AACTA 2022: Ronny Chieng gives wildest acceptance speech ever

Ronny Chieng won the AACTA Award for Best Stand-Up Special on Wednesday night, but the comedian had more pressing matters to attend to.

The Malaysian-born actor, 37, was unable to show up to the prestigious awards ceremony because he had laundry to finish instead. 

Nevertheless, New York-based Chieng didn’t want to miss out on receiving his accolade, so he videoed in from his hotel room to give his acceptance speech while ironing. 

Bojana Novakovic and Gracie Otto presented the award for his Netflix special Speakeasy on stage at The Hordern in Sydney.

Ever the funnyman at heart, footage of Chieng showed up on the big screen as they announced him as the winner.

He stood in his hotel room, ironing a white button-up shirt as he gave his acceptance speech, thanking his Australian wife Hannah Pham, his managers, producers and director. 

The Malaysian-born actor was unable to show up to the prestigious awards ceremony because he had laundry to finish instead

Chieng also thanked the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for giving him the ‘support and platform when I was first starting out’. 

Director of Photography Cameron Barnett was next on the list along with his colleagues at All Things Comedy, Century Artists and Netflix America. 

‘I also want to thank everyone who came out to watch my shows. I started doing stand-up comedy in Australia and Australia has always shown up for me and I really appreciate it,’ Chieng added. 

Nevertheless, Chieng didn’t want to miss out on receiving his accolade, so he videoed in from his hotel room to give his acceptance speech while ironing

‘And to all the minorities in Australia who might be listening to this right now, I just want to say, especially the Asian Australians, I hope this shows that if you work hard and you pick talented people to collaborate with, you too can do cool stuff if you first move to America.’

Chieng was one among a slew of actors who won awards on the Australian film industry’s night of nights. 

Chris Hemsworth received the coveted Trailblazer Award, beaming as he stepped on stage to receive it from pal and fellow actor Russell Crowe, with whom he starred in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Bojana Novakovic and Gracie Otto presented the award for his Netflix special Speakeasy on stage at The Hordern in Sydney. Ever the funnyman at heart, footage of Chieng showed up on the big screen as they announced him as the winner

Crowe, 58, burst with pride as he watched Hemsworth, 39, give his acceptance speech from the side of the stage.

It’s the first time Hemsworth has received a prize from the organisation, with his only nomination coming in 2020 for Global Star of the Decade.

The former Home and Away star, who joins previous winners Simon Baker, Isla Fisher Rose Byrne, said he didn’t take his start in the Australian screen industry for granted. 

Chris Hemsworth (pictured) also received the coveted Trailblazer Award, beaming as he stepped on stage to receive it from pal and fellow actor Russell Crowe, with whom he starred in Thor: Love and Thunder