Baftas 2026: Nominees confirmed for ‘Rising Star Award’
The Baftas have confirmed the five nominees for the prestigious ‘EE Rising Star Award’.
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.
Notably, it is the only Bafta that is voted for by the public. Voting is now open and will remain so until February 12th.
Nominees in 2026 include Hull-born actor Robert Ayamaro, who starred in I, Swear and Palestine 36, and has previously featured in Game of Thrones.
Sinners star Miles Caton is also among the nominees alongside Chase Infiniti, who made her first feature film appearance in the Golden Globe-winning Paul Thomas Anderson triumph, One Battle After Another.
The list of nominees also features British actor Archie Madekwe, whose impressive list of credits includes Saltburn, Lurker, Midsommar, and Beau Is Afraid.
Posy Sterling, who starred in the BBC film Lollipop and will join the cast of the hit series Trigger Point for the forthcoming fourth season, completes the list.
The winner is set to be unveiled at this year’s Baftas ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on February 22nd at the Royal Festival Hall in London, with Alan Cumming set to host for the first time.
Earlier this week, the longlist was unveiled with One Battle After Another leading the pack, picking up mentions in 16 out of a possible 25 categories, including ‘Best Film’, ‘Best Director’, and ‘Adapted Screenplay’. This is the most categories that a film has appeared in a longlist since it was introduced in 2021.
Additionally, One Battle After Another actors Infiniti, Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn have all advanced to the next round of voting in their respective categories.
Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners both look to have a strong chance at the Baftas, picking up 14 mentions each in the longlist. Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet, is trailing slightly behind with 13.
The nominations will be revealed on January 27th.
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