BAFTA Awards See Upset Victory for Robert Aramayo, Paul Thomas Anderson Dominates
LONDON — This year’s BAFTA Awards delivered a stunning upset in the leading actor category, as Robert Aramayo triumphed over heavily favored competitors including Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio. The win, announced Sunday at London’s Royal Festival Hall, came as a surprise to many, including Aramayo himself, who also secured the EE Rising Star Award earlier in the evening.
Aramayo’s victory recognized his performance as real-life Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson in the biographical film “I Swear,” set for release in the United States on April 24. Accepting the award, a visibly shocked Aramayo expressed disbelief, acknowledging the esteemed company he found himself in. “I honestly cannot believe that I won this award,” he said, adding admiration for his fellow nominees.
He specifically recalled a formative experience with actor Ethan Hawke. “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,” Aramayo shared. “And it had a really great impact on everyone in that room. So to be in this category with you tonight is incredible.”
The evening also saw significant recognition for Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” which secured six awards, including Best Film and Best Director. Anderson’s acceptance speeches grew increasingly candid with each win, culminating in a defiant statement about the state of cinema. “Anybody that says movies aren’t any good anymore can piss right off,” he declared.
The ceremony wasn’t without its moments of disruption. John Davidson, the subject of “I Swear,” attended the awards and experienced involuntary outbursts, including the use of offensive language, during the event. Host Alan Cumming addressed the situation, explaining that these outbursts are a symptom of Tourette’s syndrome and apologized for any offense caused.
Jessie Buckley was awarded Best Actress for her performance in “Hamnet,” while Sean Penn won Best Supporting Actor for “One Battle After Another,” though he was unable to attend the ceremony to accept his prize. Wunmi Mosaku took home the Best Supporting Actress award for “Sinners,” and Ryan Coogler won Best Original Screenplay for the same film.
Donna Langley, chair of Universal Pictures, was honored with the BAFTA Fellowship, the ceremony’s highest accolade, presented by Prince William and Princess Catherine. Langley emphasized the power of storytelling and the importance of decency in the film industry.
A touch of levity was provided by a costumed Paddington Bear, who presented the award for children’s and family film. The appearance drew gasps and applause from the audience.
The complete list of BAFTA winners is as follows:
- Best Film: “One Battle After Another”
- Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”
- Leading Actress: Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
- Leading Actor: Robert Aramayo, “I Swear”
- Supporting Actress: Wunmi Mosaku, “Sinners”
- Supporting Actor: Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another”
- Outstanding British Film: “Hamnet”
- Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: Akinola Davies Jr., “My Father’s Shadow”
- Film Not in the English Language: “Sentimental Value”
- Documentary: “Mr. Nobody Against Putin”
- Animated Film: “Zootopia 2”
- Adapted Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”
- Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler, “Sinners”
- Original Score: Ludwig Göransson, “Sinners”
- Costume Design: Kate Hawley, “Frankenstein”
- Production Design: Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau, “Frankenstein”
- Special Visual Effects: Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Daniel Barrett and Eric Saindon, “Avatar: Fire and Ash”
- Makeup & Hair: Jordan Samuel, Cliona Furey, Mike Hill and Megan Many, “Frankenstein”
- Editing: Andy Jurgensen, “One Battle After Another”
- Cinematography: Michael Bauman, “One Battle After Another”
- Casting: Lauren Evans, “I Swear”
- Sound: Steve Speed, Nick Fry, James Evans, and Hugh Wan, “F1”
- British Short Animation: “Two Black Boys in Paradise”
- British Short Film: “This Is Endometriosis”
- EE Rising Star Award: Robert Aramayo
