BAFTA Film Awards 2024: Everything you need to know ahead of the show
Britain’s biggest celebration of film – the BAFTAs – take place this Sunday, honouring the best movies of the last year.
With a brand-new host, two special live musical performances, and a red carpet packed with celebrities, it’s set to be a star-studded night with plenty of surprises in store.
Pic: BAFTA/Marc Hoberman
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this year’s BAFTA Film Awards.
Where are they being held?
The ceremony will take place at the Royal Festival Hall in London’s Southbank Centre.
Sky News will be liveblogging winners as they’re announced, ahead of the televised ceremony which will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7pm on Sunday night.
Which films are in the running?
A total of 38 films are up for awards.
Christopher Nolan’s epic biopic about atomic bomb creator J Robert Oppenheimer leads the pack with 13 nominations.
Cillian Murphy is J Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer. Pic: Universal Pictures
Gothic fairy-tale Poor Things has 11 nods, while Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon and German-language drama The Zone Of Interest both have nine nods.
French courtroom drama Anatomy Of A Fall, 70s nostalgia-fest The Holdovers, and Bradley Cooper’s labour of love Maestro all have seven nominations.
Read more: See the full list of nominations here
All Of Us Strangers, starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, has six nominations, while Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn both have five.
Despite being the highest-grossing film of 2023, Barbie failed to make it into the best film category, and Gerwig is also absent from the directing category. It’s likely the film’s fictional heroine would have had something rather pointed to say about those omissions…
Which stars are likely to take home a gong?
If past achievements are anything to go by, Golden Globe wins earlier this year for Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy and Poor Things actress Emma Stone set them both in good stead.
Emma Stone in Poor Things. Pic: Yorgos Lanthimos/Searchlight Pictures
And he’s Britain’s most successful working director, but Christopher Nolan has never won a BAFTA for best film or best director, so many feel this could be his year.
With many of the other categories wide open, one that many of the critics are calling is best supporting actress, with The Holdovers star Da’Vine Joy Randolph considered to be the runaway favourite for both a BAFTA and an Oscar win next month.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers. Pic: Focus Features/Seacia Pavao
Whether audience-favourite Ryan Gosling will snap up best supporting actor is less easy to foretell.
However, his nomination in this category has received less of a frenzied response than the same nod at the Oscars, mainly due to the fact that Margot Robbie does have a BAFTA nod for best actress, while she was locked out of the Academy Award shortlist.
Jacob Elordi
In the Rising Star category – the only award voted for the public – actor Jacob Elordi‘s much-talked about performances in Saltburn and Priscilla – would seem to give him more than an even chance of taking home the prize.
Who’s hosting?
David Tennant will host this year’s event for the first time.
David Tennant and Catherine Tate in Doctor Who. Pic: BBC
Clearly feeling laid back about the challenge, he said: “It’ll either work and everyone will be terribly nice about it or it’ll be a total disaster and I’ll never be asked again. Either way – it’s fine.”
The 52-year-old Scottish star has said he won’t be “roasting” any of the stars on the night – an approach that has received mixed results at the BAFTAs in the past.
Last year, the awards ceremony was hosted by Saltburn actor Richard E Grant and This Morning host Alison Hammond, and the year before by Australian actress and comedian Rebel Wilson.
Tennant says he hopes it will be an “evening of generosity and joy,” and has also hinted that his former Doctor Who co-star Catherine Tate might make a surprise appearance.
Dua Lipa. Pic: Matt Crossick/Global/Shutterstock
Who’ll be presenting the awards?
Famous faces giving out awards include David Beckham, Dua Lipa, Hugh Grant, Idris Elba, Cate Blanchett, Gillian Anderson and Daisy Edgar Jones.
And while All Of Us Strangers co-star Andrew Scott was a notable absence from the best actor contenders, he will present a prize on the night.
Will there be any music?
The ceremony will feature performances by Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Hannah Waddingham.
Ellis-Bextor will be performing her 2001 hit Murder On The Dancefloor, which has become a viral hit since featuring in the closing finale of Saltburn.
Ted Lasso star Waddingham will also give a live musical performance, with details of her turn a closely guarded secret.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor.Pic: Richard Jones
Will any other prizes be handed out?
The Bafta Fellowship – the film academy’s highest honour – will be presented to actress Samantha Morton.
Over a three-decade career (and counting), her credits have spanned British indie productions to Hollywood blockbusters, starring in movies including Under The Skin, The Minority Report and The Whale.
Previous BAFTA Fellow include Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor and Steven Spielberg.
Samantha Morton. Pic: Ian West/PA Photos
BAFTA’s Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema will be presented to June Givanni.
She is a pioneering film curator, writer and programmer of African and African diaspora cinema.
Givanni founded The June Givanni PanAfrican Archive (JGPACA), a volunteer-run archive comprising over 10,000 rare and unique artefacts documenting the development of filmmaking across Africa and the African diaspora, including in Britain.
Sky News will be liveblogging winners as they’re announced, from around 4.30pm on Sunday afternoon – follow it all live on our site.
Entertainment
BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard – with psychological horror close behind
Astro Bot was the big winner at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, taking home five prizes, including the coveted best game.
The 3D platformer, which was launched to critical acclaim in September to mark PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, was nominated for eight gongs, while Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, led with 11 nods.
But in the end, the critics – some of whom had dubbed Astro Bot a “perfect game” – were right as it dominated the awards at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running.
Astro Bot. Pic: Team Asobi
Nicolas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA
BAFTAs for audio achievement, game design, animation, and best family game completed the set for developers Team Asobi, who designed multiple galaxies and dozens of levels for the titular Astro to journey through, retrieving spaceship parts and rescuing lost robots.
“We’re a team based in Japan, but we have over 12 nationalities. We really mix it up and get ideas from everyone,” Nicolas Doucet, president of Team Asobi, told Sky News.
“We do a lot of jokes in the game, but the joke has a different meaning depending on where you are in the world. So it’s really, really nice to go around and ask everyone ‘is that joke fine in your country?’ And then together we come to a kind of universal playfulness.”
Among the gongs for Astro Bot was the best game award. Pic: BAFTA
It’s a very different atmosphere than that generated by British psychological horror Still Wakes The Deep, which won three awards for best new intellectual property and best supporting and leading roles.
Compared to John Carpenter’s 1980 sci-fi horror The Thing but on a Scottish oil rig, the game sees players take on the role of an electrician trapped on a damaged facility while being pursued by monsters.
Still Wakes The Deep. Pic: Sumo Digital Limited
Developer The Chinese Room has been praised for using home-grown talent to voice the characters, including comedian and actress Karen Dunbar, who picked up best performer in a supporting role for voicing Finlay.
“I’ve been nominated for quite a few BAFTAs in my time in Scotland, and I’ve never won one,” said Dunbar.
“It was such a great category, so many great performances. When they shouted my name, I think I started clapping for someone else!”
Read more: See full list of winners
Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA
Meanwhile, best multiplayer game went to Helldivers II – a satirical, sci-fi shooter that sees players fight bugs, aliens and robots with the gumption and gullibility of the characters in Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers.
It has gained a cult following since launching in February 2024 with so much initial interest it created server problems.
“Games for me are about connecting people and forging those bonds of friendship and the multiplayer award is exactly what it stands for,” said Johan Pilestedt, chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios.
Helldivers II. Pic: Arrowhead/Sony
From outer space to a fictional Yorkshire town called Barnsworth. Thank Goodness You’re Here! – a cartoonish, comedy platformer – won Best British Game. Like Still Wakes The Deep, it has won praise for the authenticity of its actors and setting.
“I think it’s been a real privilege to be able to represent Barnsley on the silver screen,” said Will Todd, who is from the town and one of two game designers behind the project.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc
Co-creator James Carbutt added: “Me and Will wrote everything in our tone of voice, quite literally. The further along development we got, the more we lent into it. I think the voices from different parts of the UK and different voices in gaming are super important, and hopefully we’re one of them.”
By the time the BAFTAs wrapped up, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was only handed one of the 11 BAFTAs it was nominated for, technical achievement.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Pic: Ninja Theory
But developers Ninja Theory are already adding this year’s win to a tally of five BAFTAs they were awarded for the first game in the series, which created a protagonist with psychosis by drawing on clinical neuroscience and the experiences of people living with the condition.
Blondie drummer Clem Burke has died at the age of 70
The band said Blurke had been diagnosed with cancer, and described his death as a “profound loss”.
He featured on all the Debbie Harry-fronted group’s studio albums since joining a year after their formation in 1975.
Blurke was with the band from their self-titled debut, through their 1978 classic Parallel Lines, to 2017’s Pollinator.
Drummer Burke.
Pic: Reuters
In a statement on Blondie’s Instagram, Harry and the band’s guitarist, Chris Stein, said: “It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.
“Clem was not just a drummer, he was the heartbeat of Blondie.
“His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.
“Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie, a self-proclaimed ‘rock and roll survivalist’, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists.”
Burke in his performance at Festival Estereo Picnic 2023.
Pic: AP
Burke featured on Iggy Pop’s 1982 album Zombie Birdhouse and also performed with Bob Dylan, The Ramones, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.
The statement went on to say Burke had left an “indelible mark on every project he was part of”.
It added: “We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”
Burke, who performed on classic tracks such as Call Me, Heart Of Glass and One Way Or Another, made his final live appearance with Blondie last year.
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Blondie performing during Glastonbury Festival in 2023.
Pic: Invision/AP
Among those paying tribute to him was Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, who said: “I feel saddened that Clem Burke was taken from us so soon.
“May he rest in peace, spectacular drumming, we were friends.”
Nancy Sinatra said: “My heart is shattered. Clem became an icon as a member of Blondie, but he was also an important part of my band, the K.A.B. I was blessed to call him my friend.
“If I ever needed him, he was there. Always. Sending healing prayers and comfort to his widow, Ellen, his family, and all who loved him.”
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