Joanna Scanlan was awarded Leading Actress for her role in After Love, and Will Smith won the Leading Actor award for his portrayal of Richard Williams in the movie King Richard.
Joanna's win came as a surprise to everyone particularly because it was a highly-contested category with other names such as Lady Gaga (House Of Gucci), Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza), Emilia Jones (CODA), Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person In The World) and Tessa Thompson (Passing). The 60-year-old actress was recognised for her performance in the Aleem Khan directorial After Love. Joanna admitted being overwhelmed, but then she said, "Oh come on! Some stories have surprise endings, don't they?" She played the role of a widow who discovers her late husband's secret family.
Actor Will Smith who won the Leading Actor title played the role of Richard, father of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. But Smith wasn't present at the ceremony.