BAFTAs finally honour their own
“In a year where we haven't been able to go anywhere, the magic of film has transported us everywhere,” was the caption that opened Sunday's BAFTA Film Awards. But as they were filling out their ballots over the last few weeks, the British Academy's 7,000 members evidently had set their hearts and minds on matters closer to home. Rather than simply trying to pre-empt the Oscars — a depressing 21st-century BAFTA trend — voters chose time and again to recognize developing talent from the U.K. over their more established Hollywood peers.
London-born Daniel Kaluuya took best supporting actor for his performance as the Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in the Civil Rights conspiracy thriller Judas and the Black Messiah, while best original screenplay went to a clearly stunned Emerald Fennell, the 35-year-old writer and director of the MeToothemed black comedy Promising Young Woman, who emerged victorious from an eclectic shortlist, which included Hollywood screenwriting giant Aaron Sorkin.
“I thought I'd do a better speech than this,” Fennell blustered, with more than a hint of Olivia Colman. Fennell had collected herself moments later, though, when Promising Young Woman was also named outstanding British film.
There was a big, sloppy industry smooch, too, for a rising Welsh talent whose name may ring a bell. Anthony Hopkins became, at 83, the oldest male performer in BAFTA history to have been awarded best actor for his work in The Father — and, as a three-time winner, pulled level with Marlon Brando and Jack Lemmon in the most-rewarded stakes.
Bizarrely, Sir Anthony was nowhere to be seen on the Zoom-call gallery of nominees, even though he was apparently in front of his laptop.
It put the Oscars' own admirable determination to hold a Zoom-free ceremony in two weeks' time into perspective: even blippy video footage would be preferable to an acceptance speech submitted by email.