Stars including Ana de Armas, Cate Blanchett, Paul Mescal and Bill Nighy will fight it out for Bafta glory after the shortlist for the coveted film awards were announced on Thursday.
Bond star de Armas is in the running for leading actress for her portrayal of Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe in Blonde but faces competition from Blanchett in Tar as well as Viola Davis, shortlisted for The Woman King, Emma Thompson for Good Luck to You, Leo Grande and Michelle Yeoh who stars in the science-fiction drama Everything Everywhere All At Once.
The shortlist is completed by Danielle Deadwyler for her role in the US civil rights drama Till.
Austin Butler is in contention for leading actor for his performance in the title-role in Elvis – the biopic of rock ‘n’ roll legend Elvis Presley – alongside Colin Farrell, shortlisted for The Banshees of Inisherin, and frontrunner Brendan Fraser for the Whale.
The shortlist also includes Nighy for Living, Daryl McCormack for Good Luck to you, Leo Grande and Mescal for Aftersun.
Other nominees include veteran star Jamie Lee Curtis nominated for Supporting Actress for Everything Everywhere All At Once and Eddie Redmayne who is shortlisted for Supporting Actor for The Good Nurse.
This year’s winners will be announced at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday February 19 with 14 of the 24 nominees in the performance categories nominated for the first time including De Armas, Farrell, Fraser and Mescal.
The most nominated film is German anti-war movie All Quiet on the Western Front, which has 14 nominations including Best Film – making it the most nominated film not in the English language in Bafta history.
In another first, all five nominations in the outstanding debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer are women including actress and comedian Katy Brand nominated for her script for Good Luck To You, Leo Grande which stars Thompson as a widow who has a sexual awakening after a male prostitute.
Anna Higgs, who chairs BAFTA’s Film Committee, said: “It is heartening to see that BAFTA’s ongoing work to level the playing field continues to have a positive impact on the diversity and scope of talent and titles nominated today.
“I’m delighted to see an all-women list in our Outstanding Debut category, as well as so many first-time nominees across the board. Today is about celebrating the phenomenal success of this year’s nominees, who together with their fellow filmmakers and crews, have created a truly remarkable year of films.”
She said changes made to Bafta rules meant more films are now being seen by voters to ensure “barriers and systemic biases” were removed from the process which have resulted in “way more breadth and depth of nominations and types of films being recognised”.
It comes after the organisation was criticised for a lack of diversity following the 2020 awards when the major performing shortlists were dominated by white actors.
Some award shows, including the Brits, have introduced gender neutral awards in an attempt to combat bias though that has led to accusations of women artists missing out on recognition.
This year’s EE Bafta Awards will be hosted by actor and writer Richard E. Grant with Alison Hammond also helping to guide viewers through the event.
