Harry Potter wins top prize

The final instalment of the Harry Potter film franchise has won the top prize at the 2012 Empire Awards, held at London’s Grosvenor Hotel.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 scooped best film and best director for David Yates.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy star Gary Oldman collected the best actor award, for playing George Smiley in the big screen adaptation of John Le Carre’s novel.

The British actor confessed some of the awards he has won so far are so “ugly” they never see the light of day but said of the Empire award: “It’s one of the few that we can actually put up.”

The 54-year-old actor also revealed he is looking forward to adopting George Smiley’s diet again to reprise his role in the sequel to the award-winning film.

Director Tim Burton was awarded the Empire Legend award, presented to him by Batman Returns star Danny DeVito.

Twenty Twelve star Olivia Colman won best actress for her portrayal of an abused wife in Tyrannosaur and The Inbetweeners Movie was named best comedy. New Bond girl Berenice Marlohe presented the best sci-fi/fantasy award to comic book adventure Thor.

The French actress, looking stunning in a red, figure-hugging Donna Karan dress, revealed she is loving working with James Bond star Daniel Craig on new film Skyfall.

She said: “It’s great. He’s absolutely wonderful as a human being and he has a wonderful sense of human, so it’s really good to work in these conditions as actors because you feel very relaxed and part of a family.”

Ms Marlohe gushed she was delighted to be playing a “strong” and “colourful” character in the highly-anticipated,top-secret film.

She said: “I always felt connected to the James Bond movies because they are so unique and the characters are, whether bad girls, or good girls, very colourful and you don’t see that in every movie.”

Full list of winners

The art of 3D: The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Best male newcomer: Tom Hiddleston
Best female newcomer: Felicity Jones
Best comedy: The Inbetweeners Movie
Best thriller: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best horror: Kill List
Best sci-fi/fantasy: Thor
Best actor: Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best actress: Olivia Colman for Tyrannosaur
Best British film: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows − Part 2
Empire Hero: Michael Fassbender
Empire Legend: Tim Burton
Empire Inspiration: Ron Howard
Best director: David Yates (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows − Part 2)
Done In 60 Seconds short film award: Indira Suleimenova for Black Swan