Emily Watson to Receive Richard Harris Award at British Independent Film Awards

Emily Watson will be honored with the Richard Harris Award at this year’s British Independent Film Awards.

The award celebrates an actor’s outstanding contribution to British film and has previously been bestowed upon Samantha Morton, Riz Ahmed, Kristin Scott Thomas, Daniel Day-Lewis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julie Walters, Stephen Graham and Sophie Okonedo.

Watson began her career on stage in the ’90s as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company. She received her first Oscar best actress nomination for her debut film role in Lars von Trier’s “Breaking the Waves” (1996), and was also nominated two years later for Anand Tucker’s “Hilary and Jackie.” Her other memorable films include “The Boxer” (1997), “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002), “Red Dragon” (2002), “Corpse Bride” (2005), “Synecdoche, New York” (2008), “War Horse” (2011), “The Theory of Everything” (2014) and “Small Things Like These.” More recently, Watson starred alongside Cillian Murphy in the Netflix drama “Steve” and opposite Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley in Chloe Zhao’s Oscar-tipped “Hamnet.”

“Emily’s first film was Lars von Trier’s epic ‘Breaking the Waves,’ which is like saying the first mountain she climbed was Everest,” Richard Harris’ children Damian, Jared and Jamie Harris said in a statement. “It was a fearless and devastating performance and was rightly recognized with multiple honors, and her first Oscar nomination. Since then, there have been a succession of Emily Watson performances that have again rightly been acknowledged with nominations, honors and awards, including a BIFA. Emily is too young to be called a national treasure, but any performance of hers is a cultural event and she enhances the quality of everything in which she appears. She rightly takes her place alongside the past recipients of the Richard Harris Award.”

Added Watson: “I’m delighted and deeply honored to be receiving this award. I’ve had the great privilege of spending time with Jared as an actor and raconteur, hearing thrilling wild tales of his dad and the force that he was. I’m so grateful to the Harris family for thinking of me. Truly an honor. Thank you BIFA.”

The 28th BIFA Awards ceremony will take place Nov. 30 at London’s Roundhouse.