Baftas 2026: Live updates from the 79th annual ceremony
Key points
- Jessie Buckley wins 'Best Actress' for 'Hamnet' View post
- The 'Best Actor' award goes to Robert Aramayo View post
- Paul Thomas Anderson wins 'Best Director' View post
- 'Sentimental Value' makes history View post
- Another Bafta for 'One Battle After Another' View post
- The ceremony is underway! View post
The Baftas have taken place once again, with the elite of the international film industry descending upon London for the 79th annual edition of the ceremony.
Once again, Royal Festival Hall will play host to the prestigious occasion, with Scottish actor Alan Cumming in charge of proceedings.
Far Out will be here to provide updates as the winners are unveiled throughout the evening.
That’s a wrap!
Thanks for being with Far Out for this year’s Baftas coverage. It has been a night that has acted as a timely reminder that our film industry is a source of immense cultural pride, with I Swear taking the plaudits and triumphing over movies that were made with incomparable budgets. Yet, storytelling and talent will always shine through.
The Baftas always provide a glimpse of what to expect at the Oscars, and if tonight is anything to go by, expect Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another to again dominate proceedings on March 15th. However, Timothée Chalamet and Josh Safdie will be hoping that Marty Supreme fares better at the Oscars than it did at the Baftas, making history for the wrong reasons by notching up the most losses.
Thanks for being with Far Out throughout the night, and we’ll see you again next month for live coverage from the Academy Awards.
Why ‘I Swear’ isn’t up for any Oscars
Despite Robert Aramayo winning ‘Best Actor’ for his performance in I Swear, as well as the film taking home the Baftas for ‘Casting’, it isn’t nominated for a single Oscar next month.
Due to only having recently secured a release in the United States, it was ineligible for this year’s nominations; however, it could possibly be nominated at the Oscars in 2027.
A night to forget for ‘Marty Supreme’
A few hours ago, it seemed like Timothée Chalamet was set to win ‘Best Actor’ and Marty Supreme was on course to win several Baftas this evening, but it wasn’t to be for the 30-year-old Hollywood A-lister.
The Josh Safdie production scored a total of 11 nominations, but didn’t earn a single victory. Marty Supreme has now tied a record set by Women in Love in 1969 and Finding Neverland in 2004 for the most Bafta losses in history.
Which film won the most Baftas?
One Battle After Another, which was nominated in a total of 14 categories, won the most awards tonight, taking home six Baftas, including the celebrated ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best Director’, as well as ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Sean Penn.
Meanwhile, Sinners, Frankenstein, and I Swear are trailing, some distance, behind with three wins each, while Hamnet picked up two Baftas.
‘One Battle After Another’ wins ‘Best Film’
The biggest Bafta of the night, ‘Best Film’, has been awarded to Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.
While stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Chase Infiniti lost their respective categories, together, their performances helped Anderson’s epic feature win the most important prize of the night.
It is the first time Anderson has won ‘Best Film’ at the Baftas in his career. Although he did previously win, also for the first time, ‘Best Director’ earlier this evening for One Battle After Another.
In his speech, Anderson said it was a “tremendous honour”, and told his fellow Hollywood heavyweights in attendance, “Let’s keep making movies without fear.”
Jessie Buckley wins ‘Best Actress’ for ‘Hamnet’
Jessie Buckley has been crowned ‘Best Actress’ for her incredible performance in Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet.
In the film, she portrays William Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, and has now become the first Irish actress to win the coveted Bafta for ‘Best Actress’.
“I dreamed a little bit to be a little bit like Judi Dench,” she said in her speech, before adding, “This really does belong to the women past, present and future that have taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently.”
Buckley then heaped praise on Zhao, telling the director, “Chloé Zhao you are making history tonight as a story teller. Thank you for your uncompromising artistry.”
The ‘Best Actor’ award goes to Robert Aramayo
Wow, Robert Aramayo has beaten Timothée Chalamet, Ethan Hawke, Michael B Jordan, Jesse Plemons, and Leonardo DiCaprio to win the ‘Best Actor’ award at the Baftas for his performance in I Swear.
Aramayo had previously won ‘Rising Star’ earlier this evening, and this double victory has made it his night at the Baftas, with the ceremony shining a light on the best of British talent.
Paul Thomas Anderson wins ‘Best Director’
Paul Thomas Anderson has unsurprisingly won the ‘Best Director’ Bafta for One Battle After Another, which did seem like a nailed-on certainty prior to the event. It is only the second Bafta win of his career.
During his emotive speech, Anderson honoured his late collaborator Adam Somner, a British assistant director who worked on One Battle After Another while battling cancer. He sadly died in late 2024, aged 57.
He also said at the Baftas, “Thank you very much, I feel like the prettiest girl in the room right now,” as well as thanking his cast, especially Leonardo DiCaprio.
Robert Aramayo wins ‘Rising Star’
Hull-born actor Robert Aramayo, who is also nominated for ‘Best Actor’ for his performance in I Swear, has won the coveted ‘Rising Star’ Bafta.
Since being introduced in 2005, the ‘EE Rising Star Award’ has been won by a variety of actors who have gone on to dominate Hollywood, including James McAvoy, Kristen Stewart, Tom Hardy, Jack O’Connell, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, and Emma Mackey.
Now, Aramayo will be looking to emulate their careers and establish themselves as one of the most recognised names in British cinema.
‘Hamnet’ wins ‘Outstanding British Film’
It’s expected to be a night to remember for Hamnet, with Chloé Zhao’s movie, starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, winning ‘Outstanding British Film’. It defeated hotly-tipped movies such as I Swear, The Ballad of Wallis Island, 28 Years Later and Die My Love.
‘Sentimental Value’ makes history
Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value has been crowned ‘Best Non-English Language Film’ in a stacked category that also included The Secret Agent, The Voice of Hind Rajab, Sirat, and It Was Just an Accident.
With this victory, Sentimental Value has become the very first Norwegian film to win a Bafta.
‘One Battle After Another’ wins ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, loosely based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland, has added to its Baftas haul once more with the award for ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’.
Other nominees included The Ballad of Wallis Island, Pillion and Hamnet.
‘F1’ wins ‘Best Sound’
Mercury Prize-winning rapper Little Simz, alongside Riz Ahmed’, was on hand to deliver the ‘Best Sound’ Bafta to F1.
The blockbuster, starring Brad Pitt, beat the likes of Frankenstein and Sinners to the prestigious award.
[Link]Another Bafta for ‘One Battle After Another’
One Battle After Another, the most-nominated film at this year’s ceremony, can now add ‘Best Editing’ to its growing list of Bafta victories tonight after Sean Penn was awarded ‘Best Supporting Actor’.
It now remains to be seen whether Paul Thomas Anderson will clinch ‘Best Director’, and if the movie will be named ‘Best Picture’.
‘I Swear’ bags its first Bafta of the night
Scottish independent film I Swear is representing British cinema on a global stage this evening, with nominations in key categories such as ‘Leading Actor’ for Robert Aramayo, and ‘Best Original Screenplay’, as well as ‘Outstanding British Film’.
Now, it has been crowned the winner of the ‘Casting’ category, which bodes well for the rest of the night.
Akinola Davies Jr says “Free Palestine” after winning Bafta
Akinola Davies Jr, along with his brother Wale Davies, have won the Bafta for ‘Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer’ thanks to their deeply personal film, My Father’s Shadow.
In his speech, Akinola dedicated the win to “all those whose parents migrated for a better life for their children”, and also expressed solidarity for Palestine, declaring “Free Palestine”.
‘Sinners’ wins ‘Best Original Screenplay’
This year, the ‘Best Original Screenplay’ category was a crowded field with Ryan Coogler’s Sinners securing the victory over I Swear, Sentimental Value, Marty Supreme, and The Secret Agent.
Coogler, who is in London for the ceremony, said he “didn’t expect” to win, and powerfully said of those who brought his vision to life, “When you look at a blank page, think of who you love, think of someone you see in pain and help them feel better.”
With this victory, Coogler has become the first Black writer to win the Bafta for ‘Best Original Screenplay’.
Sinners notched up another Bafta earlier this evening when Wunmi Mosaku won the award for ‘Best Supporting Actress’.
British films get their recognition at the Baftas!
In the last ten minutes, the Baftas have been honouring homegrown productions that have flown under the radar of many over the last 12 months.
This Is Endometriosis has won the Bafta for ‘Best British Short Film’; meanwhile, ‘Best British Short Animation’ has gone to Two Black Boys In Paradise.
During his moving speech, Two Black Boys In Paradise co-creator Dean Atta powerfully said on the topic of representation, “As a black gay man I rarely get to see myself on stage in something that isn’t a tragedy.”
[Link]Another Bafta for<em> </em>’Frankenstein’
Frankenstein has won its second Bafta in a matter of minutes, and has also been victorious in the ‘Best Make-Up and Hair’ category, beating the likes of Marty Supreme and Sinners.
‘Frankenstein’ wins ‘Best Production Design’
Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein has won its first Bafta of the evening, taking home the Bafta for ‘Best Production Design’.
The film is nominated in a total of eight categories; however, Jacob Elordi has already lost out on ‘Best Supporting Actor’, and it was pipped to ‘Special Visual Effects’ by Avatar: Fire and Ash.
And the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ award goes to…
Sean Penn has won the Bafta for his chilling performance as Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw in One Battle After Another, one of the greatest villainous roles in recent cinematic history, and the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ award was nothing short of deserved.
The full nominees for this award were Benicio Del Toro – One Battle After Another, Jacob Elordi – Frankenstein, Paul Mescal – Hamnet, Peter Mullan – I Swear, Sean Penn – One Battle After Another, and Stellan Skarsgård – Sentimental Value.
Sadly, Penn was not in attendance to accept the award with Gillian Anderson, who co-presented the prize, took it on his behalf.
Wunmi Mosaku wins her first Bafta!
British actor Wunmi Mosaku, who left the comfort of the UK television industry behind in order to challenge herself in Hollywood, has just won the first Bafta, in the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ category, of her career for Sinners!
A triumphant tale.
In her speech, Mosaku said of the career-defining role, “I found a part of myself in Annie, a part of my hopes, my ancestral power and connection, parts of myself I thought I had lost.”
‘Best Supporting Actress’ time
One of the most prestigious Baftas is now set to be handed out with Odessa A’zion for Marty Supreme, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value, Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners, Carey Mulligan for The Ballad of Wallis Island, Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another, and Emily Watson for Hamnet competing.
Who’s your winner?
[Link]And the first winner is…
The first award of the night is for the ‘Special Visual Effects’ category, celebrating a key, yet often overlooked, part of what makes cinema great. This year’s nominees were Avatar: Fire and Ash, F1, Frankenstein, How to Train Your Dragon and The Lost Bus.
Sinners stars Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan had the honour of handing out the inaugral Bafta of 2026, which went to… Avatar: Fire and Ash.
The ceremony is underway!
While the broadcast is still hours away from being shown on the telly, Bafta chair Sara Putt has addressed the crowd to warm them up for the evening ahead before introducing Alan Cumming to the stage.
During her introduction to tonight’s event, Putt shared to the room of industry titans (via BBC), “One thing is certain. More change is coming. The film industry is rapidly evolving and the tectonic plates are shifting.”
What is the most nominated movie at the Baftas?
Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic One Battle After Another is leading the pack for nominations with 14 nods, including ‘Best Film’. Sinners is trailing closely behind with 13 nominations, while both Hamnet and Marty Supreme have 11 each.
British films also have reasons to be cheerful with The Ballad of Wallis Island, I Swear, and Pillion all in the frame to possibly win a Bafta.
The musical guests at the Baftas
It’s not only films that will be put in the spotlight tonight at the Baftas, but the event will also have musical moments, too.
Most notably, the Baftas will welcome Huntr/X to perform ‘Golden’ from the smash-hit Netflix animated movie, K-Pop Demon Hunters, which marks the first time they have ever played outside the United States. K-Pop Demon Hunters.
While the track is up for ‘Best Original Song’ at the Oscars, the category doesn’t exist at the Baftas, but it will be sure to make any young children staying up late for the ceremony go wild, nonetheless.
Jessie Ware is also set to take to the stage during the In Memoriam segment, as the Baftas pay tribute to those who we’ve lost in the last 12 months.
Who is presenting awards at the Baftas?
Earlier this week, the Baftas confirmed the A-list names that would have the honour of handing out awards at the ceremony, including the likes of Cillian Murphy, Aimee Lou Wood, Stormzy, Monica Belucci, Gillian Anderson, Warwick Davis, Bryan Cranston, Stellan Skarsgård, Delroy Lindo, Ethan Hawke and Glenn Close are among the presenters.
The full list of presenters, in alphebatical order, are as follows, Aaron Pierre, Aimee Lou Wood, Alicia Vikander, Alia Bhatt, Bryan Cranston, Cillian Murphy, David Jonsson, Delroy Lindo, Emily Watson, Erin Doherty, Ethan Hawke, Gillian Anderson, Glenn Close, Hannah Waddingham, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Kerry Washington, Little Simz, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Milly Alcock, Minnie Driver, Monica Bellucci, Noah Jupe, Olivia Cooke, Patrick Dempsey, Regé-Jean Page, Riz Ahmed, Sadie Sink, Stellan Skargård, Stormzy, Warwick Davis.
What time does the Baftas begin?
The Baftas ceremony will begin at 5pm, and the vast majority of awards will be handed out before the broadcast airs at 7pm on BBC One.
The broadcast version of the event will be condensed, lasting only two hours, featuring live unveilings of the major awards, as well as a round-up of events to have happened before 7pm.
Welcome to the Baftas!
The red carpet walks have been completed, and we are now only 20 minutes away from the ceremony getting underway at the Royal Festival Hall. While the broadcast won’t begin until later this evening, Far Out is on hand to keep you up to date with everything that is going down in London.
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