Amy Sedaris Fell Onstage Presenting Paul Giamatti’s Award At The National Board Of Review Awards Gala — And Remained On The Floor During His Acceptance Speech

By Alex Vena
Published Jan. 12, 2024, 12:38 p.m. ET

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Amy Sedaris certainly provided some physical comedy at Thursday night’s (Jan. 11) National Board of Review Awards Gala. After presenting The Holdovers star Paul Giamatti with the Best Actor award, the Strangers With Candy actress fell on stage, per The Daily Mail.

The fall allegedly wasn’t a cause for immediate concern, for although Giamatti went over to assist her, Sedaris ultimately remained sprawled out on the floor throughout his acceptance speech.

Sedaris’ silly slip seemed to have been “part of a skit,” per the New York Post. Giamatti even pointed at Sedaris during his speech, seemingly adding another hilarious dimension to the moment.

Even the National Board of Review seemed to make light of the fall, taking to social media and joking that Giamatti “literally floored presenter Amy Sedaris with his nuanced comic performance in Alexander Payne‘s The Holdovers!”

Sedaris isn’t the first comedian to pull a stunt like this at an awards show, but her bit does seem to have been one of the better received ones. In 2022, Jimmy Kimmel was dragged for laying onstage at the Emmys while Abbott Elementary‘s Quinta Brunson delivered her acceptance speech. Thankfully, the two appeared to squash any lingering beef during an episode of Kimmel’s talk show not long after the ceremony.

Before taking home his National Board of Review award, Giamatti earned another accolade for his portrayal of Paul Hunham at the Golden Globes on Sunday (Jan. 7), winning the category of Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

Giamatti’s The Holdovers co-star, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, received the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Mary Lamb at Thursday night’s event, and the dramedy’s screenwriter, David Hemingson, won the award for Best Original Screenplay.

Some other stars honored at the awards ceremony included Lily Gladstone for Best Actress (Killers of the Flower Moon), Mark Ruffalo for Best Supporting Actor (Poor Things), Martin Scorsese for Best Director (Killers of the Flower Moon), and Maestro filmmaker and star Bradley Cooper, who was awarded the NBR Icon Award.

The Holdovers is now streaming on Peacock.