February 17, 2025

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Adrian Brody and Pamela Anderson

Photographs by Greg Williams
Words by Jane Crowther

The temperatures were freezing for this year’s EE Bafta Awards at the Royal Festival Hall on London’s Southbank, but relationships were warm backstage where Greg Williams captured the festivities.

The mood was celebratory as guests flooded from the Tattinger champagne receptions on all levels of the RFH into the auditorium and found their seats – as well as their colleagues and category competition. Pamela Anderson and Demi Moore hugged and chatted front of stage while Timothée Chalamet (who’d skipped the red carpet) caught up with newlyweds Soairse Ronan and Jack Lowdon. Chalamet’s girlfriend, Kyle Jenner, talked at length with his A Complete Unknown co-star, Monica Barbaro, while Cythia Erivo and Ariane Grande whispered to each other as they held hands. 

This year’s ceremony was presided over by David Tennant, who opened the show with a spirited rendition of The Proclaimers’ ‘I’m gonna be (500 Miles)’ and joked that the runner up of the Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest was sitting on the front row with his Jenner lookalike date. 

Backstage, the atmosphere was convivial as Edward Berger’s Conclave took home four awards (best picture, outstanding British film, adapted screenplay and editing) and Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist won the quartet of best director, leading actor, cinematography and score. They were expected triumphs along with best supporting actress, an emotional Zoë Saldana for Emilia Perez, and supporting actor in an absent Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain

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Jack Lowden and Soairse Ronan
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Adrian Brody and Pamela Anderson
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Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande

Saldana was still tearful as she came off stage after her win – her second trip to the podium after presenting Outstanding debut with Selena Gomez to Kneecap writer-director Rich Peppiatt who joked he was in a ‘lovely sandwich’ as the actresses escorted him down the backstage steps for photographs. Aardman’s Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl also picked up two awards that seemed uncontested in the categories of best animation and children and family film. Directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham juggled their clay models with their BAFTA as they exited the stage.

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Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini
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Warick Davis and Mark Hamill
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Zoë Saldaña
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David Jonsson

Surprises came with the best actor category which pundits had thought might have gone to Ralph Fiennes on home turf but was awarded to The Brutalist’s Adrian Brody. He joked that he was ‘signing his life away’ as he signed papers allowing him to take his BAFTA mask home, before he returned to stand by a monitor to watch who won best actress. Demi Moore has had an unbeatable run during awards season for her work in The Substance, but BAFTA voted for Anora breakout – and Hollywood Authentic’s current cover star – Mikey Madison. When she arrived backstage, Brody high-fived her and the two chatted as they waited for Best Picture to be announced. Both actors’ films were nominated and both nodded and applauded when that gong went to Conclave. As the Conclave team arrived backstage, Madison congratulated them before pausing to huddle in a corner to call her delighted parents in LA. 

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Celia Imre and Naomi Ackie
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Leo Woodall
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Chiwetel Ejiofor
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Jaques Audiard

There was a Harry Potter and Star Wars reunion when Warwick Davis received his BAFTA fellowship from Potter veteran, Tom Felton. ‘You deserve it so thoroughly,’ Felton told Warwick, who played Filius Flitwick to his Malfoy, as the two hugged and exchanged news. Waiting in the wings to present best picture, Mark Hamill joined the duo – congratulating his Star Wars co-star on his achievement and kneeling for photos.

Once the ceremony was over, the catch-ups and selfies began downstairs over dinner where oversized themed lampshades loomed over a supper of vegan caviar, roast chicken and popcorn-strawberry cheesecake. Zoe Saldana and Warwick Davis chatted with their BAFTAs in hand, Kylie Jenner slipped on a jacket to talk to tablemates on the A Complete Unknown table while Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo took Wicked group snaps.

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Adrian Brody

Despite a tragic fire at Chiltern Firehouse disrupting plans at the last minute, the Netflix after-party remained the post-awards place to be – moving with 48-hours notice to The Twenty-Two in Mayfair. Downstairs, Zoë Saldana and her husband hung out with Anna Kendrick as well as Demi Moore and her daughter, Scout. Jared Leto rubbed shoulders with Sophie Wilde, Colman Domingo and Ncuti Gatwa in the buzzy red lounge. Upstairs, Malachi Kirby caught up with his A Thousand Blows co-star Francis Lovehall while Orlando Bloom danced and Camilla Cabello moved among the revellers…

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Mikey Madison

WINNERS:

Best Film – Conclave

Outstanding British Film – Conclave

Best Director – Brady Corbet (The Brutalist)

Outstanding Debut By By British Writer, Director Or Producer – Kneecap

Film Not In The English Language – Emilia Pérez

Best Documentary – Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

Best Animated Film – Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

Best Original Screenplay – A Real Pain

Best Adapted Screenplay – Conclave

Best Leading Actress – Mikey Madison (Anona)

Best Leading Actor – Adrien Brody (The Brutalist)

Best Supporting Actress – Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez)

Best Supporting Actor – Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)

Best Casting – Anora

Best Cinematography – The Brutalist

Best Editing – Conclave

Best Costume – Wicked

Best Original Score – The Brutalist (Daniel Blumberg)

Best Production Design – Wicked

Best Sound – Dune: Part Two

Best Visual Effects – Dune: Part Two

Best British Short Film – Rock, Paper, Scissors

EE Rising Star – David Jonsson


Photographs by Greg Williams
Words by Jane Crowther

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Emma Stone, David Beckham, Carey Mulligan, Marcus Mumford and Bradley Cooper

Hollywood Authentic hit the red carpet, ceremony and parties at this year’s EE BAFTA awards – join us for a recap on the fun from the South Bank’s Royal Festival Hall.

The festivities kicked off with a proposal at 2pm as an early-arriving guest popped the question and host David Tennant took to the carpet to greet waiting fans as the cars began arriving. It was a family affair for many of the nominees; Emily Blunt, dressed in gold-beaded Elie Saab, arrived with her parents, as did Paul Mescal (plus his siblings) while Christopher Nolan brought along his teen son, Magnus. The red carpet was soon filled with talent taking the opportunity to greet each other and admire the performances that had impressed voters; and in the case of Mescal (rocking Cartier lapel diamonds), get star struck by David Beckham.

Florence Pugh (in Harris Reed with statement Boucheron jewels) embraced Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Bradley Cooper (long-line Louis Vuitton) and Carey Mulligan high-fived, the Chicken Run 2 team carried maquettes of their characters in fowl evening wear while Emma Stone, wearing custom Louis Vuitton, Margot Robbie and Emily Blunt swapped news. As nominees and guests mingled, Hannah Waddington prepared for her mid-show number by dancing to the DJ with Colman Domingo while they waited to be snapped by press photographers. Plum-coloured fits were a theme with Cate Blanchett arriving in burgundy Louis Vuitton, Daisy Edgar-Jones in wine Gucci hotpants, Lashana Lynch embellished in maroon Prada, Josh Hartnett head-to-toe in claret and Ryan Gosling giving his custom Gucci white suit a raspberry trim.

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Florence Pugh and Emily Blunt

The festive mood continued inside as guests sipped Taittinger over three floors, Gillian Anderson admiring Taylor Russell’s white Loewe gown as attendees found their seats, and Liliput the Maltese terrier getting ready backstage for her show opener with Tennant. He promised the ceremony would be as ‘smooth as Ken’s chest’ and with a back-to-basics plan after last-year’s breakout sofa chats, the gongs were handed out in a brisk running time – including Sophie Ellis Bexter’s barnstorming rendition of ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ from Saltburn.

Leading the nominations race (with 13), Oppenheimer cleaned up – taking home 7 accolades including best film, director, actor and supporting actor, while Poor Things netted 5 including best actress. Holocaust drama The Zone Of Interest also won big with three category triumphs.

Positioned at the side of stage, Hollywood Authentic founder Greg Williams captured the winners exclusively as they left the spotlight, BAFTA masks in hand. ”The coolest trophy by far!” exclaimed adapted screenplay winner, Cord Jefferson, while EE Rising star winner Mia McKenna-Bruce giddily admitted she was so stunned that had no idea what she’d said in her speech as last year’s recipient Emma McKay fanned her with the award envelope.

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Cillian Murphy and Cate Blanchett 

Putting himself in good stead to win at Oscar, Robert Downey Jr. took home the supporting actor mask for Oppenheimer (but only after signing for it backstage) 31 years after winning for Chaplin, telling the audience “the entirety of my life story in 30 seconds‘’ and that Christopher Nolan had suggested he “attempt an understated approach as a last ditch effort to perhaps resurrect my dwindling credibility” with the role.

He was followed onstage by The Holdovers star Da’Vine Joy Randolph, winning best supporting actress and continuing to dominate this category during awards season. Tears threatened as she praised her co-star Paul Giamatti and reminded viewers that her character in the film served as “a beautiful reminder of how her story has rippled through the world.”

After Samantha Morton received a fellowship award for her decades-long career (feted via video by Tom Cruise), Cillian Murphy continued the Oppenheimer sweep with a Best Actor win presented by last year’s Best Actress winner, Cate Blanchett. Heralding his “Oppen-homies” and the “most dynamic, decent, kindest producer-director partnership in Hollywood” in Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, he waited in the wings to see the outcome of the Best Film category. Before that Emma Stone bagged Best Actress from Idris Elba, keeping the family theme going in her speech by thanking her mom for making her “believe this crazy idea I could do something like this” and also for giving her life. A joke that played well in the auditorium but also backstage when the Oppenheimer team came off for their Best Film win and Emily Blunt told Stone how much she’d enjoyed her speech.

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Emma Stone and Idris Elba
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Chiwetel Ejiofor and Da’Vine Joy Randolph
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Robert Downey Jr.

While the team embraced and handed the award to each other, Blunt’s proud dad held her handbag and congratulated Waddington on her soulful rendition of “Time After Time” during the in memoriam section. The closing category was particularly memorable for the surprise arrival of presenter Michael J Fox, who was touched to receive a standing ovation. His wife Tracy Pollen waited backstage to congratulate the star on his speech, especially courageous as he continues to struggle with Parkinson’s. As he stood at the podium he enthused; “There’s a reason why they say movies are magic – cos movies can change your day, change your outlook, they can sometimes even change your life”.

Racing to the green room for a celebratory photo, the Oppenheimer team then hit the dinner downstairs as guests at tables decorated to represent the Best Film nominees were served a starter of six root bhaji and roast carrot, a chicken caesar main with triple cooked chips and a toffee chocolate dessert with vanilla mascarpone and a tiny chocolate BAFTA mask. As glasses clinked, Ayo Edebiri and Emma Corrin chatted on the stars, Hannah Waddington and Michael Sheen caught up at a table as Daisy Edgar Jones and Paul Mescal had a Normal People reunion. Stone changed into a monochrome dress with candy-stripe shoulders for her dinner and she wasn’t the only one swapping looks as the parties kicked off across town.

Florence Pugh slipped into David Koma white lace to take in the Universal celebration party for Oppenheimer at the Nomad Hotel in Covent Garden before stopping by the British Vogue and Tiffany afterparty at Annabel’s alongside her co-star Robert Downey Jr., who’d changed his formal black shirt for a Sex Pistols t-shirt. Also in attendance were Anna Wintour (in trademark sunglasses), Dua Lipa, Anya Taylor Joy, Emily Blunt, Rosamund Pike, Clare Foy, Sophie Ellis Bexter, Andrew Scott, Idris Elba, Da’vine Joy Randolph and Emerald Fennell.

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Michael J. Fox
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Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott
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Emma Corrin and Holly Waddington
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Jack O’Connell, Mia Mckenna-Bruce and Emma Mackey

The celebrations continued at the now-legendary Netflix party at The Chiltern Firehouse where Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott (in red Berluti) continued their awards season bromance, Hannah Waddington and Sophie Ellis Bexter swapped performance notes and Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper hung out. They were joined by a who’s who from cinema, including Phoebe Dynevor, J.A. Bayona, Idris Elba, Regé-Jean Page, Teo Yoo, Rosamund Pike, Callum Turner, Archie Madekwe, Lily James and Keegan-Michael Key (still heroically wearing a pristine tux). The merriment went on long into small hours…

WINNERS:

Best Film – Oppenheimer

Outstanding British Film – The Zone Of Interest

Best Director – Christopher Nolan

Outstanding Debut By By British Writer, Director Or Producer – Earth Mama

Film Not In The English Language – The Zone Of Interest

Best Documentary – 20 Days In Mariupol

Best Animated Film – The Boy And The Heron

Best Original Screenplay – Anatomy Of A Fall

Best Adapted Screenplay – American Fiction

Best Leading Actress – Emma Stone

Best Leading Actor – Cillian Murphy

Best Supporting Actress – Da’Vine Joy Randolph

Best Supporting Actor – Robert Downey Jr

Best Casting – The Holdovers

Best Cinematography – Oppenheimer

Best Editing – Oppenheimer

Best Costume – Poor Things

Best Original Score – Oppenheimer

Best Production Design – Poor Things

Best Sound – The Zone Of Interest

Best Visual Effects – Poor Things

Best British Short Film – Jellyfish And Lobster

EE Rising Star – Mia McKenna-Bruce


Words by Jane Crowther
Photographs by Greg Williams