With five trophies, Trent Dalton’s coming-of-age drama “Boy Swallows Universe” was the big winner at the 2024 Logie Awards, while Rob Sitch’s “Utopia” scored a hat-trick, and Larry Emdur nabbed the Gold Logie, the night’s most prestigious honour.
Based on the popular semi-autobiographical book by Dalton, “Boy Swallows Universe” gobbled up all before it, two of those trophies going to the young lead Felix Cameron, playing Eli Bell.
Cameron visited the stage to collect the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent and the TV Week Silver Logie for Best Lead Actor in a Drama.
In the early stages of the four-hour broadcast on Channel 7, veteran actor Bryan Brown, winner of the Best Supporting Actor Silver Logie for his portrayal of Arthur “Slim” Halliday, gave a pre-taped call-out to his colleagues on “Boy Swallows Universe,” singling-out Bell. “You’re a ripper mate,” he said, “and I loved working with you. Even if you called me Bryanasaurus.”
Set in west Brisbane in the 1980s, the Netflix series also won Best Supporting Actress for Sophie Wilde (as Frances Bell) and Best Miniseries or Telemovie. During his winner’s speech, Dalton gave a shout-out to Brisbane and suburban mums everywhere.
Also during the telecast, Rob Sitch’s dry comedy “Utopia” was a triple-threat, taking out Best Scripted Comedy Program, Best Lead Actress in a Comedy (Kitty Flanagan), and Sitch took home Best Lead Actor in a Comedy.
Beloved New Zealand-born actor Rebecca Gibney was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame, recognition for her work on “Packed to the Rafters,” “Hallifax,” “The Flying Doctors,” and more. Gibney dedicated the award to her mother, Shirley, “who overcame the most traumatic childhood and raised six children very much single-handedly and often under difficult circumstances as she taught us the moment important thing in life is forgiveness, kindness and respect,” she recounted. “If you could be anything you want to be in this world, make sure you treat people as you would wish to be treated. I have been so fortunate to have been guided and supported by some incredible and visionary women on this journey.”
Gibney becomes just the fourth woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame since its introduction in 1984, joining the late Ruth Cracknell, Noni Hazlehurst and Kerri-Anne Kennerley. “I know there are many more to come,” she remarked.
During the 64th ceremony, presented at The Star Sydney, 2024 ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Missy Higgins performed her early hit “The Sound of White” during the in memoriam segment, while Guy Sebastian and Jessica Mauboy paid musical tribute to John Farnham, first with Sebastian singing a cover of “Burn for You,” before the singers duetted on “You’re the Voice.” Farnham, who has battled health issues in recent years, was not in the house to collect the award for Best Factual or Documentary Program, won by “John Farnham: Finding the Voice,” on Seven Network.
“The Chase Australia” and “The Morning Show” host Larry Emdur had two big reasons to celebrate: the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter and the Gold Logie.
On winning the Gold Logie, Emdur quipped that he was the “most axed” host in showbiz. The secret to his success is no longer a secret. Some fatherly advice was passed down early in Emdur’s career, he told the audience. “Just be nice to everyone,” were the wise words. Later, his father checked in on how that advice was working. “I’m trying,” Larry quipped, “but there’s so many arseholes in this business. So many.”
Read the full list of winners here.