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BRIT stars KEIRA KNIGHTLEY and JULIE CHRISTIE were sensationally snubbed at the Baftas - in favour of an unknown actress from France.

In a night of shocks at the star studded bash, MARION COTILLARD beat both our girls to pick up the Best Actress award.

Film buffs were left stunned as Julie, 66, had been heavily backed at 2/7 ON to pick up the gong.

She and 32-year-old brunette Marion, who was brought up in Paris, will now go head to head once again at the Oscars in two weeks time.

In an embarrassing moment on the red carpet, Marion was mistaken for rival Keira Knightley by around 50 screaming fans.



Lost out ... Keira

They started chanting “Keira, Keira we love you” before she turned around and told fans “I’m French”, while the real Knightley looked on in disbelief.

Keira was also upstaged in the glamour stakes by Brit rival SIENNA MILLER who wore £1million worth of diamonds — and thrilled male admirers with a sexy black dress that clung to her curvy behind.

Marion is the first ever French winner of the Best Actress award at the Baftas.

Golden Globe winner Marion stars in French made movie La Vie en Rose which was the BIG winner of the night with an impressive four gongs.

The film about legendary 40s and 50s singer EDITH PIAF also won awards for Music, Make Up & Hair and Costume Design.

But for war time drama Atonement the night turned into one of disappointment.

JOE WRIGHT's adaptation of IAN MCEWAN's bestselling novel was nominated for a record 14 Baftas and was expected to sweep the board.

But The Brit film walked away with only two - one of which was the prestigious gong for Best Film. It also won the Production Design award.

In another surprise, stunning Sienna Miller lost out to LA star SHIA LABEOUF to be named as The Orange Rising Star in 2008 for his part in Transformers.

And she remained tight-lipped about romance as she walked down the red carpet without current boyfriend RHYS IFANS, who was presenting at the awards.

When asked whether she was looking forward to Valentine's Day she flustered; “Valentine's day? No, not really,no.”

Looking stunning in a Dior dress, Sienna revealed that she would be wearing a black wig in her next role, for G.I. Joe.

“I've been training for the film,” she said. “Running around and learning how to fight.”

One Bafta result that DID go the way predicted was red hot favourite DANIEL DAY-LEWIS picking up the award for Best Actor for his performance as oil baron Daniel Plainview. He was 1/10 ON to do so with Ladbrokes.

The huge bash held at The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden was the first chance for some of the world's biggest stars to show off their party frocks.

The Writer's Strike in America led to the cancellation of a glitzy bash to commemorate The Golden Globes.

You can see snaps of the winners with their gongs in the slideshow, below.




Among the stars who did attend were RICKY GERVAIS, SAMANTHA MORTON, Bond beauty EVA GREEN and THANDIE NEWTON.

They were joined by ORLANDO BLOOM, KEVIN SPACEY, Harry Potter star DANIEL RADCLIFFE and TILDA SWINTON and all the stars were cheered into the impressive building by thousands of fans.

Comedian Gervais arrived early to present an award and said: “I like attending these things because it gives me a chance to ask people to appear on Extras.”

The event which was broadcast on the BBC, was hosted by JONATHAN ROSS.

The winners are voted by a 6,500 strong Bafta panel of judges and they made sure it had an international flavour with wins for America, France, Britain, Germany and Spain.



Among the other Brit successes were veteran star Tilda Swinton, who won the gong for Best Supporting Actress for her part in the thriller Michael Clayton.

Best British Film was This Is England and there were two gongs for action movie, The Bourne Ultimatum.

Modern day western No Country For Old Men won three Baftas.

ANTHONY HOPKINS was awarded the Academy Fellowship, the highest accolade bestowed by Bafta, in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film.

And BARRY WILKINSON was presented with the award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. His credits include Indiana Jones, Titanic, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Fifth Element, and the Harry Potter films.

Potter star Daniel Radcliffe presented the award to prop man Barry but embarrassingly fluffed his lines on stage. He stumbled: “I congratulate him on his early work on Harry Potter. No, he's been doing it for year by then. What am I talking about? I misread the autocue.”

The Sun

[Captain.Remy]

Yeah I read tha this morning, I'm so glad Marion won again, she deserved it. Keira must be really pissed off haha