With so many Hollywood power players in attendance, the likes of Take That and Jeff Goldblum performing, and awards season still in flux, the 2025 BAFTAs ceremony was always going to be eventful. From the opening monologue to the most surprising wins, the musical interludes to the emotional speeches, here’s everything you might have missed from the British Academy Film Awards.
Conclave and The Brutalist duked it out
Edward Berger’s adaptation of Robert Harris’s 2016 novel won four of the 12 categories in which it was nominated, including best film, with the Conclave director making one of the most charged speeches on a night largely (and peculiarly) devoid of political sentiment. (It’s been reported that several Trump jokes were cut.) “We live in a time of a crisis of democracy, and institutions usually used to bring us together are being used to pull us apart,” Berger said while collecting the outstanding British film award. “Sometimes it’s hard to keep the faith in that situation, but that’s why we make movies, and that’s why we made this movie… To end with a quote from Leonard Cohen, ‘There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.’”
The Brutalist, meanwhile, scooped best director for Brady Corbet and leading actor for Adrien Brody, whose Oscar campaign seems to have recovered from its AI scandal-induced wobble back in January.
Mikey Madison: a (fashion) star is born
In a surprise turn of events, the Anora frontwoman took home leading actress over Oscar favourite Demi Moore (to say nothing of Brits Cynthia Erivo and Marianne Jean-Baptiste). “I probably should have listened to my publicist and wrote a speech or something,” Madison quipped onstage, before delivering a perfectly measured one that included a tribute to the sex worker community. “I just want to say that I see you. You deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and an ally, and I implore others to do the same.” On a (considerably) less serious note, Madison’s Prada gown for the ceremony was one of the best looks of the night, something that won’t go unnoticed by the fashion industry.
James McAvoy won best British humor
Madison’s win was all the more notable given that David Jonsson pipped her (and his Industry costar Marisa Abela) to the Rising Star Award, presented by James McAvoy. “Thanks to BAFTA for really hammering home that it’s been 20 years since I won this,” the Atonement lead deadpanned.
Jonsson’s speech was more heartfelt. “I’ve got to be honest, this isn’t why I do it. I’m just an east London boy who, by way of reflection, didn’t really see a space for me in this industry. But this award is about people and as long as we can keep telling stories about people I think there’ll be a space for me and people like me… ‘Star,’ I don’t know, but rising, I guess.”
No one checked the weather forecast
“I will always remember my first BAFTAs in 2014,” Lupita Nyong’o told British Vogue ahead of tonight’s ceremony. “It was outside, it was February, and, ugh, I just couldn’t believe how cold it was. I quickly learned that a strapless gown does not work with London winters.” Fortunately for fashion spectators, she doesn’t actually seem to have learned from her past mistake; her Chanel gown for the 2025 awards was a long way from Uniqlo Heattech—and she wasn’t alone in shivering her way down the step and repeat. (See: a visibly shaking Camila Cabello.) Meanwhile, The Substance director Coralie Fargeat swaddled herself (and her Armani Privé look) with a duvet-like puffer on the red carpet.
The royals were wholly absent
Kensington Palace confirmed in advance that the prince and princess of Wales wouldn’t be attending this year’s BAFTAs, with Vanity Fair reporting that the couple has decamped to Mustique with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis for the half-term break instead (to be fair, it’s 34ºF in London). William did, however, pre-record a video message to mark the 20th anniversary of the Rising Star Award. “Judging by the international success of the previous nominees and winners of this award, I am certain we will be seeing much more of their work over the next 20 years and beyond,” he said of the 2025 honorees.
Team Emilia Pérez tested BBC censors’ patience
Zoe Saldaña won best supporting actress for her performance as lawyer Rita Mora Castro, celebrating her win by reenacting the opening scene of Four Weddings and a Funeral before a countdown began during her thank-yous. Director Jacques Audiard likewise got his moment onstage when his musical thriller won best film not in the English language—thanking the entire cast before closing his speech with, “I also thank you Karla Sofía, who I kiss.” The shout-out was as notable as it was questionable, given that Audiard recently condemned Karla Sofía Gascón’s controversial resurfaced tweets as “hateful” in an interview with Deadline. (The BBC ultimately cut it from the television broadcast.)
Roman made Kendall look like the first pancake—again
Kieran Culkin beat Jeremy Strong (who was, of course, wearing Loro Piana) to win best supporting actor again, with Jesse Eisenberg accepting the former’s statuette. “It’s confirmed what I always thought,” the A Real Pain director said of collecting five trophies on Culkin’s behalf recently. “We have a similar life, but his is 27% better than mine.” Kieran was absent, Eisenberg explained, to be with a family member who had fallen ill: “[He] is one of those lovely people who’s brilliantly talented but by some random luck of the cosmos has his priorities in order.”
Also of note on the Roy front: Brian Cox popped up in David Tennant’s fever dream of an opening sketch to compliment the host’s kilt. “You’re carrying the spirit of Scotland with ye!” This section of the broadcast also featured a rendition of The Proclaimers’ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” the exact nature of which I would report on in more detail, but I had left my body by that point.
Timothée Chalamet brought a) a panther and b) Kylie Jenner
Chalamet and Jenner, who currently elicit the same reaction as Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in 1962, sat front row during the ceremony, although Chalamet once again walked the red carpet alone—albeit with a Panthère de Cartier for company. If the eyes of Royal Festival Hall were focused on Timothée and Kylie for much of the evening, Timmy never graced the stage proper, with A Complete Unknown failing to win a single BAFTA—but he did, of course, get ribbed by Tennant. “We’re very privileged tonight to be joined by the runner-up in New York’s recent Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition. Welcome to the BAFTAs, young man… Lovely attention to detail, you’re with a Kylie Jenner lookalike, well done!”
Inevitably for the BAFTAs, there was a Harry Potter reunion…
Ralph Fiennes wasn’t the only Hogwarts alumnus in attendance tonight. Warwick Davis, who portrayed Professor Flitwick, was presented with the BAFTA fellowship by Tom Felton, a.k.a. Draco Malfoy, for his contributions to cinema. Paying tribute to his late wife, Davis called the award “the best thing that’s ever happened to him”: “To anyone out there dreaming of telling their story or creating something meaningful, go for it, the world needs your vision… just remember that little fella with the BAFTA.”
More regrettably, Take That returned
…with a performance of “Greatest Day” (as featured in Sean Baker’s Anora), after which we learned that Saoirse Ronan is a Gary Barlow fan. “I’ve seen you twice!” she shouted into Tennant’s microphone. Ronan, who was in the running for leading actress for her role in The Outrun, was joined by her husband Jack Lowden in a rare public appearance for the media-shy couple, who married quietly in Edinburgh last summer.
Jeff Goldblum tickled the ivories
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (and professional jazz pianist) played “As Time Goes By” during the In Memoriam segment of the evening, which recognized the loss of David Lynch, Maggie Smith, and more. A moment, here, for Goldblum’s Loewe waistcoat—covered in iridescent, Moira-Rose-coded feathers.
