Editing Colin Firth (section)

===2009–2011: Critical success===
[[File:Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter filming (cropped).jpg|thumb|Firth with [[Helena Bonham Carter]] on the set of ''[[The King's Speech]]'' in 2009, his most critically acclaimed role to date]]

At the [[66th Venice International Film Festival]] in 2009, Firth received the [[Volpi Cup]] for Best Actor for his role in [[Tom Ford]]'s directorial debut ''[[A Single Man]],'' as a college professor grappling with solitude after the death of his longtime partner. His performance earned him career-best reviews and Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors' Guild, BAFTA, and BFCA nominations; he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in February 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8526670.stm|title=Bafta wins for Carey Mulligan and Colin Firth |date=21 February 2010|work=BBC News|access-date=14 February 2011}}</ref>

Firth starred in the 2010 film ''[[The King's Speech]]'' as [[George VI|Prince Albert, Duke of York/King George VI]], detailing his efforts to overcome his speech impediment while becoming monarch of the United Kingdom at the end of 1936. At the [[Toronto International Film Festival]] (TIFF),<ref name=Evans2010>{{Citation | title = Tom Hooper, Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush at The King's Speech premiere at the 35th Toronto International Film Festival  | url = http://www.digitalhit.com/galleries/38/539/15  | year = 2010  | author = Evans, Ian  | publisher = DigitalHit.com  | access-date = 3 August 2011 }}</ref> the film received a standing ovation. The TIFF release of ''The King's Speech'' fell on Firth's 50th birthday and was called the "best 50th birthday gift". On 16 January 2011, he won a Golden Globe for his performance in ''The King's Speech'' in the category of [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama|Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama]]. The [[Screen Actors Guild]] recognised him with the award for Best Male Actor on 30 January 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/8260914/Golden-Globes-2011-Colin-Firth-wins-Best-Actor-as-The-Social-Network-takes-four-awards.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/8260914/Golden-Globes-2011-Colin-Firth-wins-Best-Actor-as-The-Social-Network-takes-four-awards.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Golden Globes 2011: Colin Firth wins Best Actor as The Social Network takes four awards|date=17 January 2011|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=14 February 2011|location=London|first=Melissa|last=Whitworth}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
In February 2011, he won his second consecutive [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|best actor award]] at the [[64th British Academy Film Awards|2011 BAFTA awards]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/feb/13/baftas-2011-the-kings-speech|title=Baftas 2011: The King's Speech sweeps the board|date=14 February 2011|work=The Guardian|access-date=14 February 2011|location=London|first=Mark|last=Brown}}</ref> and received an [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] in on 27 February 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/8353278/Colin-Firth-takes-Oscars-crown-as-British-film-proves-mother-knows-best.html# |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303131238/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/8353278/Colin-Firth-takes-Oscars-crown-as-British-film-proves-mother-knows-best.html |archive-date=2011-03-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Colin Firth takes Oscars crown as British film proves mother knows best|date=28 February 2011|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=28 February 2011|location=London|first=Anita|last=Singh}}</ref> The film grossed $414,211,549 worldwide.<ref name=kingsspeechboxoffice>{{cite web|title=The King's Speech box office statistics|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=kingsspeech.htm|work=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb.com, Inc.|access-date=23 January 2013}}</ref>

Firth appeared as senior British secret agent [[Bill Haydon]] in the 2011 adaptation of the [[John le Carré]] novel ''[[Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (film)|Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy]]'', directed by [[Tomas Alfredson]] and co-starring [[Gary Oldman]], [[Benedict Cumberbatch]], [[Tom Hardy]], [[Mark Strong]] and [[John Hurt]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cinematical.com/2010/08/16/benedict-cumberbatch-joins-tinker-tailor-soldier-spy/ |title=Benedict Cumberbatch Joins 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' |date=16 August 2010 |access-date=4 September 2010}}</ref> It gathered mostly excellent reviews.<ref name=RTTTSS>{{cite web|title=Tinker Tailor Soldier, Spy 2011|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tinker_tailor_soldier_spy/|work=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Flixster, Inc.|access-date=3 February 2013}}</ref> ''The Independent'' described Firth's performance as "suavely arrogant" and praised the film.<ref name=IndepTTSS>{{cite news|last=Romney|first=Johnathan|title=Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (15)|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-15-2356404.html|access-date=3 February 2013|newspaper=The Independent|date=18 September 2011}}</ref> Deborah Young in ''The Hollywood Reporter'' thought Firth got "all the best dialogue", which he delivered "sardonically".<ref name="HRTTSS9 May 2011">{{cite news|last=Young|first=Deborah|title=Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Venice Film Review|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy/review/231215|access-date=3 February 2013|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=9 May 2011}}</ref> Leslie Felperin in ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote that all the actors brought their "A game" and Firth was in "particularly [[choleric]], amusing form."<ref name=Felperinvariety09052011>{{cite news|last=Felperin|first=Leslie|title=Venice Film Festival Review Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117945968/?categoryid=31&cs=1|access-date=3 February 2013|newspaper=Variety|date=5 September 2011}}</ref>