Film and TV stars lineup for this year's IFTAs

The Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTAs) are almost upon us, and this year sees a stellar line-up gracing the red carpet.

Top celebrities such as Michael Fassbender, Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Jamie Dornan are to attend the event, with President Michael D Higgins receiving a special award on the night for his contribution to the industry.

This year’s hosts are Laura Whitmore and Simon Delaney, with celebs such as Jeremy Irons, Steve Coogan, and Jack Reynor among those presenting awards.

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A noticeably less pregnant Amy Huberman is also set to bestow one of the coveted awards — a year after almost giving birth at last year’s IFTAs.

The Threesome actress, and wife of rugby player Brian O’Driscoll, narrowly avoided a dramatic red-carpet birth at the ceremony when baby Sadie arrived two weeks early.

Speaking on The John Murray Show on RTÉ Radio One, Whitmore said she was glad to be back in Ireland after the hustle and bustle of London life.

“It’s great to be home for a bit now and we’re all very excited about [the awards] so it’s gonna be good.”

When asked to co-present the 11th annual IFTAs, Whitmore said she was delighted to accept and agreed to the gig straight away.

“To present an award one year and to co-host it another year is great,” she said.

Speaking about her rumoured romance with singer/songwriter Paolo Nutini, the MTV starlet and Wicklow native gave nothing away, saying she was just an ordinary girl and resented seeing information about her personal life in the papers.

“Life is hard enough without everyone else, kind of, guessing what you’re doing, so it’s a bit of a pain. But if this is the small, little negative thing I have to cope with to do the job that I love, I’ll take it,” Whitmore said, adding that “my friends and family know to take things with a pinch of salt”.

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* The 11th annual Irish Film and Television Awards take place tonight at the DoubleTree Hotel. Go to www.irishexaminer.com from 5pm for coverage live from the red carpet, as well as of the awards ceremony itself.

A selection of nominees:

Best film

Byzantium

Calvary

Run & Jump

The Sea

The Stag

Lead actor (film)

Brendan Gleeson — Calvary

Domhnall Gleeson — About Time

Ciarán Hinds — The Sea

Andrew Scott — The Stag

Lead actress (film)

Antonia Campbell-Hughes — 3096 Days

Jane McGrath — Black Ice

Saoirse Ronan — Byzantium

Kelly Thornton — Life’s A Breeze

Supporting actor (film)

Colin Farrell — Saving Mr Banks

Michael Fassbender — 12 Years A Slave

Edward MacLiam — Run & Jump

Peter McDonald — The Stag

Supporting actress (film)

Sinead Cusack — The Sea

Fionnula Flanagan — Life’s A Breeze

Amy Huberman — The Stag

Orla O’Rourke — Calvary

Best drama (TV)

The Fall

Game of Thrones

Love/Hate 4

Quirke — Elegy For April

Vikings

Actor in a lead role in television

Gabriel Byrne — Quirke — Elegy For April

Jamie Dornan — The Fall

Chris O’Dowd — Moone Boy

Tom Vaughan Lawlor — Love/Hate 4

Actress in a lead role in television

Eva Birthistle — Amber

Charlie Murphy — Love/Hate 4

Mary Murray — Love/Hate 4

Deirdre O’Kane — Moone Boy

Actor in a supporting role in television

Peter Coonan — Love/Hate 4

Liam Cunningham — Game of Thrones

Aidan Gillen — Game of Thrones

Allen Leech — Downton Abbey

Actress in a supporting role in television

Elaine Cassidy — The Paradise

Caoilfhionn Dunne — Love/Hate 4

Michelle Fairley — Game of Thrones

Victoria Smurfit — Dracula

International film

12 Years A Slave

Gravity

Philomena

The Wolf of Wall Street

International actor

Chiwetel Ejiofor — 12 Years A Slave

Leonardo DiCaprio — The Wolf of Wall Street

Michael Douglas — Behind The Candelabra

Mathew McConaughey — Dallas Buyers Club

International actress

Amy Adams — American Hustle

Cate Blanchett — Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock — Gravity

Judi Dench — Philomena