HOLLYWOOD—We are nearing the end people. Awards season has about a month left before it all wraps up. This week we have two big ones, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. On Sunday, February 18, the BAFTAs were handed out in London at the famed Royal Festival Hall and was hosted by “Doctor Who” star and actor David Tennant.
“Oppenheimer” led all contenders coming into the ceremony with 13 nominations, with “Poor Things” followed behind with 11 nominations. “Oppenheimer” was the big winner of the night walking away with a total of seven awards, while “Poor Things” earned five trophies.
BAFTAs tend to break the rules with a lot of its winners as you tend to see a shift in winners because you’re looking at things from international waters, but it is critical to pay attention because some of the members of BAFTA are also members of the AMPAS and could be a sign of where things could be headed for the Academy Awards aka Oscars.
Early winners at the ceremony were “Poor Things” and “The Zone of Interest” that picked up quite a few trophies during the ceremony. As expected, Da’Vine Joy Randolph “The Holdovers” and Robert Downey Jr. “Oppenheimer” won for their roles for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress respectively.
Cord Jefferson won in an upset for Best Adapted Screenplay for “American Fiction.” I thought Christopher Nolan would win for “Oppenheimer,” but it feels like this could be the way the Academy Awards will show some love for “American Fiction.” Justine Triet and Arthur Harari won Best Original Screenplay for “Anatomy of a Fall.” The EE Rising Star Award went to Mia McKenna-Bruce.
“Poor Things” earned awards for Make Up & Hair, Costume Design, Production Design and Special Visual Effects. “Oppenheimer” picked up awards for Editing, Score and Cinematography, whilst “The Zone of Interest” earned BAFTA trophies for Sound, Outstanding British Film and Film Not in the English Language. Susan Shopmaker took the prize for Casting for “The Holdovers.”
In the Leading Actor and Actress races, the BAFTAs were awarded to Emma Stone for “Poor Things” and Cillian Murphy for “Oppenheimer.” In no surprise, Christopher Nolan won Best Director for “Oppenheimer.”
The night culminated with Nolan and his producing partners winning the BAFTA for Best Film for “Oppenheimer,” which is looking to be a front-runner to clean house at the SAG Awards this week and likely the Academy Awards in less than a month. I hate to use the word ‘predictable,’ but Awards Season is feeling a bit like that for 2024.
