BAFTA 2021: Nomadland and Rocks lead a diverse list with seven each – as Chadwick Boseman scores a posthumous Leading Actor nod after race row over all-white acting nominations in 2020
- The nominations were announced on Tuesday from London ‘s Royal Albert Hall, with actresses Susan Wokoma and Aisling Bea serving as the presenters and BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar opening the stream
- It is a historic time for the Academy as for the first time ever, four women have been nominated in the director category, and after all-white acting nominees last year, 15 of the 24 actors announced are Black or Asian
- Last year, the nominations were met with widespread scrutiny due to the lack of diversity
- The diversity row saw movie fans taking to social media with the #BAFTAsSoWhite hashtag to call out Lupita Nyong’o’s snub for Us, while Margot Robbie was nominated twice in the Supporting Actress category
- Late star, Chadwick received a Best Actor nod for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. He passed away on August 28 2020 aged 43 following a lengthy battle with colon cancer
- Fans were left enraged by the absence of Olivia Colman, Carey Mulligan and Viola Davis in the running
This year’s BAFTA nominations have seen Nomadland and Rocks lead the way with seven nods each, while late star Chadwick Boseman has scored a posthumous Leading Actor nomination in a historically diverse list.
The nominations were announced on Tuesday from London’s Royal Albert Hall, with actresses Susan Wokoma and Aisling Bea serving as the presenters and BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar opening the stream.
In a historic moment for the Academy, four women have been nominated in the director category for the first time ever, while 15 of the 24 actors announced in the main categories are Black or Asian.
Last year, the BAFTAs were the subject of controversy, after it was revealed that all of the major category nominees were white. Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, admitted she was ‘very disappointed’ over the lack of diversity following the 2020 nomination announcement, which saw not a single actor of colour honoured.
A total of 50 films received nominations with Nomadland and Rocks in the forefront while there were six nominations for The Father, Mank, Minari and Promising Young Woman, five for The Dig and The Mauritanian and four for Another Round, Calm With Horses, Judas and the Black Messiah, News of the World and Sound of Metal.
Powerful: This year’s BAFTA nominations have seen Nomadland and Rocks lead the way with seven nods each while late star Chadwick Boseman has scored a posthumous Leading Actor nomination
Chadwick was honoured for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – one of his last parts before he passed away on August 28 2020 aged 43, following a lengthy battle with colon cancer.
Nomadland is based off of the 2017 non-fiction book by Jessica Bruder, who wrote the novel based on her experiences with older people who were still dealing with the effects of the 2007-2009 recession.
Rocks meanwhile is a 2019 British coming-of-age drama film, directed by Sarah Gavron, which stars Bukky Bakray as Olushola, nicknamed Rocks, a Black British teenager in London whose troubled single mother abandons her and her younger brother Emmanuel, played by D’angelou Osei Kissiedu, leaving them to fend for themselves.
Prior to the reveal, Susan and Aisling could not stop gushing over their respective talents before revealing the first category, as it was announced the Outstanding British Film nominations are Calm With Horses, The Dig, The Father, His House, Limbo, The Maurtiatnia, Mogul Mowgli, Promising Young Woman, Rocks and Saint Maud.
Up for Best Actress is Bukky, Radha Blank for The Forty-Year-Old Version, Vanessa Kirby for Pieces of a Woman, Frances Dormand for Nomadland, Wunmi Mosaku for His House and Alfre Woodard for Clemency.
Supporting Actor nods came to Daniel Kaluuya, Alan Kim, Barry Keoghan, Leslie Odom Jr, Clarke Peters and Paul Raci, while Chadwick was joined on the Leading Actor category was Riz Ahmed, Adarsh Gourave and Anthony Hopkins.
An honour: Late star Chadwick Boseman received a Best Actor nod for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. He passed away on August 28 2020 following a lengthy battle with colon cancer
Presenters: The BAFTA nominations were announced on Tuesday from London’s Royal Albert Hall, with actresses (L-R) Susan Wokoma and Aisling Bea serving as the presenters
BAFTA 2021 NOMINATIONS
LEADING ACTRESS
BUKKY BAKRAY Rocks
RADHA BLANK The Forty-Year-Old Version
VANESSA KIRBY Pieces of a Woman
FRANCES McDORMAND Nomadland
WUNMI MOSAKU His House
ALFRE WOODARD Clemency
LEADING ACTOR
RIZ AHMED Sound of Metal
CHADWICK BOSEMAN Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
ADARSH GOURAV The White Tiger
ANTHONY HOPKINS The Father
MADS MIKKELSEN Another Round
TAHAR RAHIM The Mauritanian
BEST FILM
THE FATHER Philippe Carcassonne, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt
THE MAURITANIAN TBC
NOMADLAND Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Chloé Zhao
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Ben Browning, Emerald Fennell, Ashley Fox, Josey McNamara
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Stuart Besser, Marc Platt
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
HIS HOUSE Remi Weekes (Writer/Director)
LIMBO Ben Sharrock (Writer/Director), Irune Gurtubai (Producer) [also produced by Angus Lamont]
MOFFIE Jack Sidey (Writer/Producer) [also written by Oliver Hermanus and produced by Eric Abraham]
ROCKS Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson (Writers)
SAINT MAUD Rose Glass (Writer/Director), Oliver Kassman (Producer) [also produced by Andrea Cornwell]
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ANOTHER ROUND Thomas Vinterberg, Sisse Graum Jørgensen
DEAR COMRADES! Andrei Konchalovsky, Alisher Usmanov
LES MISÉRABLES Ladj Ly
MINARI Lee Isaac Chung, Christina Oh
QUO VADIS, AIDA? Jasmila Žbanić, Damir Ibrahimovich
DIRECTOR
ANOTHER ROUND Thomas Vinterberg
BABYTEETH Shannon Murphy
MINARI Lee Isaac Chung
NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
QUO VADIS, AIDA? Jasmila Žbanić
ROCKS Sarah Gavron
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE DIG Moira Buffini
THE FATHER Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller
THE MAURITANIAN Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani, M.B. Traven
NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
THE WHITE TIGER Ramin Bahrani
CASTING
CALM WITH HORSES Shaheen Baig
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Alexa L. Fogel
MINARI Julia Kim
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Lindsay Graham Ahanonu, Mary Vernieu
ROCKS Lucy Pardee
EDITING
THE FATHER Yorgos Lamprinos
NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Frédéric Thoraval
SOUND OF METAL Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Alan Baumgarten
COSTUME DESIGN
AMMONITE Michael O’Connor
THE DIG Alice Babidge
EMMA. Alexandra Byrne
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM Ann Roth
MANK Trish Summerville
SOUND
GREYHOUND TBC
NEWS OF THE WORLD Michael Fentum, William Miller, Mike Prestwood Smith, John Pritchett, Oliver Tarney
NOMADLAND Sergio Diaz, Zach Seivers, M. Wolf Snyder
SOUL Coya Elliott, Ren Klyce, David Parker
SOUND OF METAL Jaime Baksht, Nicolas Becker, Phillip Bladh, Carlos Cortés, Michelle Couttolenc
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
NIAMH ALGAR Calm With Horses
KOSAR ALI Rocks
MARIA BAKALOVA Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
DOMINIQUE FISHBACK Judas and the Black Messiah
ASHLEY MADEKWE County Lines
YUH-JUNG YOUN Minari
SUPPORTING ACTOR
DANIEL KALUUYA Judas and the Black Messiah
BARRY KEOGHAN Calm With Horses
ALAN KIM Minari
LESLIE ODOM JR. One Night in Miami…
CLARKE PETERS Da 5 Bloods
PAUL RACI Sound of Metal
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
CALM WITH HORSES Nick Rowland, Daniel Emmerson, Joe Murtagh
THE DIG Simon Stone, Gabrielle Tana, Moira Buffini
THE FATHER Florian Zeller, Philippe Carcassone, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt, Christopher Hampton
HIS HOUSE Remi Weekes, Martin Gentles, Edward Kings, Roy Lee
LIMBO Ben Sharrock, Irune Gurtubai, Angus Lamont
THE MAURITANIAN Kevin Macdonald, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani, M.B. Traven
MOGUL MOWGLI Bassam Tariq, Riz Ahmed, Thomas Benski, Bennett McGhee
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Emerald Fennell, Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Josey McNamara
ROCKS Sarah Gavron, Ameenah Ayub Allen, Faye Ward, Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson
SAINT MAUD Rose Glass, Andrea Cornwell, Oliver Kassman
DOCUMENTARY
COLLECTIVE Alexander Nanau
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes, Keith Scholey
THE DISSIDENT Bryan Fogel, Thor Halvorssen
MY OCTOPUS TEACHER Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed, Craig Foster
THE SOCIAL DILEMMA Jeff Orlowski, Larissa Rhodes
ANIMATED FILM
ONWARD Dan Scanlon, Kori Rae
SOUL Pete Docter, Dana Murray
WOLFWALKERS Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
ANOTHER ROUND Tobias Lindholm, Thomas Vinterberg
MANK Jack Fincher
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Emerald Fennell
ROCKS Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Aaron Sorkin
ORIGINAL SCORE
MANK Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
MINARI Emile Mosseri
NEWS OF THE WORLD James Newton Howard
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Anthony Willis
SOUL Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
CINEMATOGRAPHY
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Sean Bobbitt
MANK Erik Messerschmidt
THE MAURITANIAN Alwin H. Küchler
NEWS OF THE WORLD Dariusz Wolski
NOMADLAND Joshua James Richards
PRODUCTION DESIGN
THE DIG Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana Macdonald
THE FATHER Peter Francis, Cathy Featherstone
MANK Donald Graham Burt, Jan Pascale
NEWS OF THE WORLD David Crank, Elizabeth Keenan
REBECCA Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
MAKE UP & HAIR
THE DIG Jenny Shircore
HILLBILLY ELEGY Patricia Dehaney, Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM Matiki Anoff, Larry M. Cherry, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal
MANK Kimberley Spiteri, Gigi Williams
PINOCCHIO Mark Coulier
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
GREYHOUND Pete Bebb, Nathan McGuinness, Sebastian von Overheidt
THE MIDNIGHT SKY Matt Kasmir, Chris Lawrence, David Watkins
MULAN Sean Faden, Steve Ingram, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN Santiago Colomo Martinez, Nick Davis, Greg Fisher
TENET Scott Fisher, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Lockley
After criticising last year’s list, executive Amanda, said of the 2021 nominations: ‘The last year has seen the Covid-19 pandemic impact everyone, and the film industry is no exception…
‘I would like to thank all those who have supported us and enabled BAFTA to continue to celebrate the very best work in film, from our members who embraced the changes we made to the voting process to the distributors for ensuring that many more films were available for online viewing…
‘Film has always held an essential place in our culture but I think we can all agree that it has been even more important during this time. I very much look forward to celebrating the incredible talent of all our nominees across on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 April.’
Up next! Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelsen and Anthony Hopkins are also going against Chadwick for Best Actor
There was shock among fans regarding the actors and actresses who were tipped for nominations but snubbed when the official list was released – with Olivia Colman and Carey Mulligan at the forefront.
Olivia’s part in The Father failed to make the Best Supporting Actress list while Carey’s turn as Cassie in Promising Young Woman did not land on the Best Actress list.
Despite huge praise for her role, Viola Davis was snubbed for Netflix hit, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
With the nation remaining in lockdown amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, the announcement took place without a large audience in attendance.
Chewing Gum star Susan, 33, commanded attention in a dramatic black layered gown, which added a burst of glamour to the occasion. Standing tall in black open-toe heels, the London-born beauty added a flourish of colour with bold red lipstick, while her hair was styled in spiral curls.
Uh oh… Olivia Colman, Carey Mulligan and Viola Davis all found themselves on the snub list
Hard-hitting: The Trial Of The Chicago 7 received a Best Film nom
Aisling also stepped out in style for the proceedings, donning a periwinkle blue tuxedo jacket and matching trousers. Teaming her tux with a deeply plunging black top and claret red heels, the Living With Yourself star accessorised with gold bracelets and statement pendants.
Despite the stars being among very few making their way into the imposing venue, they playfully posed with a sign stating they should remain two metres apart.
Last year’s diversity row saw movie fans taking to social media with the #BAFTAsSoWhite hashtag to call out Lupita Nyong’o’s snub for Us, while Margot Robbie was nominated twice in the Supporting Actress category.
Speaking on Radio 4 at the time, Amanda admitted she was ‘very disappointed’ at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards shortlist’s lack of diversity.
Leading ladies: Radha Blank, Vanessa Kirby and Alfre Woodard are headed for the Best Actress nom
Pose: Despite the lack of crowd, the pair posed on a red carpet to keep the glamour factor high
Stepping out in style: Irish beauty Aisling stepped out in style for the proceedings, donning a periwinkle blue tuxedo jacket and matching trousers
When asked if the 2020 nominations were a ‘more diverse’ list, she said: ‘If I’m being totally honest, no, I’m very disappointed.
Agreeing the list seemed ‘very white’, she added: ‘I’m going to totally agree with you because that’s how I felt when I first saw the list and this isn’t being disrespectful to anyone who has been nominated because it’s an incredibly strong list this year.’
The 2020 shortlist also saw Jennifer Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, miss out on a nomination for her acclaimed role in Hustlers. British actress Cynthia Erivo, who received two Golden Globe nominations for Harriet, did not receive any nominations at the BAFTAs.
Awkwafina, who is of Chinese descent and picked up a Golden Globe for Best Actress last Sunday, fail to pick up a nomination for The Farewell. She was recognised in last year’s rising star category.
Golden: The screen star accessorised with drop earrings, bracelets and statement pendants
Social distancing: Despite the stars being among very few making their way into the imposing venue, they playfully posed with a sign stating they should remain two metres apart
And after a seven-month review into the lack of diversity, BAFTA introduced more than 120 changes to its voting, membership and campaigning regulations.
Among the changes are the introduction of a new longlist round of voting, expanding the outstanding British film category to 10 nominations and widening all four acting and the best director fields to six nominees.
Film committee chair Marc Samuelson said of the changes: ‘One of the key issues raised time and time again… was that too much deserving work was not being seen.
‘The changes we are implementing are designed to ensure these films are seen and judged on merit alone.’
Commanding attention: Chewing Gum star Susan, 33, commanded attention in a dramatic black layered gown, which added a burst of glamour to the occasion
Making waves: The London-born beauty added a flourish of colour with bold red lipstick, while her hair was styled in spiral curls
This year’s BAFTA nominations come just under a week after the BAFTA 2021 EE Rising Star award were revealed, showing a marked increase in diversity.
George MacKay announced the all-British line-up in a special virtual event, and named Bukky Bakray, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Morfydd Clark, Ṣopẹ́ Dìrísù, and Conrad Khan as the nominees.
Bukky, 16, was shortlisted for her incredible turn as Olushola ‘Rocks’ in Rocks, while Kingsley, 35, was nominated for his work in Regina King’s Golden Globe-nominated film One Night In Miami as Malcolm X.
Morfydd was shortlisted for her horror Saint Maud, while Ṣopẹ́ was named for his performance in the tense Netflix horror His House, and Conrad was nominated for independent film County Lines.
Speaking of his role in the drama, Kingsley gushed: ‘I look back now and I feel so lucky to have spent so much time with Regina and Malcolm.
Rehearsals: The stars were seen rehearsing in the hours leading up to the announcement
Empty: Because of lockdown rules, they were among very few inside the imposing building
‘I feel like Regina and I spoke about being very careful about all the decisions from the beginning and trying to create a Malcolm, so that if you went back to watch it again you would see the undercurrent that explodes at the end.
‘Regina is one of the most fascinating human beings who have ever lived so I feel very lucky to have had this experience.’
Speaking of her nomination, Bukky told the panel of getting the news: ‘I told my brothers, and when I told them they were just really shocked. They were all shocked.
‘When my agents told me I told them they were lying but I remember my brothers telling me ‘it’s your time champ.”
She added: ‘I honestly feel so blessed to be recognised so early on in my career. I still can’t believe this, I’m not sure I ever will either. All the warmth and love from BAFTA and EE is beautiful and I’m grateful. Thank you.’
Sensational: Susan looked sensational as she took to the stage in her eye-catching ensemble
Picture perfect: A staffer was seen taking a snapshot of Susan as she stood in the grand setting
Rocks follows Bukky’s teenage character after she and her brother are abandoned by their single mother, and sees them try and learn to fend for themselves and avoid being taken away by authorities.
Morfydd plays hospice nurse Katie in the psychological horror, and in the film she renames herself Maud and becomes obsessed with saving the soul of a former dancer in her care.
Speaking about the role, she told the panel: ‘When I read the script I feel Rose Glass (the film’s director) wrote a character that felt complete, it was easy to step into it.’
When asked if it was difficult to play Maud, Morfydd, who was tuning in from New Zealand, added: ‘No, not really which I think freaks people out a bit.
‘She made a lot of sense to me and I think loneliness is a kind of fear that seems kind of non-neurotic.
Diversity row: Last year, the BAFTAs were the subject of much controversy, after it was revealed that all of the major category nominees were white
Changes: This year’s BAFTA nominations come just under a week after the BAFTA 2021 EE Rising Star award were revealed, showing a marked increase in diversity
‘It was a thing I’ve been thinking about for some time, and when I read the script it was something I wanted to write if I had any skill in writing, she made sense to me.’
Ṣopẹ́ said of being shortlisted for the prize: ‘The history of the EE Rising Star Award is full of such exceptional and inspirational talents and I’m so grateful to both EE and BAFTA for considering me amongst them.
‘I’m properly delighted for all my fellow nominees for being recognised in what can only be described as a difficult and challenging year for everyone across the world.’
He added: [I am] definitely proud that this thing we worked on really hard and so long was received so well by everybody, it was definitely a surprise.
‘I don’t think anyone had recognition or appreciation of what the product was going to be at the end of it, it was about telling the story to our best ability, trying not to get weighed down by the horror.
Getting glammed up: The presenters were seen glamming themselves up in the dressing rooms ahead of the nominations being announced
Walking on: Susan walked the halls of the grand venue as a photographer captured the action
‘For people to come out the other side and enjoy our horror film it was such a delightful bonus but not something we expected.’
Conrad, who was shortlisted after his impressive acting in County Lines, claimed he was ‘in a state of disbelief’ at being nominated.
He said the honour was ‘really humbling and it gives me a lot of energy and motivation on a daily basis. Really proud to be here.’
County Lines sees Conrad play Tyler, a 14-year-old boy who is groomed as part of a drug-selling enterprise that traffics children across the UK.
This is the 16th year the award has been given, with past winners including Daniel Kaluuya, Juno Temple, John Boyega, Tom Hardy, Jack O’Connell, Tom Holland and Kristen Stewart.
Style: Aisling put on her dazzling jewellery as a her raven locks were styled for the big moment
The award is the only 2021 EE BAFTA category to be voted for by the British public and voting is now open.
Top Boy actor Michael Ward was given the coveted trophy at last year’s ceremony.
The EE Rising Star award was created in honour of the late Mary Selway. A highly respected and BAFTA award-winning casting director whose 36-year career saw her work on more than ninety filmsand work with leading directors such as Steven Spielberg and Clint Eastwood.
Mary’s work contributed to the creation of some of the silver screen’s most memorable characters and in 2001 she received BAFTA’s Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award.
The EE British Academy Film Awards will take place on April 11th 2021 without a live audience, and will air on BBC One.
Also in attendance: BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar was also on hand for the proceedings
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