The best moments of the 2025 BAFTA Awards, on-screen and off

LONDON — An unusually wide-open Oscar contention remains uncertain pursuing the 78th yearly EE British Academy Film Awards, wherever trophies were handed retired with the broad enthusiasm of Oprah Winfrey giving distant cars. (You get a BAFTA! And you get a BAFTA!) Although Edward Berger’s “Conclave” took location 4 awards, including champion movie and outstanding British film, this year’s BAFTAs honored astir each large movie successful contention, including “The Brutalist,” “Anora,” “Emilia Pérez,” “The Substance,” “Wicked” and “A Real Pain.” The ceremony, held for the 3rd twelvemonth astatine London’s Royal Festival Hall, besides brought a fewer surprises.

Throughout the evening, returning big David Tennant kept things airy and breezy and producers ticked done the database of awards with admirable (and precise British) efficiency. Almost everyone steered wide of politics, determination were lone insignificant flubs and a partially reunited Take That performed — a joyous, ’90s-nostalgic infinitesimal that whitethorn beryllium mislaid connected American viewers. Inside the theater, the amusement spanned much than 3 hours, portion the assemblage streaming astatine location saw an edited two-hour version. It wasn’t the astir melodramatic awards show, but it was a pleasant, celebratory one, befitting a peculiarly beardown twelvemonth of cinema.

Here’s what happened down the scenes astatine the BAFTAs.

Recognition of Los Angeles

It took immoderate superior wrangling to get the assemblage into the theatre aft a lingering two-hour champagne reception held crossed aggregate levels of the venue. Once guests were successfully herded inside, it took adjacent much wrangling to get everyone to beryllium down. Eventually settled, the assemblage got a bid of instructions: Find the occurrence exits, don’t swear, amp up the enthusiasm. “Basically, to the Brits successful the crowd, beryllium a spot much American,” said a helpful, unidentified announcer.

Prior to Tennant’s introduction, BAFTA seat Sara Putt took the stage. She welcomed the assemblage and past instantly offered her thoughts to Los Angeles pursuing the caller wildfires.

“Before we begin, I privation to instrumentality conscionable a infinitesimal to nonstop our heartfelt champion wishes to our friends and colleagues successful L.A. who person been impacted by the unspeakable wildfires, including galore of our ain BAFTA members,” Putt said. “We basal alongside you successful admiration astatine your resilience and spot arsenic you statesman to rebuild. I besides privation to explicit our heavy gratitude to those from the California assemblage who person joined america present successful London tonight.”

Putt besides acknowledged the wide array of films nominated. “It has been a twelvemonth of fabulous creativity and storytelling,” she said. “This year’s 42 nominated films are an unthinkable showcase of the precise champion successful filmmaking today, some successful Britain and globally.” That reflection proved itself existent passim the evening.

No dogs allowed

Host David Tennant gets the BAFTAs underway.

(Tristan Fewings / BAFTA / Getty Images for BAFTA)

Last year, Tennant earned the emotion of the BAFTA assemblage with an opening sketch that progressive Michael Sheen and an adorable canine named Bark Ruffalo. This year, helium was sadly dog-less. Instead, the Scottish Tennant welcomed viewers with a prerecorded conception featuring Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent and Brian Cox. In the clip, Cox and Tennant began singing the Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” yet transitioning to Tennant unrecorded successful the theatre singing and dancing his mode down to the stage. He amended the lyrics to acceptable the occasion, chanting, “I would locomotion 500 miles to big 1 BAFTAs more.”

The big got monolithic applause from the appreciative audience, who laughed erstwhile his mic battalion fell disconnected and helium quipped, “Now chopped that portion out.” His monologue was short, with immoderate coagulated jokes astir sequels (“I’m backmost too”) and the nominated films. He adjacent invoked Donald Trump, the lone notation of the nighttime to the U.S. president. “I’ve already said his sanction 3 times,” Tennant said. “It’s similar summoning Beetlejuice.”

Conspicuously absent

Zoe Saldaña accepts the BAFTAs’ supporting histrion prize for “Emilia Pérez.”

(Stuart Wilson / BAFTA / Getty Images for BAFTA)

Karla Sofía Gascón’s controversial tweets person overshadowed the awards tally for “Emilia Pérez.” Gascón, nominated for starring actress, was not successful attendance, though her co-stars Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez were beforehand and center. Still, Gascón’s ungraded loomed implicit the ceremony. “Emilia Pérez” received a much scattered effect than different nominees whenever mentioned oregon showcased successful a video clip, and the assemblage seemed uncertain however to respond erstwhile Gascón’s sanction was work during her class (she didn’t win).

More telling was filmmaker Jacques Audiard’s acceptance code for the grant for movie not successful the English language, which ran acold implicit his allotted time. After precocious disavowing himself from his starring lady, Audiard utilized the accidental to re-embrace Gascón, a infinitesimal that was uncomfortably awkward. Speaking via a French interpreter, Audiard thanked Saldaña and Gomez earlier adding, “but besides you, my beloved Karla Sofía, [who] I kiss. I’m profoundly arrogant of what we achieved together.”

Saldaña besides thanked Gascón by sanction successful her code for supporting actress, though it was little overt. “This was a originative situation of a lifetime,” Saldaña told the crowd, aft admitting that her children asked her not to outcry this time. She added that she wanted “to convey my fantastic cast, Karla, Selena, Adriana [Paz].”

“Films are expected to alteration hearts and situation minds,” Saldaña noted, possibly obliquely referencing the controversy. “And I anticipation that ‘Emilia Pérez’ did thing similar this.” (For the record, Saldaña did outcry twice, though she seemed to retrieve quickly. She besides swore erstwhile she went implicit her clip limit, breaking 1 of the main rules of the BAFTAs.)

Getting their moment

The squad down “Kneecap,” including writer-director Rich Peppiatt (right), celebrates winning the grant for outstanding debut by a British writer, manager oregon producer.

(Tristan Fewings / BAFTA / Getty Images for BAFTA)

A item of awards play is seeing less-celebrated films and filmmakers sometimes get their due. The BAFTAs offered respective opportunities to grant artists who whitethorn not person gotten an Oscar information oregon who didn’t expect they would find themselves connected the signifier with a statue successful hand.

Although “Kneecap” was Ireland’s authoritative submission for the planetary movie Oscar, it was overlooked successful the eventual nominations. The BAFTAs, however, gave writer-director Rich Peppiatt’s unsocial rap biopic six chances to triumph and the scrappy movie took location the prize for outstanding debut by a British writer, manager oregon producer. Peppiatt recovered himself getting a lasting ovation from respective radical successful the room, including the members of Kneecap, arsenic the assemblage cheered and whooped for him.

Onstage, helium looked wholly awestruck. “I’m perfectly honored to beryllium lasting here,” Peppiatt said. “Fifteen years agone today, I really met my wife, and a decennary later, she convinced maine to determination to Belfast. And wrong 2 weeks of moving to Belfast, I met Kneecap. And present I’m lasting here.”

He added, successful 1 of the evening’s fewer semi-political statements, “‘Kneecap’ is much than a film. It’s a question and it’s astir however everyone should person their connection respected. They should person their civilization respected and they should person their homeland respected. This grant is dedicated to everyone who is retired determination warring that fight.”

Another saccharine infinitesimal came erstwhile Jesse Eisenberg was awarded archetypal screenplay for “A Real Pain.” The histrion and filmmaker was truthful flummoxed erstwhile his sanction was work by presenter Lupita Nyong’o that helium admitted, “I didn’t deliberation I would win.” He added, “I bash privation to stock this with my wife, who didn’t travel due to the fact that she didn’t deliberation I’d win. The idiosyncratic who sat maine didn’t deliberation I’d win.” He dedicated the grant to his wife, Anna Strout, saying she had “dragged” him astir the globe. “It’s the mode I got to cognize astir the world, which is what this movie is about,” Eisenberg said, earning a gush from the crowd.

There was besides charming humility from the yearly EE Rising Star grant victor David Jonsson, champion known stateside for his android successful “Alien: Romulus,” who seemed likewise unprepared to triumph (it’s the lone grant voted connected by the British public). “I’ve got to beryllium honest,” Jonsson said. “This isn’t wherefore I bash it.” He explained that increasing up successful East London helium didn’t truly spot a abstraction for himself successful the amusement industry. “But this grant is astir radical and arsenic agelong arsenic we support telling stories astir people, I deliberation there’ll beryllium a abstraction for maine and for radical similar maine and you and everyone watching astatine home,” Jonsson added.

Sharing the trade love

Unlike last year erstwhile “Oppenheimer” swept each awards amusement connected the circuit, this year’s BAFTAs kept things reasonably equitable. “Wicked” missed retired connected the acting categories, but earned awards for costume plan and accumulation design. “The Substance” fittingly won constitution & hair, portion “The Brutalist” took location cinematography and archetypal score. Composer Daniel Blumberg shouted retired to his director, Brady Corbet, noting, “It’s been astonishing to enactment with 1 of my champion friends.”

Two of the astir heartwarming speeches came erstwhile “Dune: Part Two” won peculiar ocular effects and sound. Both winners spent their clip connected signifier praising filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, whose directorial efforts person been mostly overlooked by awards bodies this year. Also acknowledged aggregate times: “Wicked” manager Jon M. Chu, different filmmaker overlooked by the Oscars.

A fewer upsets

Mikey Madison receives her starring histrion grant for “Anora” astatine the BAFTAs.

(Tristan Fewings / BAFTA / Getty Images for BAFTA)

One of the large surprises of the nighttime came erstwhile Mikey Madison won starring histrion for “Anora,” winning a pugnacious class of nominees that included Oscar front-runner Demi Moore and beloved Brit Marianne Jean-Baptiste, prima of “Hard Truths.” Although Madison’s triumph resulted successful a absorption changeable of Mike Leigh shaking his caput successful vexation astatine Jean-Baptiste’s loss, the assemblage was thrilled by the twist. “I truly wasn’t expecting this,” Madison said, admitting she didn’t person a code prepared. She added that she “probably should person listened to my publicist” and written something, prompting her publicist to basal up successful the assemblage and shriek successful agreement.

In the documentary category, it seemed similar “No Other Land” would beryllium an casual winner. But the film, which is nominated for the Oscar, was overlooked for “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.” Directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui were thrilled by the grant and brought Reeve’s children onstage with them to judge the award. Bonhôte recalled being astatine the BAFTAs 7 years agone erstwhile helium was nominated for “McQueen” and admitted that aft losing that twelvemonth his children began to telephone him “BAFTA-less Dad.” Not anymore.

A existent honor

Warwick Davis accepts the prestigious Fellowship Award for beingness achievement, the night’s highest honor, astatine the BAFTAs.

(Stuart Wilson / BAFTA / Getty Images for BAFTA)

The BAFTA Fellowship is awarded annually to idiosyncratic who has made an outstanding publication during their career. This year’s honoree was British histrion and “Willow” prima Warwick Davis. The actor, an integral portion of galore blockbuster franchises including “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter,” helms Little People UK, which supports radical with dwarfism similar himself. Davis was feted by Tom Felton, a.k.a. Draco Malfoy, earlier a tribute video featuring George Lucas, Mark Hamill and Ron Howard was aired. Davis’ children Annabelle and Harrison closed the affectional clip, which celebrated the actor’s prolific and joy-filled career.

Davis received a lengthy lasting ovation and deafening applause arsenic helium took the podium, keeping his composure until helium shared that helium has been heartbroken since helium mislaid his wife, Samantha, past year. “Since then, beingness has been beauteous pugnacious for me,” Davis acknowledged. He thanked his children for helping him proceed moving and engaging successful beingness earlier acknowledging different peculiar someone, though not by name. “You cognize who you are,” helium said, getting choked up, a absorption shared by the audience. “Thank you for showing maine that beingness volition inactive person meaning and for helping maine to laughter and to emotion again.”

The histrion quipped that helium would support his code “short” (“Yeah, you tin laugh”), but contempt its terseness, it was the night’s astir affectional moment.

Election of a caller pope

The squad from “Conclave” receives the grant for outstanding British movie astatine the BAFTAs.

(Tristan Fewings / BAFTA / Getty Images for BAFTA)

By the extremity of the night, voters had spoken and “Conclave” had been declared champion film. The last grant was presented by Mark Hamill, whose quality was marred by shaking hands and a brace of trousers that seemed to beryllium slipping disconnected his waist. The histrion was visibly thrown arsenic helium announced the class and the producers chopped the ample screens successful the room. The broadcast was aboriginal edited, though Hamill regained his composure erstwhile helium work retired the winner. Many guests speculated astir the incidental during the meal afterward, wondering with interest whether Hamill had a momentary anxiousness attack.

It didn’t interaction the “Conclave” crew, however. The filmmakers took the signifier alongside co-stars Isabella Rossellini and Ralph Fiennes, with 14 radical successful full accepting the statuette. (In enactment with the movie itself, lone 3 were women.) Director Berger notably thanked Focus Features and U.K. distributor Black Bear for “pushing the movie into the theaters successful specified a large way,” a reminder that the year’s apical movies are champion enjoyed connected the large screen.

Earlier successful the night, accepting for outstanding British film, Berger noted, “We unrecorded successful a clip of a situation of ideology and institutions that usually utilized to bring america unneurotic are utilized to propulsion america apart. And sometimes it’s hard to support the religion successful that situation. But that’s wherefore we marque movies and that’s wherefore we truly made this movie.”

A implicit database of tonight’s winners

Best Film: “Conclave”

Director: Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”

Leading Actress: Mikey Madison, “Anora”

Leading Actor: Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”

Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña, “Emilia Pérez”

Supporting Actor: Kieran Cukin, “A Real Pain”

Outstanding British Film: “Conclave”

Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director oregon Producer: Rich Peppiatt, “Kneecap”

Film Not successful the English Language: “Emilia Pérez”

Documentary: “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”

Animated Film: “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”

Adapted Screenplay: Peter Straughan, “Conclave”

Original Screenplay: Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”

Original Score: Daniel Blumberg, “The Brutalist”

Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, “Wicked”

Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales, “Wicked”

Special Visual Effects: Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Gerd Nefzer and Rhys Salcombe, “Dune: Part Two”

Makeup & Hair: Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, Frédérique Arguello, and Marilyne Scarselli, “The Substance”

Editing: Nick Emerson, “Conclave”

Cinematography: Lol Crawley, “The Brutalist”

Casting: Sean Baker and Samantha Quan, “Anora”

Sound: Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill, Gareth John and Richard King, “Dune: Part Two”

British Short Animation: “Wander to Wonder”

British Short Film: “Rock, Paper, Scissors”

EE Rising Star: David Jonsson