Andrew Scott wins Best Actor at Olivier Awards for Present Laughter role

Dublin-born stage and screen actor Andrew Scott has scooped up the Best Actor Olivier over the weekend for his role as Garry Essendine in Present Laughter at the Old Vic theatre in London.

Scott beat out tough competition from Toby Jones for his part in Uncle Vanya, James McEvoy for his role in Cyrano De Bergerac and Death Of A Salesman star Wendell Pierce.

Scott's virtuosic performance in Noël Coward’s 1943 comedy allows the hero and protagonist - Garry Essendine - to possess a mixture of charm and egomania.

Scott won an Evening Standard Theatre Award for the same role at a different theatre in 2019.

Scott was awarded the Best Actor in a Drama Series at the IFTA Awards for his role in season five of Charlie Brooker's hit TV show Black Mirror.

In 2012 he won the Best Supporting Actor BAFTA for his role as Moriarty in Sherlock opposite Benedict Cumberbatch.

He was also awarded a Critics' Choice award for his portrayal of the 'Hot Priest' in the hugely successful comedy Fleabag at the start of this year alongside Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Sunday night’s pre-recorded ceremony - aired on ITV - saw Sharon D Clarke win best actress for Death Of A Salesman at the Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre.

The ceremony made sure to honour the great Ian McKellen with his seventh Olivier Award for his 80th Birthday tour.

With most theatres remaining closed in the UK due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, meaning that the Olivier Awards are not expected to take place again until 2022.

The Olivier Award for Best Actor goes to… #AndrewScott for #PresentLaughter at @OldVicTheatre! #OlivierAwards pic.twitter.com/QUQpP8wl90

— Olivier Awards (@OlivierAwards) October 25, 2020