Male British actors fail to secure Bafta film nomination for first time in 50 years

18 January 2024, 14:32

Oppenheimer has led the way this award season
Oppenheimer has led the way this award season. Picture: Getty
Kieran Kelly

By Kieran Kelly

No male British actors received a Bafta film nomination for the first time in nearly five decades.

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Both the best and supporting actor categories for this year's awards were devoid of any male British actors, the first time since 1976.

In that year, Al Pacino won best actor for his roles in The Godfather II and Dog Day Afternoon. Fred Astaire, meanwhile, won best supporting actor for his role in Towering Inferno.

Across this year's Bafta nominations, 21 per cent of nominations were British, an increase compared with 2023.

Female British actress actors faired better than male actors this year, with Carey Mulligan (Maestro) and Vivian Oparah (Rye Lane) receiving leading actress nominations.

Claire Foy (All of Us Strangers) also received a nomination for supporting actress.

It was also a good year for Irish actors, including Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) and Barry Keoghan (Saltburn), who received leading actor nominations.

Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers), who is also Irish, received a supporting actor nomination.

Read More: Oppenheimer and Succession sweep Golden Globes - see full list of winners

Read More: Oppenheimer and Barbie among Producers Guild Awards nominees

Overall, Oppenheimer stormed ahead in terms of overall nominations, receiving a whopping 13, including for Best Picture, Best Director (Christopher Nolan), and Leading Actor (Cillian Murphy).

Behind Oppenheimer for nominations is Poor Things - receiving 11 - including for Best Picture, Leading Actress and Outstanding British Film.

Barbie has not garnered awards momentum
Barbie has not garnered awards momentum. Picture: Getty

Many had expected the awards season to be a battle between Oppenheimer and Barbie after this summer's 'Barbenheimer' craze.

While Barbie has been nominated for a series of awards, picking up a Box Office award at the Golden Globes, it has not led the way as had been expected.

Some have dubbed its lack of Best Film Bafta nomination as a snub.

Top Bafta nominees

Oppeneheimer has led the nominations at the Bafta Film awards
Oppeneheimer has led the nominations at the Bafta Film awards. Picture: Getty
  • Oppenheimer - 13
  • Poor Things - 11
  • Killers of the Flower Moon and The Zone of Interest - 9
  • Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers and Maestro - 7
  • All of Us Strangers - 6
  • Barbie and Saltburn - 5

Full list of nominees revealed

Best film

  • Anatomy of a Fall
  • The Holdovers
  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Oppenheimer
  • Poor Things

Outstanding British film

  • All of Us Strangers
  • How To Have Sex
  • Napoleon
  • The Old Oak
  • Poor Things
  • Rye Lane
  • Saltburn
  • Scrapper
  • Wonka
  • The Zone of Interest

Leading actress

  • Fantasia Barrino - The Color Purple
  • Sandra Hüller - Anatomy of a Fall
  • Carey Mulligan - Maestro
  • Vivian Oparah - Rye Lane
  • Margot Robbie - Barbie
  • Emma Stone - Poor Things

Leading actor

  • Bradley Cooper - Maestro
  • Colman Domingo - Rustin
  • Paul Giamatti - The Holdovers
  • Barry Keoghan - Saltburn
  • Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer
  • Teo Yoo - Past Lives

Supporting actress

  • Emily Blunt - Oppenheimer
  • Danielle Brooks - The Color Purple
  • Claire Foy - All of Us Strangers
  • Sandra Hüller - The Zone of Interest
  • Rosamund Pike - Saltburn
  • Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers

Supporting actor

  • Robert De Niro - Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Robert Downey Jr - Oppenheimer
  • Jacob Elordi - Saltburn
  • Ryan Gosling - Barbie
  • Paul Mescal - All of Us Strangers
  • Dominic Sessa - The Holdovers

Director

  • All of Us Strangers - Andrew Haigh
  • Anatomy of a Fall - Justine Triet
  • The Holdovers - Alexander Payne
  • Maestro - Bradley Cooper
  • Oppenheimer - Christopher Nolan
  • The Zone of Interest - Jonathan Glazer

Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer

  • Blue Bag Life
  • Bobi Wine: The People's President
  • Earth Mama
  • How To Have Sex
  • Is There Anybody Out There?

Film not in the English language

  • 20 Days In Mariupol
  • Anatomy of a Fall
  • Past Lives
  • Society of the Snow
  • The Zone of Interest

Documentary

  • 20 Days In Mariupol
  • American Symphony
  • Beyond Utopia
  • Still: A Michael J Fox Movie
  • Wham!

Animated film

  • The Boy and the Heron
  • Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
  • Elemental
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Original screenplay

  • Anatomy of a Fall
  • Barbie
  • The Holdovers
  • Maestro
  • Past Lives

Adapted screenplay

  • All of Us Strangers
  • American Fiction
  • Oppenheimer
  • Poor Things
  • The Zone of Interest

EE Bafta rising star award (voted for by the public)

  • Phoebe Dynevor
  • Ayo Edebiri
  • Jacob Elordi
  • Mia Mckenna-Bruce
  • Sophie Wilde

Original score

  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Oppenheimer
  • Poor Things
  • Saltburn
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Casting

  • All of Us Strangers
  • Anatomy of a Fall
  • The Holdovers
  • How To Have Sex
  • Killers of the Flower Moon

Cinematography

  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Maestro
  • Oppenheimer
  • Poor Things
  • The Zone of Interest

Costume design

  • Barbie
  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Napoleon
  • Oppenheimer
  • Poor Things

Editing

  • Anatomy of a Fall
  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Oppenheimer
  • Poor Things
  • The Zone of Interest

Production design

  • Barbie
  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Oppenheimer
  • Poor Things
  • The Zone of Interest

Make-up and hair

  • Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Maestro
  • Napoleon
  • Oppenheimer
  • Poor Things

Sound

  • Ferrari
  • Maestro
  • Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
  • Oppenheimer
  • The Zone of Interest

Special visual effects

  • The Creator
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3
  • Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
  • Napoleon
  • Poor Things

British short film

  • Festival of Slaps
  • Gorka
  • Jellyfish and Lobster
  • Such a Lovely Day
  • Yellow

British short animation

  • Crab Day
  • Visible Mending
  • Wild Summon

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