Category: Entertainment

  • How to Watch the 2026 BAFTA Awards Online in the U.S.

    How to Watch the 2026 BAFTA Awards Online in the U.S.

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    Hosted by Alan Cumming at London’s Royal Festival Hall, the 79th BAFTA Film Awards will, for the first time ever, be broadcast in the U.S. on cable TV. The ceremony airs on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 8 p.m. PT/ET on E!, meaning cord-cutters can watch on any live TV streaming service that carries the network, including DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV.

    At a Glance: How to Watch 2026 BAFTA Awards Online

    Since select streamers are offering free trials and limited-time discounts, viewers can catch the star-studded evening at no cost; keep reading to learn more about each option, and scroll down for this year’s nominees, performers and presenters.

    Where to Watch BAFTA Awards 2026: Air Date and Time, Stream Free Online in the U.S.

    The 79th BAFTA Film Awards air in the U.S. on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 8 p.m. PT/ET, on E!, which can be livestreamed via DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Sling or Hulu + Live TV. While the easiest way to watch the ceremony is through DirecTV’s trial period, The Hollywood Reporter is further outlining each streaming option ahead.

    Five-day free trial; packages from $19.99 per month

    E! is included in any of DirecTV’s signature packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate and Premier. Plus, DirecTV is offering a five-day free trial for its streaming service, meaning new subscribers can catch the performance at no cost.

    Learn more about each plan option, including how to build your own channel lineup (starting at just $19.99 per month), at directv.com.

    Half off first month for select plans

    E! is included in Sling’s Blue Plan, starting at $45.99 per month.

    For the best bang for your buck, opt for Sling’s Orange & Blue plan, which is currently half off for the first month: $33 for the first month and $65.99 monthly thereafter.

    Three-day free trial; packages from $82.99 per month

    Watch E! for free with a three-day trial to Hulu + Live TV, which comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, starting at $89.99 per month.

    BAFTA Nominations 2026

    Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another leads the film nominees with 14 nods, closely followed by Ryan Coogler’s Sinners with 13. Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet and Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme earned 11 BAFTA nods each, while Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein earned eight a piece. Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia and Kirk Jones’ I Swear each received five noms.

    See here for the full list of 2026 BAFTA Awards nominees.

    BAFTA Winners 2026

    The Hollywood Reporter is updating the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards winners live here.

    BAFTA Performers 2026

    KPop Demon Hunters singers EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami are performing on Sunday, marking their first live show outside of the U.S. British singer-songwriter Jessie Ware will cover Barbra Streisand during the In Memoriam segment.

    BAFTA Presenters 2026

    BAFTA presenters include Aimee Lou Wood, Bryan Cranston, Cillian Murphy, David Jonsson, Delroy Lindo, Gillian Anderson, Glenn Close, Olivia Cooke, Patrick Dempsey will present awards, alongside BAFTA nominees Ethan Hawke, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Kate Hudson, Emily Watson, Stellan Skargård, Aaron Pierre, Alicia Vikander, Alia Bhatt, Erin Doherty, Hannah Waddingham, Kathryn Hahn, Karen Gillan, Kerry Washington, Little Simz, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Milly Alcock, Minnie Driver, Noah Jupe, Regé-Jean Page, Riz Ahmed, Sadie Sink, Stormzy and Warwick Davis.

  • California Dreamin’: NBC Kicks Off 2028 L.A. Olympics Marketing Campaign With Kate Hudson (Exclusive)

    California Dreamin’: NBC Kicks Off 2028 L.A. Olympics Marketing Campaign With Kate Hudson (Exclusive)

    As the 2026 Winter Olympics come to an end Sunday, NBCUniversal is officially kicking off its marketing campaign for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

    During the closing ceremonies of the Milan-Cortina games, NBC debuted a two-minute film, starring Kate Hudson and a flurry of summer Olympics stars, set to the tune of The Mamas & The Papas’ 1966 classic “California Dreamin’” and ending with NBC’s LA28 logo, which replaces the “A” with the iconic peacock logo.

    The spot, titled “LA28 Dreamin’,” tees up the next games, which some inside NBCU are betting on being a massive ratings draw, given the U.S. setting, and the addition of sports like baseball, softball, flag football and squash. It was filmed across the city, from Downtown L.A. to Venice Beach, the 6th Street Bridge and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

    NBC has also lined up 28 L.A. institutions to share the spot on social media, including the Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, SoFi Stadium and Universal Studios Hollywood.

    “As the world gathers in Milan to close one Olympic chapter, LA28 Dreamin’ opens the door to what’s next,” says Jenny Storms, NBCUniversal’s CMO for television & streaming. “With LA28 Dreamin’, we wanted to create a moment that feels both iconic and forward‑looking. Kate Hudson brings a deeply personal connection to Los Angeles, and together with the athletes and the music, it sets the tone for the next Olympic chapter — one rooted in culture, creativity, and possibility. With Kate Hudson at its center, this piece captures the spirit and unmistakable energy of Los Angeles — a love letter to the city and a powerful invitation to dream ahead to the Summer Games in 2028.”

    Other athletes featured in the spot include 2028 hopefuls Jack Alexy, Perris Benegas, Rai Benjamin, Jordan Chiles, Kelly Cheng, Jagger Eaton, Jajaira Gonzalez, Jamal Hill, Nick Itkin, Megan Kraft, Blake Leeper, Caroline Marks, Helen Maroulis and Curtis Thompson.

    NBCU, of course, has been using high-wattage stars to get viewers excited for the games going back to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. For Milan-Cortina, it dialed that up, not only bringing on talent like Snoop Dogg and Stanley Tucci for coverage, but stars like Matt Damon and Ariana Grande to star in promos teeing up the games.

    Suffice it to say, NBCU is unlikely to dial that back for what it sees as its biggest Olympics yet, set squarely in the global capital of the entertainment business (the squash competition, as it happens, will take place on Universal’s studio lot, in front of the Courthouse Square building known from Back to the Future).

  • BAFTAs Host Alan Cumming Asks for ‘Understanding’ as Tourette Syndrome Campaigner John Davidson Shouts ‘Strong Language’ and Slurs at Winners and Presenters

    BAFTAs Host Alan Cumming Asks for ‘Understanding’ as Tourette Syndrome Campaigner John Davidson Shouts ‘Strong Language’ and Slurs at Winners and Presenters

    BAFTA Film Awards host Alan Cumming thanked the audience for their understanding on Sunday night after a number of outbursts from Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson during the show.

    Davidson, who is the inspiration for BAFTA-nominated movie “I Swear,” was diagnosed with the syndrome at the age of 25. His symptoms, which first began when he was 12, include tics and uncontrollable outbursts, often involving cursing.

    A number of outbursts could be heard throughout the BAFTA ceremony, including “shut the fuck up” being shouted during an introductory speech from BAFTA chair Sara Putt and “fuck you” when the directors of “Arco,” which won the BAFTA for best children’s and family film, accepted their award. During another outburst, the audience inside the BAFTAs heard Davidson shout the n-word when Michael B, Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for best visual effects to “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”

    “You may have noticed some strong language in the background. This can be part of how Tourette’s syndrome shows up for some people as the film explores that experience,” Cumming told the audience, which included the Prince and Princess of Wales. “Thanks for your understanding and helping create a respectful space for everyone.”

    Later on in the ceremony Cumming made a further statement, saying: “Tourette’s Syndrome is a disability and the tics you’ve heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette’s Syndrome has no control over their language. We apologize if you are offended tonight.”

    The outbursts could not be heard in the second half of the ceremony when Davidson appeared to have left the room. Variety understands he left of his own accord and was not asked to leave by BAFTA. A source told Variety earlier that Davidson was an “invited guest” and under no circumstances would he be asked to leave the ceremony. BAFTA did not respond to comment regarding whether the outbursts would be cut for the broadcast, which goes out with a two-hour delay on BBC One in the U.K. (In the U.S. and other international territories it goes out on BritBox International).

    Before the ceremony began the floor manager also introduced Davidson to the audience, saying: “I’d like to welcome John Davidson MBE from one of our nominated films ‘I Swear’. John has Tourette’s Syndrome so please be aware you might hear some involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony.”

    “I Swear” features “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” star Robert Aramayo as Davidson, following him at the age of 25 after his appearance in a seminal BBC documentary “John’s Not Mad,” which first introduced Tourette’s to a wider audience.

    The film, which was directed, written, and produced by Kirk Jones, is up for five BAFTAs, including best leading actor for Aramayo, best supporting actor for his co-star Peter Mullan, best original screenplay and casting (the latter which it won). The film is also competing for outstanding British film.

    Aramayo was also awarded BAFTA’s EE Rising Star award on Sunday night. Collecting his award, Aramayo said: “John Davidson is the most remarkable man I ever met. He’s so forthcoming with education and he believes there should be still so much more we need to learn about Tourette’s. Especially, I just want to say for people who are living with Tourette’s it’s the buzz around them that helped define what their experience is so, to quote the film, ‘They need support and understanding.’”

    Since Davidson went public with his diagnosis four decades ago, a number of public figures have revealed they suffer from the syndrome, for which there is no cure. They include Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi.

    In a statement to Variety before the ceremony, Emma McNally, CEO of support and research charity Tourettes Action, said: “We’ve had a huge amount of people reach out to us about ‘I Swear,’ both individuals living with Tourette’s syndrome and those with no previous connection to the condition. All have been deeply affected by the film. It’s clearly created a huge public reaction.”

    “Viewers have told us that seeing John’s real story portrayed with such depth and honesty has given them a far more accurate understanding of what Tourette’s can look like and how it affects the individual – this is something they had given little thought to previously.”

    “We’re hopeful that as more people talk openly and more accurate on‑screen representations appear, we’ll continue moving toward a more inclusive and understanding society for everyone living with Tourette’s.”

  • Box Office: ‘Wuthering Heights’ Surpasses $150 Million, ‘GOAT’ Hits $100 Million Globally

    Box Office: ‘Wuthering Heights’ Surpasses $150 Million, ‘GOAT’ Hits $100 Million Globally

    This weekend at the global box office was the tale of two holdovers as “Wuthering Heights” waltzed to $150 million while “GOAT” hit the $100 million mark.

    Director Emerald Fennell’s gothic romantic drama “Wuthering Heights,” which ceded the top spot in North America to “GOAT,” was No. 1 at the international box office with $26.3 million from 76 markets. In a theatrical surprise, the R-rated film has been a bigger draw overseas with ticket sales having climbed to $91.7 million to date. Top foreign territories include the United Kingdom with $22.5 million, Italy with $9.4 million and Australia with $8.3 million. So far, “Wuthering Heights” has grossed $151.7 million worldwide against an $80 million production budget.

    “GOAT” captured second place with $17 million from 51 territories, representing 70% of its overseas footprint. Sony’s original animated adventure, about an animal who aspires to be a basketball champion, has earned $44 million internationally. The U.K. is the highest-grossing market with $14.5 million, followed by Mexico with $3.4 million and France with $3 million. Along with $58 million at the domestic box office, “GOAT” has generated $102.3 million against a price tag of $80 million.

    Elsewhere at the international box office, Amazon MGM’s heist thriller “Crime 101” added $6.2 million from 75 markets in its second weekend of release. The film, starring Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, has stalled with $21.6 million overseas and $46.3 million worldwide. That’s a terrible result for the studio considering it spent $90 million to produce the film (and theater owners keep roughly 50% of ticket sales).

    Outside of Hollywood releases, China’s comedy “Pegasus 3” is dominating with estimates of over $200 million during the Chinese New Year, a popular time for moviegoing in the country. The film is doing especially well in Imax with $21.7 million over the weekend, the second consecutive Chinese-language hit for the company after last year’s phenomenon “Ne Zha 2.”

  • Paul Thomas Anderson Says ‘I Feel Like the Prettiest Girl in the Room’ After Winning BAFTA Best Director Prize, Dedicates Award to Late ‘One Battle’ Producer Adam Somner

    Paul Thomas Anderson Says ‘I Feel Like the Prettiest Girl in the Room’ After Winning BAFTA Best Director Prize, Dedicates Award to Late ‘One Battle’ Producer Adam Somner

    Paul Thomas Anderson won the BAFTA Film Award for best director for his sprawling and politically-charged satire “One Battle After Another,” which has long been an awards season favorite. As he accepted the award, Anderson quipped, “I feel like the prettiest girl in the room right now,” prompting laughter from the crowd.

    But Anderson’s tone soon turned serious as he dedicated the award to the late producer, assistant director and Brit Adam Somner. “You may think that your greatest export is Alfred Hitchcock or Charlie Chaplin, but it wasn’t,” Anderson said. “To me, it was Adam Somner, who was my assistant director and producer for about 20 years. He came over to America and the line was out the door of people who wanted to work with him because he made us all better.”

    Anderson continued: “About three weeks into our film, he found out he was sick, and he made it through production. If you’ve ever gone to work before with someone who’s very ill, there’s something miraculous that makes you pay attention and reminds you the privilege of the work that we do. So thank you for sending him to me.”

    One of contemporary cinema’s most acclaimed directors, the BAFTA win is Anderson’s first for best director, having previously been nominated in the same category for “We Will Be Blood” and “Licorice Pizza.”

    Loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Vineland,” “One Battle After Another” — PTA’s most epic and ambitious film to date — follows a rabble of ex-revolutionaries reuniting to rescue a comrade’s daughter after an old enemy resurfaces. The ensemble cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and breakout Chase Infiniti.

    Anderson, also behind films such as “Boogie Nights,” “Magnolia” and “The Master,” can now add another director award to an array of honors that already includes best director at the Cannes Film Festival, the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and the Silver and Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

    “One Battle After Another” went into the BAFTA Awards leading the pack with 14 nominations, just two short of the record set by “Gandhi.” For the upcoming Academy Awards, the film has 13 nominations, with hopes that Anderson will finally add a long-awaited Oscar to his collection.

  • ‘Marty Supreme’ Ties BAFTA Record for Most Losses in History

    ‘Marty Supreme’ Ties BAFTA Record for Most Losses in History

    Marty Mauser has lost another critical match — but this time, it was in the awards game.

    Josh Safdie’s sports dramedy “Marty Supreme” left this year’s BAFTA ceremony with an unwelcome distinction, tying the record for most losses in a single night after going 0-for-11.

    The film entered BAFTA with formidable nomination strength and broad expectations of converting in at least a handful of categories — particularly for leading actor Timothée Chalamet, who picked up major stops this season at the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes in Jan. In one of the night’s biggest shocks, Chalamet lost to Robert Aramayo from Kirk Jones’ Tourette’s drama movie, “I Swear.”

    Now, the A24 contender was shut out across the board, joining “Women in Love” (1969) and “Finding Neverland” (2004) as the only films to go winless with 11 nominations. Notably, both of those titles still went on to win a single Oscar on their respective nights: Glenda Jackson for best actress (“Women in Love”) and Jan A.P. Kaczmarek for original score (“Finding Neverland”). The BAFTA result is especially striking given Safdie’s own dominance on the ballot; he is the year’s most-nominated individual with four nominations, spanning his roles as director, co-producer, co-writer and co-editor.

    Despite the BAFTA setback, “Marty Supreme” remains a formidable player in the wider awards conversation, and history offers a reminder that a rough precursor night isn’t always fatal. Another A24 title, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022), managed only one BAFTA win (film editing) before going on to take seven Oscars, including best picture, director and three acting prizes. The moving drama “Moonlight” (2016) also went without a single BAFTA win that year, losing all four of its awards, before pulling off a historic upset in best picture at the Oscars.

    Still, the optics sting with a win-less night and a record-tying losses stat, which is not the kind of headline any campaign wants in the final stretch.

    At BAFTA, “Marty Supreme” was nominated for best film, director, leading actor (Chalamet), supporting actress (Odessa A’zion), casting, original screenplay, production design, cinematography, costume design, film editing and makeup and hairstyling. At the Oscars, the film is nominated for nine, but misses BAFTA nominations for supporting actress and makeup and hairstyling.

    Final Oscar voting runs from Feb. 26 to March 5. The 98th Oscars will be held on March 15 on ABC, hosted by Conan O’Brien.

  • ‘I Swear’ Star Robert Aramayo in Shock After Being Named BAFTA Best Actor Over Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet: ‘I Honestly Can’t Believe I Won’

    ‘I Swear’ Star Robert Aramayo in Shock After Being Named BAFTA Best Actor Over Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet: ‘I Honestly Can’t Believe I Won’

    Robert Aramayo pulled off one of the all-time BAFTA upsets on Sunday night when he beat a line-up of Hollywood all-stars — Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Timothée Chalamet, Jesse Plemons and Michael B. Jordan — to take home the leading actor award for his performance as real-life Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson in Kirk Jones’ “I Swear.”

    “I absolutely can’t believe it, I can’t believe that I’m looking at people like you, in the same category as you, never mind that I’m stood here,” the tearful actor, who also stars as Elrond in Prime Video’s “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” said to his fellow nominees. “I honestly cannot believe that I have won this award. I really, really cannot. Everyone in this category blows me away.”

    Aramayo went on to thank a number of people including director and writer Jones as well as Davidson, before sharing an anecdote about Hawke from his schooldays. “When I was in school, Ethan Hawke came in to speak to us at Juilliard and he gave an amazing talk on longevity as an actor, about protecting your instrument and avoiding self destructive behaviors,” the younger actor recalled. “And it had a really great impact on everyone in that room. So to be in this category with you tonight is incredible. Thank you Ethan.”

    Still in shock, he wrapped with: “OK I’m going to stop talking now. Thank you so so so so much.”

    Earlier in the evening Aramayo also won the EE Rising Star Award while “I Swear” casting director Lauren Evans won the casting award. Co-star Peter Mullan was nominated for supporting actor while the film was nominated for outstanding British film although it lost out in the category to “Hamnet.”

    Set in 1980s Scotland, “I Swear” follows John Davidson, a young man with severe Tourette syndrome, which can present with tics and outbursts involving cursing, as he navigates rejection from his family and society at a time when the condition was barely understood, and his eventual emergence as a national advocate for the disorder.

    Davidson was present during the first half of the BAFTA ceremony, where the audience included William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, but after a number of involuntary outbursts he left midway through. BAFTAs host Alan Cumming apologized to anyone who was offended and thanked the audience for their understanding.

    Prior to the BAFTAs, Emma McNally, CEO of support and research charity Tourettes Action, told Variety: “Historically, portrayals of Tourette’s in the media have tended to focus on shock value or reduce the condition to a punchline. ‘I Swear’ is very different. It focuses on resilience, the challenges people face, and the everyday realities of living with Tourette’s, rather than relying on stereotypes or sensationalism. It’s such a powerful, compassionate film that has opened up meaningful conversations.”

    The BAFTA win marks Aramayo’s first BAFTA Film Award nomination. Aramayo had already won the British Independent Film Award for best lead performance and the ALFS Breakthrough Performer of the Year at the London Critics Circle Film Awards ahead of the BAFTA ceremony.

    “I Swear” will be eligible for the Oscars next year after only getting a U.S. release recently. After premiering at TIFF last September it got a U.K. release in Oct. 2025.

    For his BAFTA leading actor victory, Aramayo beat out Chalamet in “Marty Supreme,” DiCaprio in “One Battle After Another,” Hawke in “Blue Moon,” Jordan in “Sinners” and Plemons in “Bugonia.

  • Paul Thomas Anderson on ‘One Battle After Another’ Winning Best Film at the BAFTAs: ‘Anybody That Says Movies Aren’t Any Good Anymore Should Piss Right Off’

    Paul Thomas Anderson on ‘One Battle After Another’ Winning Best Film at the BAFTAs: ‘Anybody That Says Movies Aren’t Any Good Anymore Should Piss Right Off’

    After “One Battle After Another” claimed the BAFTA for best film on Sunday night, director Paul Thomas Anderson had a simple message for critics of modern cinema.

    “Anybody that says movies aren’t any good anymore should piss right off,” Anderson, who both wrote and directed the action thriller, said to cheers and laughter. “I want to say thank you, and I know that there’s a bar somewhere. I think we should all go there. It’s been a long evening, but we have so much to celebrate.”

    Anderson ended his speech by sharing a quote from pianist, singer and activist Nina Simone that he admitted “we stole in our film.”

    “She says, ‘I know what freedom is, it’s no fear,’” Anderson said. “So let’s keep making things without fear. It’s a good idea. See ya at the bar!”

    Asked backstage if the world needs another revolution, Anderson replied: “Well yeah, sure, we do. We always do. We just need to conduct a revolution, hopefully without violence, and do it properly … Unfortunately, the title makes sense. It just does start to seem like one battle after another these days.”

    Loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Vineland,” “One Battle After Another” follows ex-revolutionaries reuniting to rescue a comrade’s daughter after an old enemy resurfaces. The ensemble cast is stacked with award winners in Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Regina Hall plus Teyana Taylor and breakout Chase Infiniti. On Sunday, “One Battle After Another” took home the most BAFTA Awards, including best director and adapted screenplay for Anderson and best supporting actor for Penn.

    For Anderson, one of contemporary cinema’s most critically-acclaimed directors, “One Battle After Another” marks his first major awards contender and his first time winning BAFTA’s top prize. Both “There Will Be Blood” and “Licorice Pizza” were nominated for best film but lost out. Across eight previous nominations, he’s only had one win, when “Licorice Pizza” won best original screenplay in 2022.

    “One Battle After Another,” which has 13 Oscar nominations, went into the BAFTA Film Awards leading the pack with 14 nominations, just two short of the record set by “Gandhi.”

  • Prince William Awards ‘Exceptional’ NBCUniversal Chief Donna Langley Highest BAFTA Honor: ‘She Is a Shining Light’

    Prince William Awards ‘Exceptional’ NBCUniversal Chief Donna Langley Highest BAFTA Honor: ‘She Is a Shining Light’

    Prince William paid tribute to NBCUniversal chair Donna Langley as he awarded her BAFTA’s highest honor, the BAFTA Fellowship during the film awards on Sunday night, calling the British-born studio head a “shining light.”

    “The path to fellowship is an honor given in recognition of an exceptional contribution to film,” he told the audience, which included many of Langley’s colleagues and collaborators, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Renée Zellweger and Emma Stone. “And tonight’s recipient is quite simply that – exceptional.”

    He went on to cite Langley’s “determination,” “commitment,” “transformative leadership” and “unwavering commitment to creative partnership” among other characteristics.

    He also praised Langley, who was awarded one of the U.K.’s highest royal honors, a Damehood, by Queen Elizabeth II in 2020, for advocating “tireless[ly]” for British talent abroad.

    “Dame Donna’s impact at NBC Universal and on the film industry is significant,” William said. “She is a shining light to all those starting out in the creative industries, showing that anything is possible.”

    He then introduced a VT that included tributes from many of Langley’s colleagues including Christopher Nolan, who is currently putting the finishing touches to upcoming Universal Pictures film “The Odyssey,” Steven Spielberg, Eric Fellner, Judy Craymer and Emma Thompson.

    “Her patience is kind of like the bonding agent,” Spielberg said. “It makes us all feel like, in a way, she’s our security blanket.”

    As the audience at the Royal Festival Hall rose to give Langley a standing ovation, William’s wife Catherine, who was sitting next to the NBCUniversal chief in the front row, gave her a warm smile before Langley made her way to the stage to accept her fellowship.

    “As my career has progressed, I’ve come to believe that the most meaningful part of what we do is the people we choose to support along the way,” Langley told the audience. “The voices we encourage. And the talent we protect…long enough for them to find their feet. And the doors we remember to open.”

    “We are also facing moments of change and disruption today. And my hope is that those of us who help tell stories for a living continue to find inspiration to make popular art that carries over into people’s everyday lives – that helps us understand the world a bit better and to see each other a little more clearly…and reminds us that decency is a superpower.”

    William and Catherine’s presence at the ceremony on Sunday night was a closely guarded secret, with neither BAFTA nor Kensington Palace giving any hint the couple planned to attend.

  • BAFTAs Make the Oscars Messy, From Timothée Chalamet’s Shocking Loss to Sean Penn and Wunmi Mosaku Proving Supporting Races Are Anyone’s Game

    BAFTAs Make the Oscars Messy, From Timothée Chalamet’s Shocking Loss to Sean Penn and Wunmi Mosaku Proving Supporting Races Are Anyone’s Game

    Fractured, unpredictable and thrilling chaos are defining this awards season after a wild night at the 79th BAFTA Awards, with the race now barreling into the final stretch before Oscar voting opens Thursday, Feb. 26.

    Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” was the night’s dominant force, winning six BAFTAs: best film, director, adapted screenplay, supporting actor (Sean Penn), cinematography and editing.

    For Oscar watchers, the technical trophies matter as much as the headline prizes. Winning for the artisans brings crucial momentum. “One Battle After Another” leaves BAFTA positioned as a below-the-line viability and still a clear best picture frontrunner. But if anyone hoped for a night of tidy answers, BAFTA offered the opposite with a loud reshuffle that may have clarified one thing and destabilized nearly everything else.

    Enter “Sinners” from Ryan Coogler. His film won three BAFTAs — original screenplay, supporting actress for Wunmi Mosaku and original score — with Coogler’s screenplay win carrying historic weight as the first Black winner in BAFTA’s original screenplay category. The moment land became a milestone, the campaign accelerated.

    The win also sharpens the Oscar math.

    Only one Black screenwriter has ever won for original screenplay at the Oscars (Jordan Peele for “Get Out,” 2017). Coogler’s BAFTA trophy strengthens his Oscar prospects against a crowded field. However, and just as important, “Sinners” showed more above-the-line vitality where it needed oxygen most, with Mosaku’s supporting actress win adding real heat to the campaign.

    So if you’re keeping score — “One Battle After Another” needed to prove below-the-line love (which it did), and “Sinners” needed to prove more above-the-line love (which it did). Obviously, “One Battle After Another” taking best film and director, after sweeping major critics awards and the DGA leaves many believing it’s over. But if you do your Oscar homework, you know that’s never the case. We have the PGA Awards and the Actor Awards (formerly SAG Awards) happening this upcoming week, all amid final Oscar voting. There’s room for more shifts to happen in the coming days.

    Courtesy Everett Collection

    Another significant upset came later in the BAFTA evening when Timothée Chalamet lost the leading actor award to Robert Aramayo for his performance in Kirk Jones’ Tourette’s drama “I Swear.” Aramayo also won the EE Rising Star Award, the only honor voted on by the public. Interestingly, Aramayo and “I Swear” have different kinds of momentum, which are forward-looking for next year’s Oscars. The film will be eligible for the 99th Oscars ceremony, with a U.S. release later this year from Sony Pictures Classics.

    Nonetheless, Chalamet arrived as the presumed frontrunner after major victories at CCAs and Globes for Josh Safdie’s sports dramedy. At this stage in the season, a loss like this cannot be read as a mere statistical blip. Rather, it can change the story voters tell themselves when they fill out their ballots. Whether it proves ultimately fatal to the campaign is unknowable. Still, it is absolutely relevant, particularly with final voting around the corner.

    But the damage didn’t stop there. “Marty Supreme” left with an especially brutal distinction, going 0 for 11, tying the record for most losses in a single night.

    The SAG Award may now serve as the decisive indicator. Variety has projected for weeks that Ethan Hawke could be the victor in the category for his work as Lorenz Hart in “Blue Moon.” Whoever claims that prize will likely emerge as your Oscar winner. And worth noting: no performer has ever won back-to-back SAG Awards in the same category. Chalamet, who took home the prize last year for “A Complete Unknown,” would make history if he reversed course and won.

    Jessie Buckley won leading actress for “Hamnet,” which also won for outstanding British film. The result was broadly anticipated, and the reason is simple, as Buckley’s campaign has looked like the closest thing to a straight line in a season full of detours.

    The real circus, though, is the supporting acting races. If BAFTA proved anything, it’s that both are wide open, and not in the polite, pundit-friendly way, but in the genuine chaotic manner. We’ve had three different winners — for both supporting acting races — at the Globes, CCA, and BAFTAs so far.

    The closest occurrence of something like this happening was in 2004. Globes went to Clive Owen and Natalie Portman for “Closer” (who both missed SAG noms). CCA went to the “Sideways” duo, Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen, and SAG went to eventual Oscar winner Morgan Freeman from “Million Dollar Baby” and Cate Blanchett from “The Aviator.” That specific year, the BAFTA Awards were the final say on the season, with Owen and Blanchett taking their prizes. In the end, it was SAG that was ultimately correct with Freeman from the eventual best picture winner, and Blanchett from the presumed “runner-up.”

    Even though he’s a two-time Oscar winner for “Mystic River” (2003) and “Milk” (2008), Penn won his first-ever BAFTA for supporting actor for his villainous turn as Col. Lockjaw in “One Battle After Another,” adding his name to the already fractured leaderboard. Jacob Elordi holds the Critics Choice prize for “Frankenstein.” Stellan Skarsgård took the Golden Globe for “Sentimental Value.” Now Penn has a BAFTA. With the Actor Award still pending, this race is starting to resemble a five-sided coin flip. If Benicio del Toro takes the SAG prize, we’ll have four different winners at every televised show, which hasn’t happened since the COVID-era of 2020’s best actress race — which ended up favoring the BAFTA winner from the eventual best picture winner “Nomadland,” Frances McDormand. That leaves surprise Oscar nominee Delroy Lindo, who is still very much on the table for his work in “Sinners.” Interestingly, before 2020, another time four different winners won awards at the precursors was the 2000 season, where Frances McDormand won CCA for “Almost Famous,” before her co-star Kate Hudson took the Golden Globe, followed by SAG with Judi Dench for “Chocolat” and BAFTA for Julie Walters in “Billy Elliot.” The eventual Oscar winner was Marcia Gay Harden from “Pollock,” who, like Lindo, didn’t land any noms from any of the precursors. Could that be a sign of good things to come for Lindo?

    Skarsgård’s loss, in particular, lands with force. His turn as film director Gustav Borg in “Sentimental Value” (which won a single prize for non-English-language film) had the role and prestige that often come with supporting, even with a SAG snub under his belt. Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk,” 2018) is the last acting winner to do so without a win from either SAG or BAFTA (and she coincidentally didn’t have nominations at either).

    Supporting actress is no calmer. Teyana Taylor has the Golden Globe for “One Battle After Another.” Amy Madigan won Critics Choice for “Weapons” but wasn’t nominated at BAFTA. Mosaku now has a BAFTA for “Sinners.” None of it adds up to a safe consensus, and that uncertainty is the point. With SAG still to come and no obvious default choice, the industry’s own voting bloc may end up acting as the season’s final referee.

    Beyond the headline races, the craft categories offered their declarative statements. “Frankenstein” won costume design, makeup and hair, and production design, giving it a firm technical foothold as Oscar voters start locking in their preferences. “Sentimental Value” won film not in the English language, but “The Secret Agent” has Globes and CCA under its belt as well. “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” won documentary over the presumed favorite “The Perfect Neighbor.” In contrast, “Zootopia 2” won animated film, without the presence of “KPop Demon Hunters,” which wasn’t eligible to be nominated due to its release. However, EJAE still gave the film a presence just one day after it swept the Annie Awards, taking home 10 statuettes.

    Heading into the final weeks of awards season, the shape of the battlefield is clearer and messier at the same time. “One Battle After Another” looks like the best picture target everyone else has to hit. Buckley appears to be the closest thing to a near-lock in any acting race. Coogler has the wind at his back in original screenplay. And almost everything else remains in flux. The BAFTAs rarely make the Oscars simpler. This year, they’ve made them electric.

    Final Oscar voting will take place from Feb. 26 to March 5. The 98th Oscars will be held March 15 and will air on ABC, hosted by Conan O’Brien. This week’s updated Oscar predictions are below.

    ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection

    Best Picture: “Sinners” (Warner Bros.) — Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian and Ryan Coogler

    Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.)

    Actor: Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon” (Sony Pictures Classics)

    Actress: Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)

    Supporting Actor: Delroy Lindo, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)

    Supporting Actress: Wunmi Mosaku, “Sinners” (Warner Bros.)

    Original Screenplay: “Sinners” (Warner Bros.) — Ryan Coogler

    Adapted Screenplay: “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.) — Paul Thomas Anderson

    Casting: “Sinners” (Warner Bros.) — Francine Maisler

    Animated Feature: “KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix) — Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans and Michelle L.M. Wong

    Production Design: “Frankenstein” (Netflix) — Tamara Deverell; Shane Vieau

    Cinematography: “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.) — Michael Bauman

    Costume Design: “Frankenstein” (Netflix) — Kate Hawley

    Film Editing: “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros.) — Andy Jurgensen

    Makeup and Hairstyling: “Frankenstein” (Netflix) — Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey

    Sound: “F1” (Apple Original Films/Warner Bros.) — Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo and Juan Peralta

    Visual Effects: “Avatar: Fire and Ash” (20th Century Studios) — Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett

    Original Score: “Sinners” (Warner Bros.) — Ludwig Göransson

    Original Song: “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix) — EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seon and Teddy Park

    Documentary Feature: “The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix) — Geeta Gandbhir, Alisa Payne, Nikon Kwantu and Sam Bisbee

    International Feature: “Sentimental Value” from Norway (Neon) — dir. Joachim Trier

    Animated Short: “The Girl Who Cried Pearls” (National Film Board of Canada) — Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski

    Documentary Short: “All the Empty Rooms” (Netflix) — Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones

    Live Action Short: “Two People Exchanging Saliva” (Canal+/The New Yorker) — Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata


    Projected winner leaders (films): “Sinners” (6), “One Battle After Another” (4); “Frankenstein” (3); “KPop Demon Hunters” (2)