Title: BAFTA Awards 2023: Notable Nominations, Shocking Surprises, and Unfortunate Omission
The BAFTA film nominations for 2025 were revealed on a turbulent Wednesday, featuring anticipated titles as well as some surprising omissions. The wildfires in Los Angeles last week threw a wrench into the award season, with some organizations postponing their nominations while BAFTA pressed on.
Papal thriller Conclave led the pack with 12 nominations, and the winners will be announced at the ceremony on February 16th, 2025, at London's Royal Festival Hall.
Let's dive into the intriguing twists and turns in the top six categories:
Best Film
Fantastic entries like Anora, The Brutalist, and Conclave joined the fray, along with unexpected contenders such as Emilia Pérez.
The Academy Awards typically have 10 Best Picture nominees, and some high-profile films' absence from BAFTA's final shortlist isn't shocking. However, snubs include ét incroyable A Real Pain, Dune: Part Two, Nickel Boys, The Piano Lesson, Sing Sing, The Substance, and Wicked. Although not competing for the BAFTA's top prize, they remain strong contenders for the Academy Awards' Best Picture nod.
Best Director
Unlike the Academy Awards and Directors Guild of America, BAFTA awards six director nominees. Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez, Sean Baker for Anora, Edward Berger for Conclave, Brady Corbet for The Brutalist, Coralie Fargeat for The Substance, and Denis Villeneuve for Dune: Part Two made the list. Surprisingly, James Mangold, who was nominated for A Complete Unknown by the Directors Guild of America, missed the BAFTA nomination cut. The most notable snub is Jon M. Chu, who continues to be overlooked by all major award bodies for Wicked.
Best Leading Actor
Five nominees from the Oscars and Screen Actors Guild's acting categories compete in the BAFTAs, while six actors make the BAFTA's Leading Actor category. Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), and Hugh Grant (Heretic) round out the nominations. Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice) made it to the BAFTA noms but had previous nods at the Golden Globes for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy and the Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading Role. The snub in this category was Daniel Craig, who earned a SAG Award nomination for Queer.
Best Leading Actress
After missing the SAG Award nominations, Marrianne Jean-Baptiste earns a comeback for Hard Truths, and Saoirse Ronan makes a surprise appearance for The Outrun. Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) and Demi Moore (The Substance) are the other nominees. Notable absentees include Fernanda Torres, who won the Golden Globe and was nominated for the Critics Choice Award for I'm Still Here. Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman, who also received Golden Globe nominations, were overlooked in the category.
Best Supporting Actor
Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing) and Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) made a reappearance after missing SAG nominations, both recognized by the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes. The category faces a notable snub in the form of Denzel Washington (Gladiator II), who received nominations from both the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes.
Best Supporting Actress
Following missing the SAG Award nominations, Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), and Isabella Rossellini (Conclave) surprised BAFTA voters. However, the category faced some significant snubs, including SAG nominees Monica Barbaro, Danielle Deadwyler, and Margaret Qualley. Additionally, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who was nominated by the Critics Choice Awards, was overlooked by the BAFTAs.
Emilia Perez, the talented actress from Anora, was surprisingly nominated for the Best Leading Actress category at the BAFTA awards. The British Academy of Film and Television recognized her performance, marking a significant achievement for the complete unknown in the British film industry.
The brutalist, a film directed by Brady Corbet, also made it to the BAFTA nominations, securing a spot in the Best Film category. The film, with its unique narrative and powerful performances, has been gaining critical acclaim and is seen as a strong contender for the Academy Awards' Best Picture nod.
The Conclave, a papal thriller leading the pack with 12 nominations, is set to compete in multiple categories at the upcoming BAFTA awards. With its captivating storyline and stellar performances, the film is expected to take home several awards, including the Best Film and Best Director awards.
Emilia Perez's nomination for the BAFTA awards has also put her in the running for the Oscars, also known as the Academy Awards. If she wins at the BAFTAs, it will be a significant stepping stone towards her potential victory at the prestigious Academy Awards ceremony.
The BAFTA nominations concluded with a surprising omission of the much-anticipated film, A Real Pain. Despite its success and critical acclaim, the film was overlooked by the British Academy of Film and Television, leaving fans and critics questioning the selection process for the awards.
