LONDON (AP) 鈥 American actor John Lithgow won the best actor trophy at the London stage Olivier Awards on Sunday for exploring the dark side of children's writer Roald Dahl in 鈥淕iant.鈥
Backwards-biographical story 鈥淭he Curious Case of Benjamin Button鈥 was named best new musical at the awards, Britain鈥檚 equivalent of Broadway鈥檚 .
star Lithgow added the Olivier to an awards shelf that already includes multiple Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe trophies, for depicting the author of 鈥淐harlie and the Chocolate Factory" in Mark Rosenblatt鈥檚 play, which confronts Dahl鈥檚 antisemitic views.
鈥淚 think I'm going to faint,鈥 said an emotional Lithgow, 79. He said he wanted to assure Britons that the transatlantic "special relationship is still firmly intact.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 not always easy to welcome an American into your midst, and at this particular moment, it鈥檚 probably a little more complicated than usual,鈥 he said.
, whose resume includes a stint as Princess Margaret in 鈥淭he Crown,鈥 took the best actress prize for her performance as shocked royal spouse Jocasta in 鈥淥edipus.鈥 Director Robert Icke鈥檚 modern-day reimagining of the ancient Greek tragedy 鈥 which opens on Broadway later this year 鈥 was named best revival of a play.
Imelda Staunton 鈥 Queen Elizabeth II in two final seasons of 鈥 won the fifth Olivier of her career, best actress in a musical, for 鈥淗ello, Dolly!鈥 Best actor in a musical went to John Dagleish as the titular man who ages in reverse in 鈥淏enjamin Button.鈥 The musical is based on a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald that also inspired a 2008 movie starring Brad Pitt.
The Oliviers were handed out in a ceremony at London鈥檚 Royal Albert Hall hosted by Broadway, TV and runway star and British soul singer Beverley Knight.
Stars in the audience included recent Academy Award winner Adrien Brody 鈥 a best-actor Olivier nominee for death-row stage drama 鈥淭he Fear of 13鈥 鈥 and Cate Blanchett, recently seen on the London stage in 鈥淭he Seagull.鈥
鈥淕iant鈥 won three prizes including best new play. 鈥淏enjamin Button鈥 also won three, as did a boisterous outdoor production of 鈥淔iddler on the Roof鈥 at Regent鈥檚 Park Open Air Theatre, which was named best musical revival.
Maimuna Memon was named best supporting actress in a musical for Tolstoy-inspired 鈥淣atasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.鈥 Layton Williams took the equivalent supporting actor prize for campy Celine Dion celebration 鈥淭itanique.鈥
For plays, supporting performer prizes went to Elliot Levey for 鈥淕iant鈥 and Romola Garai for 鈥淭he Years.鈥 Norwegian director Eline Arbo was named best director for 鈥淭he Years,鈥 an adaptation of Nobel Literature laureate Annie Ernaux鈥檚 autobiographical book.
The prizes, which recognize achievements in theater, opera and dance, were founded in 1976 and named for the late actor-director Laurence Olivier. Winners are chosen by voting groups of stage professionals and theatergoers.
