Veteran actors Denzel Washington and Daniel Craig were notably absent from this year’s British Academy Film Awards (Bafta) nominations, perhaps highlighting a significant shift towards recognising emerging talent in the industry, per theguardian.com. Washington, who has yet to receive a Bafta nomination despite his illustrious career, missed out on recognition for his powerful performance in Gladiator II, while Craig’s transformative role in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer failed to make the cut.
The nominations, announced in London by Will Sharpe and Mia McKenna-Bruce, reflect Bafta’s ongoing commitment to diversifying its recognition of talent, with 14 of the 24 acting nominees being first-time contenders. This emphasis on fresh faces has led to the exclusion of several industry veterans, including Nicole Kidman for Babygirl and Angelina Jolie for Maria.
Leading the pack this year is Conclave, Edward Berger’s papal thriller, with 12 nominations, including nods for Ralph Fiennes in the leading actor category and Isabella Rossellini for supporting actress. The film, which chronicles the complex process of electing a new pope, narrowly outpaced Jacques Audiard’s transgender musical Emilia Pérez, which secured 11 nominations.
The leading actor category presents a competitive field, featuring Adrien Brody for The Brutalist, Timothée Chalamet for A Complete Unknown, and surprise inclusions Hugh Grant for the horror film Heretic and Sebastian Stan for his portrayal of Donald Trump in The Apprentice. Colman Domingo rounds out the category with his performance in Sing Sing.
In the directing category, only one woman made the final cut – Coralie Fargeat for The Substance – among a field dominated by male directors including Berger, Brady Corbet, Jacques Audiard, Sean Baker and Denis Villeneuve. This disparity comes despite Bafta’s efforts to introduce gender parity quotas at the longlist stage.
Sara Putt, Bafta chair, emphasised the competitive nature of this year’s nominations, noting the remarkable diversity in genres represented across the best picture category, from horror to comedy and musicals. The nominations also reflect the organisation’s reformed voting protocols, implemented following criticism of the 2020 nominations, which included enrolling 1,000 new voters and introducing compulsory viewing requirements.
The ceremony, scheduled for February 16 with David Tennant returning as host, promises to be an interesting reflection of the changing landscape in film recognition, where fresh talent and diverse storytelling are increasingly taking centre stage over traditional star power.
