Stars from both sides of the Atlantic and beyond walked the red carpet Sunday for the British Academy Film Awards, where atom-bomb epic 害羞草研究所淥ppenheimer害羞草研究所� could smash a 53-year-old record if it makes good on its field-leading 13 nominations.
Christopher Nolan 害羞草研究所檚 biopic of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer is up for trophies including best film, best director and best actor for star Cillian Murphy. A good night could see it surpass the record nine awards won by 害羞草研究所淏utch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid害羞草研究所� at the BAFTAs in 1971.
It faces stiff competition in what害羞草研究所檚 widely considered a vintage year for cinema. Gothic fantasia 害羞草研究所淧oor Things害羞草研究所� has 11 nominations, including best film, director for Yorgos Lanthimos and actress for Emma Stone. Historical epic 害羞草研究所淜illers of the Flower Moon害羞草研究所� and Holocaust drama 害羞草研究所� The Zone of Interest害羞草研究所� have nine nominations each for the prizes, officially called the EE BAFTA Film Awards.
The ceremony, hosted by 害羞草研究所淒octor Who害羞草研究所� star David Tennant, will be a glitzy, British-accented appetizer for Hollywood害羞草研究所檚 Academy Awards, closely watched for hints about who might win at the Oscars on March 10.
Nominees including Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Rosamund Pike, Ryan Gosling and Ayo Edebiri were all expected on the red carpet at London害羞草研究所檚 Royal Festival Hall, along with presenters that include Andrew Scott, Cate Blanchett, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Idris Elba.
Guest of honor will be Prince William, in his role as president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. He害羞草研究所檒l be without his wife, Kate, who is recovering after abdominal surgery last month.
Newcomer Dominic Sessa, a best supporting actor nominee for his role as a troubled high school student in 害羞草研究所淭he Holdovers,害羞草研究所� said he was 害羞草研究所渉aving the time of my life害羞草研究所� on the awards circuit.
Other leading contenders include French courtroom drama 害羞草研究所淎natomy of a Fall,害羞草研究所� boarding school coming-of-age drama 害羞草研究所淭he Holdovers害羞草研究所� and Leonard Bernstein biopic 害羞草研究所淢aestro害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� each with seven nominations 害羞草研究所� and grief-flecked love story 害羞草研究所淎ll of Us Strangers害羞草研究所� with six. Barbed class-war dramedy 害羞草研究所淪altburn 害羞草研究所� has five nominations.
害羞草研究所淏arbie,害羞草研究所� one half of 2023害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淏arbenheimer害羞草研究所� box office juggernaut and the year害羞草研究所檚 top-grossing film, also has five nominations but missed out on nods for best picture and best director. Many saw the omission of 害羞草研究所淏arbie害羞草研究所� director Greta Gerwig 害羞草研究所� for both the BAFTAs and the Oscars 害羞草研究所� as a major snub.
The best film race pits 害羞草研究所淥ppenheimer害羞草研究所� against 害羞草研究所淧oor Things,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淜illers of the Flower Moon,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淎natomy of a Fall害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淭he Holdovers.害羞草研究所�
The BAFTAs also celebrate home-grown cinema with a separate category of best British film, an eclectic slate that includes 害羞草研究所淪altburn害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� snubbed at the Oscars but embraced by the U.K. academy 害羞草研究所� alongside imperial epic 害羞草研究所淣apoleon,害羞草研究所� south London romcom 害羞草研究所淩ye Lane害羞草研究所� and chocolatier origin story 害羞草研究所淲onka,害羞草研究所� among others.
Britain害羞草研究所檚 film academy introduced changes to increase the awards害羞草研究所� diversity in 2020, when no women were nominated as best director for the seventh year running and all 20 nominees in the lead and supporting performer categories were white.
However, there is only one woman among this year害羞草研究所檚 six best-director nominees: Justine Triet for 害羞草研究所淎natomy of a Fall.害羞草研究所� Gerwig, Emerald Fennell for 害羞草研究所淪altburn害羞草研究所� and Celine Song for star-crossed romance 害羞草研究所淧ast Lives害羞草研究所� all failed to make the list.
A woman of color could take the best actress BAFTA for the first time, with Fantasia Barrino for 害羞草研究所淭he Color Purple害羞草研究所� and Vivian Oparah for 害羞草研究所淩ye Lane害羞草研究所� nominated alongside Sandra H眉ller for 害羞草研究所淎natomy of a Fall,害羞草研究所� Mulligan for 害羞草研究所淢aestro,害羞草研究所� Margot Robbie for 害羞草研究所淏arbie害羞草研究所� and Stone for 害羞草研究所淧oor Things.害羞草研究所�
German actress H眉ller, who also was up for best supporting actress for her work in 害羞草研究所淭he Zone of Interest,害羞草研究所� said she was just 害羞草研究所渢rying to be calm.害羞草研究所�
No British performers are nominated in the best-actor category, but Ireland is represented by Murphy for 害羞草研究所淥ppenheimer害羞草研究所� and Barry Keoghan for 害羞草研究所淪altburn.害羞草研究所� They害羞草研究所檙e up against Cooper for 害羞草研究所淢aestro,害羞草研究所� Colman Domingo for civil rights biopic 害羞草研究所淩ustin,害羞草研究所� Paul Giamatti for 害羞草研究所淭he Holdovers害羞草研究所� and Teo Yoo for 害羞草研究所淧ast Lives.害羞草研究所�
Ukraine war documentary 害羞草研究所�20 Days in Mariupol,害羞草研究所� produced by The Associated Press and PBS 害羞草研究所淔rontline,害羞草研究所� is nominated for best documentary and best film not in the English language.
害羞草研究所淓very step of this journey is a miracle,害羞草研究所� said filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov, who captured the harrowing reality of life in the besieged city with an AP team. 害羞草研究所淲e represent not just this city, not just Mariupol, but all Ukrainians.害羞草研究所�
The ceremony is set to include musical performances by 害羞草研究所淭ed Lasso害羞草研究所� star Hannah Waddingham and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the latter singing her 2001 hit 害羞草研究所淢urder on the Dancefloor,害羞草研究所� which shot back up the charts after featuring in 害羞草研究所淪altburn.害羞草研究所�
Actress Samantha Morton will receive the academy害羞草研究所檚 highest honor, the BAFTA Fellowship, and film curator June Givanni, founder of the June Givanni PanAfrican Cinema Archive, will be honored for outstanding British contribution to cinema.
Sunday害羞草研究所檚 ceremony will be broadcast on BBC One in the U.K. from 1900GMT, and on streaming service BritBox in the U.S., Canada, Australia and South Africa.
Hilary Fox contributed to this story.
Jill Lawless, The Associated Press
