British actress Lashana Lynch has won this year's EE BAFTA Rising Star Award, an accolade that has previously gone to the likes of Tom Holland, Kristen Stewart, Daniel Kaluuya, John Boyega and Letitia Wright.
Lashana, who played the first female 007 in the most recent Bond instalment, No Time To Die, was presented the award by Lady Gaga and last year's Rising Star, Bukky Bakray. In a heartfelt acceptance speech, Lashana thanked her parents who came from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation: 'I'm grateful for a working class foundation that has taught me about failure and everything about 'Nos' and how to celebrate 'yesses''.
She added: 'I'd like to thank the women of this country who taught me what it is to be in this industry as a dark-skinned woman.'
In the winner press room she said: 'I keep wanting to give this [award] back to the owner, I’m blown away. I didn’t even think about [the BAFTAs] today. I just stayed present and had a nice time with my mum who’s here today.’
On playing Nomi in No Time To Die, she said: 'I hoped my parents’ generation would be able to experience this kind of role but I’m glad that my generation get to experience it.' In response to the negative reactions she experienced when she was cast as the first female 007, she added: 'I encourage the dislike and non-support because it remined me of the work that still needs to be done in the industry. I’m grateful for everyone who sent a bad message actually because it remined me of that.
The 34-year-old actress starred in 2012 film Fast Girls, before going on to appear in TV series Crime and Bulletproof. In 2019 she starred in Captain Marvel alongside Brie Larson. Next up, she will appear in The Woman King, a historical epic with Viola Davis and John Boyega and apartheid-era drama The Outside Room alongside Vanessa Redgrave and Emily Beecham. Lynch will also star as Miss Honey in Emma Thompson’s upcoming remake of Roald Dahl’s Matilda.
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