Night Baftas went La La for Emma
IT may have been near freezing, but glancing at the Bafta red carpet last night you could have been forgiven for thinking it was summer.
Stars defied the weather to showcase strapless gowns and plunging necklines – as did the Duchess of Cambridge.
With her hair tied in a chignon and wearing diamond earrings and a diamond cuff, Kate chose not to wear a necklace in order to show off the daring neckline of her tiered black Alexander McQueen dress.
Costing about £6,000, it was made especially for the awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She carried a £1,700 McQueen clutch bag.
Kensington Palace declined to say whether Kate’s earrings were from her own collection or loaned. She has been seen wearing them once before, but on that occasion had her hair down.
The duchess was attending the Baftas for the first time with her husband, Prince William, who is president of the academy. And she was not alone when it came to wearing eyecatching outfits.
Nicole Kidman wore a black, low-cut and backless gown, and showed no sign of being cold as she signed autographs. Miss Kidman, 49, who was nominated for best supporting actress for her role in Lion, said her daughters would not approve of her choice of dress. She said: ‘They like me more in dresses that make me look like a fairy or a princess.’
Thandie Newton, Sophie Turner, Amy Adams and La La Land star Emma Stone – who won best actress – also opted for off-the-shoulder or plunging dresses despite the 5C (41F) temperatures. But Viola Davis – who won best supporting actress for her role in Fences – went for a more sensible option and wore a thick black coat over her blue strapless dress.
Some of the more unusual dresses of the night included that of James Bond star Naomie Harris, who wore a bizarre pink floral creation.
Meanwhile Emily Blunt, nominated for her role in The Girl On The Train, chose an unusual black floral embroidered number.
Stars including Miss Blunt craned their necks to see the Royals as they walked into the auditorium. William presented The Fellowship – the highest accolade bestowed by the Academy – to veteran US comedy film writer and director Mel Brooks.
While La La Land took the Bafta for best film, Miss Stone’s co-star Ryan Gosling missed out on best actor, which went to Casey Affleck for the US drama Manchester By The Sea.
Veteran Ken Loach’s controversial drama I, Daniel Blake took best British film. British star Dev Patel was named best supporting actor for his role alongside Miss Kidman in Lion. Patel said it was nice to be ‘on home turf’ for the Baftas. ‘I love it, despite the weather,’ he said.