American actresses Michelle Williams and Melissa McCarthy have become the first women to receive special awards celebrating Irish talent in the film industry.

The two stars, who were both born in the U.S., were among the honorees at the Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film event in Santa Monica, California, on Thursday night.

The awards, named after the famed Irish writer, celebrate Irish culture in the film industry and have previously been handed to non-Irish stars including Paul Rudd and James L. Brooks, but Williams and McCarthy are the first women to accept the honor.

Williams...