The Artist and The Lady: Meryl Streep wins Best Actress while Jean Dujardin scoops the Best Actor award at the 2012 Baftas

It was a role that some said she was born to play while other were left less then impressed.
But Meryl Streep silenced her critics tonight when she scooped the coveted Best Actress Bafta for her portrayal of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.
She was the favourite to win but Meryl, 62, looked absolutely stunned as her name was read out at the Royal Opera House in London.
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This one's for Maggie! Meryl Streep happily poses with her Best Actress award for her role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady

She nearly didn't make it! Meryl held up her award which she collected after losing her shoe as she made her way to the stage

Wearing a low cut Vivienne Westwood dress which showed off her impressive cleavage, she took to the stage to accept her award.

 

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She almost lost her shoe in the process but Colin Firth gallantly came to her assistance and put it back on her foot as she laughed and told the audience: 'That couldn't have gone worse!'

I won one of those last year, you know: Colin Firth, who scooped Best Actor in 2011, points at Meryl's gong after he presented the actress with the gold statuette

A true gent: Colin Firth gallantly replaced Meryl's shoe when it fell off as she went up to collect her award

Uncanny: Meryl received initial criticism when she landed the role but her nominations and wins have silenced her critics

And she added: 'Somebody once said the fate of the well known is to be misunderstood. The ambition of this film was to look at the life of The Iron Lady form inside out and locate something real.
'Something that may be hidden but truthful in the life of someone that we have all decided we know something about already. I am very proud of the film. Half of me is Streep but half of me is Wilkinson from Lincolnshire so I come by this part honestly.'

Bonjour, monsieur! The Artist star Jean Dujardin poses with his Best Actor Bafta

Silence is golden: Jean in his role as George Valentin in The Artist alongside his canine co-star Uggie

She had beaten off stiff competition from Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in A Week With Marilyn, The Help's Viola Davis, Tilda Swinton in We Need To Talk About Kevin, and Berenice Bejo in The Artist.
And this is her second BAFTA for leading actress, having taken the award in 1981 for The French Lieutenant's Woman.

'I'll be sleeping with this tonight!' Octavia Spencer poses with her Best Supporting Actress award for her role as Minnie Jackson in The Help

Critical acclaim: Octavia as Minnie Jackson alongside her co-star Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote in The Help

The Artist's leading man Jean Dujardin won Best Actor, stealing it from under the noses of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Gary Oldman and Michael Fassbender.
Best Supporting Actress went to Octavia Spencer for her role as Minnie Jackson in the critically-acclaimed film The Help.

Best Supporting Actor: The award went to Christopher Plummer for his role in Beginners, seen here in a scene with Ewan McGregor

She triumphed over her fellow nominees Carey Mulligan, her The Help co-star Jessica Chastain, Judi Dench and Melissa McCarthy.
Octavia, 39, accepted her award from Harry Potter and Woman In Black star Daniel Radcliffe who said: 'I'm glad I don't have to choose the winner out of such an outstandingly talented group!'

Missed out: Tildas Swinton, Michelle Williams and Viola Davis lost to Streep as did Berenice Bejo who wasn't at the ceremony

And looking fabulous in a long ruffled black skirt and white shirt, she told the audience: 'It’s been said that The Help is an American movie about American problems in American history and I’m so grateful to you for seeing beyond that.'
The male version of her category went to Christopher Plummer, who scooped the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Beginners.

There's always the Oscars, fellas! George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender missed out on the Best Actor gong

England expected: Gary Oldman, seen on the red carpet with wife Alexandra Edenborough, was one of tonight's favourites to win but it wasn't meant to be

He beat off competition from Jim Broadbent, Jonah Hill, Kenneth Branagh and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
But Plummer wasn't at the ceremony and Helena Bonham Carter, who was on stage to present the award, said: 'He's not here! He's not here! I'll get it to him!'