Photographs & words by GREG WILLIAMS
As told to MATT MAYTUM

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Greg Williams looks back on two decades of capturing the BAFTAs, and the Cartier gems that shone on the biggest night in British film…

I’ve been an official photo-grapher of BAFTA since 2005. Due to my longstanding relationships with the British Academy and many of the talent honoured, I’ve been lucky enough to have the privilege of being the first person that the winners see when they come offstage with their award. What you get are those wonderful, honest reactions before their guard is up. I like to think it gives you authentic Hollywood, seeing how someone reacts in that moment, and the emotions of it. If you’re lucky you tend to see the inner child more than the personality. Some people come offstage stunned. They’re a rabbit in the headlights. You have to say, ‘You just won a BAFTA. Wahey!’ Over the years I’ve shot the BAFTAs when it was at the Odeon Leicester Square, the Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall, and now at the Royal Festival Hall. And each one brought something unique.

When I started my career as a photojournalist, you never got a second crack at taking a picture. You were literally capturing a moment. That has come in very useful in these situations where it is often organised madness, and you’ve only got one opportunity to get that first impression. And my pictures are often of that first impression, so my photojournalism background has definitely helped in capturing the moments. For the last decade, I’ve also had a really meaningful relationship with Cartier, often photographing actors in the moments before they head to the red carpet in their hotel suites. Bringing these two institutions together in one spread was just a lovely opportunity to show those spontaneous moments as well as the more still, posed images when you really want to put a spotlight on these beautiful Cartier creations.

I’m very inspired by the old glamour of 50s’ Hollywood. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with the book Magnum at the Movies, and the work of those legendary photojournalists. I put it all in the same bracket of reportage, whether you’re in a war zone or on a red carpet. It’s still reportage, telling stories. In both cases, it’s looking at something that’s reasonably extraordinary to people. It could be extraordinary beauty or extraordinary savagery. 

RACHEL WEISZ (Above)
Rachel Weisz leaves the stage at the Royal Albert Hall after winning the Best Supporting Actress BAFTA in 2019 for her role in The Favourite. The amount of space I had backstage was lovely, it gave me room to set up lights including the backlight shaping her hair, and there were no other people backstage. 

Rachel wears:
Cartier High Jewellery earrings, 18ct white gold, diamonds
Cartier High Jewellery ring, 18ct white gold, emerald, black, lacquer, diamonds 

TEO YOO
Teo Yoo captured in his suite before the 2024 BAFTAs, where he was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Past Lives.

Teo wears:
Santos de Cartier cufflinks, Sterling silver
Cartier Santos watch (Large model), mechanical movement, leather strap 18ct rose gold
Cartier LOVE ring, 18ct white gold
Clash de Cartier ring (Medium model), 18ct white gold

VANESSA KIRBY
You’re always looking for ways to bring the joy close to the face. There was something about covering her eye that I liked. I liked the shape of the picture, and there’s a bit of intrigue to it.

Vanessa wears:
Cartier Juste un Clou earrings (Small model), 18ct yellow gold
Cartier Love ring (Small model), 18ct yellow gold

LILY COLLINS
Lily Collins captured in her suite at the Savoy Hotel ahead of the 2024 ceremony. I’m often trying to come up with little things that will light a fuse. It wasn’t planned – and there’s a room service trolley, and I suggested, ‘Eat a chip.’ These things are very fast. I try not to give them much thought. The less thought I give them, the more authentic they are.

Lily wears:
Cartier Diamond earrings, 18ct white gold, diamonds
Cartier Diamond ring, 18ct white gold, diamonds

AUSTIN BUTLER
It’s lovely when the person coming offstage is someone who is really comfortable with me, which was the case with Austin Butler. We have a pre-existing friendship, so there’s a real warmth to the shot. Austin was captured embracing Cate Blanchett after he was awarded the Best Actor BAFTA for his role in Elvis at the 2023 ceremony (Blanchett also won that year for her role in Tár).

Austin wears:
Cartier Juste un Clou bracelet, 18ct white gold
Cartier Love Ring, 18ct white gold, ceramic, diamonds
Panthère de Cartier cufflinks, 18ct white gold, diamonds, emeralds, onyx

DAVID OYELOWO / TOM HIDDLESTON
David Oyelowo and Tom Hiddleston both presented an award at the 2021 ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall, which took place during lockdown. These were both shot during rehearsals; there was no audience for the show due to Covid restrictions, so I had the time and space to be able to give them some decent portraits.

David wears:
Pasha de Cartier watch, 41mm, automatic movement,18ct yellow gold, leather
Engraved Sodalite Double C Logo cufflinks, Sterling silver, palladium finish, sodalite

Tom wears:
Cartier Santos-Dumont watch (Extra large model), Hand-wound mechanical movement, 18ct rose gold, steel, leather
Santos de Cartier cufflinks, Sterling silver, palladium finish

SOPHIE WILDE
Sophie Wilde pictured at her first BAFTA ceremony in 2024, where she was nominated for the Rising Star Award.

Sophie wears:
Pluie de Cartier earrings, 18ct white gold, diamonds
Cartier Diamond Collection bracelet, 18ct white gold, diamonds
Cartier Juste un Clou ring, 18ct white gold, diamonds
Cartier Juste un Clou ring (Small model), 18ct white gold

RAMI MALEK
Rami Malek at his suite at the Ritz Hotel in 2023. Rami has a real, old-school Hollywood look. Because the Ritz is so timeless, apart from a digital dial on the telephone and the fact that Rami is obviously of today, there’s nothing in that photo that you couldn’t have shot in the ’60s, and I love that.

Rami wears:
C de Cartier sunglasses, Combined black and gold, matte ruthenium-finish frame, smooth golden-finish bridge, dark grey lenses
Reflection de Cartier brooch/earrings, 18ct white gold, diamonds
Tank Française watch (Large model), Automatic mechanical movement, steel
Trinity ring (Small model), 18ct white gold, 18ct yellow gold, 18ct rose gold
Pasha de Cartier cufflinks, Sterling silver, palladium finish, synthetic spinel