Australian star Rose Byrne missed out on BAFTA glory on Monday, losing in the leading actress category to Hamnet star Jessie Buckley. The latter actor, who is a favourite to win at the Academy Awards next month, is the first Irish star to win the category at the British Academy Film Awards.
Buckley drew laughter from the crowd while accepting her trophy, touching on everything from previous terrible spray tans to working for the “naughty girls”.
“This is nuts,” she said on stage at the Royal Festival Hall in London. “This really does belong to the women past, present and future that have taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently.”
She then proceeded to list her fellow leading actress nominees, including Byrne (nominated for her gripping role in A24’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Chase Infiniti and Emma Stone. However, she quickly lost her train of thought, asking the crowd to help her remember the remaining nominees (Kate Hudson and Renate Reinsve).
“You’re all just radical, and you’re doing it for the naughty girls, and I’m in awe of all your incredible performances. Thank you,” she said.
Elsewhere, Australian “it boy” Jacob Elordi – who impressed with his haunting performance as the monster in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein – was also pipped in the supporting actor category, losing to One Battle After Another’s Sean Penn.
Speaking of One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson’s gripping political thriller dominated the 79th British Academy Film Awards. After having been nominated 14 times, the film took home six prizes, including in major categories like best film and best director.
Meanwhile, Ryan Coogler’s gothic vampire horror Sinners made history as the most-decorated film by a Black director at the BAFTAs after scooping three prizes, including supporting actress for Wunmi Mosaku and original score for Ludwig Göransson. The film also won original screenplay, making Coogler the first black writer to ever win in that category.
“For all the writers out there, when you look at that blank page, think of who you love, think of anybody who you’ve seen in pain that you identify with and wish they felt better and let that love motivate you,” he said while accepting his trophy.
It was a disappointing night for Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, a chaotic dramedy about an egotistical table tennis player. The A24 film equalled the record for most BAFTA losses in history, ending the evening with zero wins from 11 nominations. It is now tied with Women in Love (1969) and Finding Neverland (2004).
Its most shocking loss arguably came when the film’s leading man Timothée Chalamet fell to British star Robert Aramayo in the leading actor category. Chalamet was a favourite to win after successfully scooping prizes at both the Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Awards.
Aramayo starred in the British indie biopic I Swear, which tells the story of real-life Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson. The film will land in Australian cinemas on March 26.
The British star expressed his disbelief while accepting the prize, pointing to people in the crowd like Leonardo DiCaprio and Ethan Hawke, whom he also beat.
“I honestly cannot believe I have won this award,” he said. “When I was in school, Ethan Hawke gave a talk on longevity as an actor, about protecting your instrument and avoiding self-destructive behaviours. So, to be in this category with you tonight is incredible.”
Alongside Buckley’s win in the leading actress category, Hamnet also won outstanding British film, beating the likes of 28 Years Later and Die My Love. And while Elordi didn’t scoop an award for himself, Frankenstein dominated the craft awards, winning prizes for production design, make-up and hair and costume design.
Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value also became the first Norwegian film to win at the BAFTAs. It took home the prize for best film not in the English language.
The BAFTAs is the biggest night for film in the UK, often highlighting locally made productions. It’s also a vital part of the broader awards season, which will culminate with the Oscars on March 16.
This year’s ceremony was hosted by Alan Cumming, best known for hosting the US version of the competition show The Traitors. He took the baton from David Tennant, who hosted the previous two award shows.
His debut was largely applauded, especially during comedic moments like when he handed out British snacks to Chalamet and his partner Kylie Jenner, and also “scolded” Paul Mescal for being on his phone during the proceedings.
The show was punctuated with a few live performances, including from the members of K-Pop Demon Hunters′ Huntrix – AJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami – who performed Golden for the first time outside the US.
Here are the winners of all the major categories at the 2026 BAFTAs:
Best film
- Hamnet
- Marty Supreme
- WINNER: One Battle After Another
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
Outstanding British film
- 28 Years Later
- The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
- Die My Love
- H is for Hawk
- WINNER: Hamnet
- I Swear
- Mr Burton
- Pillion
- Steve
Best Director
- Bugonia, Yorgos Lanthimos
- Hamnet, Chloé Zhao
- Marty Supreme, Josh Safdie
- WINNER: One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson
- Sentimental Value, Joachim Trier
- Sinners, Ryan Coogler
Best Leading actor
- WINNER: Robert Aramayo, I Swear
- Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme
- Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
- Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
- Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
- Jesse Plemons, Bugonia
Best Leading actress
- WINNER: Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
- Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Kate Hudson, Song Sung Blue
- Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
- Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value
- Emma Stone, Bugonia
Best Supporting actor
- Benicio Del Toro, One Battle After Another
- Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
- Paul Mescal, Hamnet
- Peter Mullan, I Swear
- WINNER: Sean Penn, One Battle After Another
- Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value
Best Supporting actress
- Odessa A’zion, Marty Supreme
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
- WINNER: Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
- Carey Mulligan, The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another
- Emily Watson, Hamnet
Best Original screenplay
- I Swear
- Marty Supreme
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- WINNER: Sinners
Best Adapted screenplay
- The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Bugonia
- Hamnet
- WINNER: One Battle After Another
- Pillion
Best Film not in the English language
- It Was Just an Accident
- The Secret Agent
- WINNER: Sentimental Value
- Sirat
- The Voice of Hind Rajab
Best Animated Film
- Elio
- Little Amelie
- WINNER: Zootopia 2
Best Documentary
- 2000 Meters To Andriivka
- Apocalypse In The Tropics
- Cover-Up
- WINNER: Mr Nobody Against Putin
- The Perfect Neighbour
Best Original score
- Bugonia
- Frankenstein
- Hamnet
- One Battle After Another
- WINNER: Sinners
Best Cinematography
- Frankenstein
- Marty Supreme
- WINNER: One Battle After Another
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
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Nell Geraets is a Culture and Lifestyle reporter at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.