Baird’s Laurel and Hardy

● Peterhead-born director’s Stan & Ollie wins recognition

APeterhead-born director is celebrating after his new film about Laurel and Hardy picked up two nominations at the Baftas.

Jon S Baird is in the running for the outstanding British film trophy at the British Academy Film Awards (Baftas).

The 46-year-old, who moved to London after graduating from Aberdeen University, directed Stan & Ollie, which focuses on comedy duo Laurel and Hardy’s attempts to revitalise their careers.

Starring Hollywood heavyweights Steve Coogan and John C Reilly, the picture was premiered in September and has won critical acclaim.

Movie critics have also praised Coogan’s performance as Stan Laurel, and he is shortlisted in the leading actor category.

Stan & Ollie’s main competition is The Favourite, nominated for 12 awards. Its list of possible gongs includes best film and outstanding British film, and its stars Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz received nominations.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos, nominated in the director category, said: “The Favourite has been many, many years in the making and we, the entire film-making team, are incredibly proud to have received this profound recognition today.”

Colman’s nomination in the leading actress category for her role as Queen Anne in the dark comedy drama, comes just days after winning a Golden Globe.

Her co-stars, Weisz and Stone, have both received nods in the supporting actress category.

Weisz said: “It is a thrill to be nominated alongside this phenomenal group of actresses, including my fantastic co-stars, Emma and Olivia.

“It was a complete joy to work alongside them and to be directed by the brilliant Yorgos Lanthimos.”

Along with Weisz and Stone, Amy Adams, Claire Foy and Margot Robbie are in the supporting actress category for their roles in Vice, First Man and Mary, Queen of Scots respectively.

The supporting actor nominees are Adam Driver for BlacKkKlansman, Mahershala Ali for Green Book, Richard E Grant for Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Sam Rockwell for Vice, and Timothee Chalamet for Beautiful Boy.

Grant said: “Am absolutely chuffed to bits for my first ever Bafta nomination.

“And most especially for my ‘partner in crime’ Melissa McCarthy, as well as Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty for their remarkable adapted screenplay nomination.”

Colman will compete against Glenn Close for The Wife, Lady Gaga for A Star Is Born, McCarthy for Can You Ever Forgive Me? and Viola Davis for Widows.

Vice star Christian Bale, who won a Golden Globe at the weekend, is given a Bafta nod in the leading actor category.

Rami Malek, another Golden Globe winner, has been nominated in the same category for his role in Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody.

“The Favourite has been many, many years in the making”

They will both battle Bradley Cooper for A Star Is Born, Steve Coogan for Stan and Ollie and Viggo Mortensen for Green Book.

Cooper has received his first Bafta directing nomination for his directorial debut A Star Is Born.

He will compete against Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman, Pawel Pawlikowski for Cold War and Lanthimos for The Favourite.

Along with The Favourite, the best film nominees are BlacKkKlansman, Green Book, Roma and A Star Is Born.

The Favourite will have to face off against Beast, Bohemian Rhapsody, McQueen, Stan and Ollie and You Were Never Really Here in the outstanding British film category.

The Bafta Film Awards will be hosted by Joanna Lumley and will be held at London’s Royal Albert Hall on February 10.