.jpg)
Jessie Buckley makes history as the first Irish Best Actress winner, while Paul Thomas Anderson's darkly comic thriller dominates the night with six awards.
By Leo | UK24 News
History was made at this year's Bafta Awards, marked by unprecedented double victories, Royal admissions, and a sweeping success for Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.
In the night's most stunning upset, I Swear star Robert Aramayo beat Hollywood A-listers, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet, to take home the coveted Best Actor award. Earlier in the evening, Aramayo also secured the Bafta Rising Star award—making him the first actor or actress in history to win both categories in the same year.
Aramayo, who depicted the life of John Davidson—a real-life campaigner for Tourette's syndrome—was visibly moved as he collected his award. "I honestly cannot believe this," a tearful Aramayo told the crowd. Pointing to DiCaprio in the audience, he added, "I can't believe I'm looking at people like you and I'm in the same category as you, never mind that I'm stood here."
Buckley Breaks Records
The Best Actress category also saw a historic milestone. Jessie Buckley, the favorite going into the night, won for her portrayal of Shakespeare's grieving wife, Agnes, in Hamnet. Her victory makes her the first Irish actress to ever win the award.
"This is nuts," Buckley said during her acceptance speech. "This really does belong to the women past, present and future that taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently." Hamnet was also recognized for Outstanding British Film.
Royal Reactions
The Prince and Princess of Wales were in attendance, marking their first joint public appearance since Prince William's uncle, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office last week.
Speaking with Southbank Centre chief executive Elaine Bedell, the Prince of Wales, who attends in his capacity as Bafta's president, admitted he hadn't yet watched Hamnet. "I need to be in quite a calm state and I'm not at the moment. I will save it," he said.
The Princess of Wales, however, told Bafta film committee chair Emily Stillman that she had watched the emotion-laden drama on Saturday. "I think it was a very bad idea actually... [I] ended up with very puffy eyes," she confessed.
Anderson's Thriller Sweeps the Board
The biggest winner of the night was Paul Thomas Anderson's darkly comic thriller, One Battle After Another. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a father who reconnects with his former revolutionary group following the kidnap of his daughter (Chase Infiniti), the film picked up six of its 14 nominated awards.
It secured Best Film, Best Director for Anderson, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, who played the reactionary villain Colonel Steven Lockjaw.
"Anybody that says movies aren't any good any more can [expletive] right off. Let's keep making movies without fear," Anderson told the audience. This marks Anderson's first win in the Best Director category, having only previously won Best Original Screenplay for Licorice Pizza in 2022. The film now carries major momentum heading into the Academy Awards on March 15.
Representation and Apologies
I Swear won three awards in total, with Lauren Evans taking home Best Casting for what she called a "stellar" performance by Aramayo. John Davidson, the subject of the film who originally featured in the 1989 BBC documentary John's Not Mad, was in attendance.
The ceremony did feature moments of unscripted strong language due to involuntary vocal tics. Host Alan Cumming addressed the audience during the show: "Tourette's syndrome is a disability and the tics you have heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette's syndrome has no control over their language. We apologise if you were offended."
Other Notable Winners and Snubs
Vampire horror hit Sinners also claimed three awards, including Best Original Screenplay for director Ryan Coogler, Best Original Score, and Best Supporting Actress for Wunmi Mosaku. Mosaku is the first British winner in the category in four years. "I found a part of myself in Annie, a part of my hopes, my ancestral power and connection, parts I thought I had lost or tried to dim as an immigrant trying to fit in," she said.
Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein, starring Jacob Elordi, swept the design categories. It won Best Production Design for its ambitious sets—including an Arctic explorer ship frozen on ice—alongside Best Costume Design and Best Hair and Make-Up.
It was a tough night, however, for Marty Supreme. The table tennis caper starring Timothée Chalamet went into the evening with 11 nominations but walked away empty-handed—a rare Bafta shutout only previously matched by 1969’s Women in Love and 2004’s Finding Neverland.
The night concluded with moving performances, including the K-Pop Demon Hunters trio singing Golden, and Jessie Ware delivering a touching rendition of The Way We Were for the In Memoriam segment, honoring late greats like Catherine O'Hara, Gene Hackman, and Robert Redford.
Films With the Most Wins
One Battle After Another - 6
Sinners - 3
I Swear - 3
Frankenstein - 3
Hamnet - 2
