LIMERICK ACTOR Ruth Negga has won at the Independent Spirit Awards for Best Supporting Female for her role in Passing.
Set in 1920s New York City, the Netflix film follows a black woman (Tessa Thompson) who finds her world up-ended when her life becomes intertwined with a former childhood friend who's passing as white (Negga).
She beat Kerry actor Jessie Buckley, who was nominated at the Spirits for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter, to the prize at a ceremony by Santa Monica Pier.
The actress wasn’t able to attend the awards show in person, but she spoke about the win in a video acceptance speech.
"Thank you very much," she said. "My cheeks hurt because I can’t stop smiling. I would just like to share this with the entire cast and crew of Passing.
"Nothing can be created in isolation without anybody else. We create in solidarity with others, and so I feel like this is an award for all of us."
"I’m just so proud to have been part of such a beautiful, beautiful film."
Negga wrapped up her speech by showing her support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
"I’m glad to express my solidarity with the peoples of Ukraine at this time," she said.
Negga is also nominated at the upcoming BAFTA awards and was a winner with the London Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics.
Passing also won for Best Cinematography, with The Lost Daughter winning the Best Feature category.
The Independent Spirit Awards are an annual awards dedicated to independent filmmakers, with this year's ceremony taking place in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Other winners include Taylour Paige for Best Female Lead in Zola, which also won Best Editing; 7 Days, which won Best First Feature; Pig, which won Best First Screenplay; Red Rocket, which won Best Male Lead; CODA, which won Best Supporting Male; Drive My Car, which won Best International Film; Summer of Soul, which won Best Documentary; and Shiva Baby, which received the John Cassavetes Award.
For the second time in its history, this year’s Spirit Awards also honored exceptional content in television. This year’s major winners in the TV categories were Reservation Dogs, which won Best New Scripted Series and Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series; Black and Missing, which won Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series; The Underground Railroad, which won Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series; and Squid Game, which won Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series.
