It’s been a strange year to be a breakout film star. Imagine signing up to a film, giving an incredible performance, and then discovering that you can’t celebrate your achievement with red carpets and champagne at award ceremonies. But with the world set to return to normal, there is cause for celebration after all: BAFTA has announced the nominations for its EE Rising Star Award. And all five would be worthy winners.
The line-up boasts five talents, all of whom are British. They are Bukky Bakray of Rocks, Conrad Khan of County Lines, Kingsley Ben-Adir of Regina King’s award-winning One Night In Miami, Saint Maud’s Morfydd Clark and His House’s Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù. All five participated in a panel discussion this morning, hosted by 1917 actor George MacKay.
‘I honestly feel so blessed to be recognised so early on in my career’, said Bukky, whose performance in Rocks – her film debut - was critically acclaimed. ‘I still can’t believe this, I’m not sure I ever will either. All the warmth and love from BAFTA and EE is beautiful and I’m grateful. Thank you.’
‘I’m delighted and disbelieving that I have been nominated for such a prestigious award by BAFTA and the EE Rising Star jury,’ added Morfydd, whose film Saint Maud has been a horror highlight of the last year. ‘Thank you to all who compiled the list of nominees. I am honoured to be recognised amongst this group of talented, British actors. It has been a difficult year for many people and I hope the next few months will bring hope and a brighter future for the arts.’
These five nominees were chosen by a group of jurors from the cultural sphere – Naomi Ackie and Alicia Vikander among them – but the winner will be selected by public vote. It’s the only BAFTA to be chosen in this way.
The nominations were announced at a virtual event in London by Edith Bowman and BAFTA Chief executive Amanda Berry, held at The Savoy Hotel. The ceremony itself will be broadcast on Sunday, the 11th of April.
What are you waiting for? Get voting here. And revisit last year's amazing ceremony via our online gallery:
SEE: The best dressed at the BAFTAs 2020
1 of 30Zoe Kravitz wearing Saint Laurent
2 of 30Rhoda Ofori-Attah wearing Ong Oaj-Pairam, Rupert Sanderson shoes and Deborah Blyth jewellery
3 of 30Vick Hope wearing Tran Hung
4 of 30Emilia Clarke wearing Schiaparelli
5 of 30Naomi Ackie wearing Valentino
6 of 30Cinderella Balthazar
7 of 30Jessie Buckley wearing Miu Miu and Atelier Swarovski jewellery
8 of 30Gillian Anderson wearing Camilla & Marc
9 of 30Naomie Harris wearing Michael Kors Collection
10 of 30Ella Balinska wearing Giambattista Valli
11 of 30Pixie Lott
12 of 30Lily-Rose Depp wearing Chanel
13 of 30Greta Gerwig
14 of 30The Duchess of Cambridge wearing an Alexander McQueen gown that she last wore in September 2012 as part of the Diamond Jubilee tour in Malaysia
15 of 30Vanessa Kirby in Valentino
16 of 30Charlize Theron wearing Dior
17 of 30Kaitlyn Dever wearing Miu Miu
18 of 30Rebel Wilson wearing Prabal Gurung
19 of 30Daisy Ridley wearing Oscar de la Renta
20 of 30Saoirse Ronan wearing a Gucci gown made using discarded satin
21 of 30Florence Pugh wearing Dries Van Noten
22 of 30Renee Zellweger wearing Prada
23 of 30Olivia Coleman wearing Alexander McQueen
24 of 30Margot Robbie wearing Chanel and Rupert Sanderson shoes.
25 of 30Zazie Beetz wearing Maria Moscone
26 of 30Alice Eve wearing a Ralph & Russo dress from the Fall Couture 2017 collection
27 of 30Rooney Mara wearing Givenchy
28 of 30Scarlett Johansson wearing Atelier Versace
29 of 30Jodie Turner-Smith wearing Gucci
30 of 30Laura Dern wearing Valentino
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