” Armstrong pondered the importance of awards ceremonies before the Craft Awards, which were hosted by British documentarian and TV host Stacey Dooley, kicked off.

“Good question. You tell me? This one does feel nice. Because, being in LA and going to awards ceremonies, especially for actors, they can be quite a job, you know? It’s part of their job, promoting their material,” Armstrong explained.

“So I hope this department, the craft awards, feels a bit more exciting and special than those awards, which do feel much more professionally orientated.”

Although many predicted that Armstong would win this category, it was Brooker and Ali who emerged the victors for Best Drama Writer. But Armstrong’s BAFTA record will be a nice comforter in that loss. He has 13 BAFTA TV nominations and two BAFTA Film bids to his name. He won Best Situation Comedy in 2008 for “Peep Show” and then picked up a Best Drama Writer victory in 2020 for “Succession.” That HBO show has the joint- most nominations overall at this year’s BAFTA TV awards with five bids, the same number as “Happy Valley.” Brian Cox (Best Actor), Matthew Macfadyen (Best Supporting Actor), and Harriet Walter (Best Supporting Actress) will all compete for acting awards while the show is also nominated for Best International Programme and Memorable Moment for Roy’s death.

Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?

SIGN UP for Gold Derby newsletters and updates

Best of GoldDerby

Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.