Hamnet wins best film at 2026 BAFTAs in upset-filled ceremony

Hamnet won best film and leading actress for Jessie Buckley, while Robert Aramayo pulled off the night's biggest upset in the leading actor category.radiotimes+1
Ryan Coogler became the first Black winner of BAFTA's original screenplay award for Sinners, which also won supporting actress and original score.variety+1
The results set up a competitive race ahead of the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, with Oscars final voting running Feb. 26 to March 5.variety

Chloé Zhao's Hamnet was named Best Film at the 79th BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday evening, capping a night of surprises at London's Royal Festival Hall. The Shakespearean family drama, adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's acclaimed novel, triumphed over awards-season heavyweights One Battle After Another and Sinners to claim Britain's top film honor.radiotimes+1

The ceremony, hosted by Alan Cumming, saw trophies spread across several contenders, with Sinners and Frankenstein each claiming three BAFTAs, while Hamnet and One Battle After Another won across multiple categories. The results set the stage for a fiercely contested race at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15.variety+1

Aramayo Stuns Hollywood Favorites

The night's biggest shock came when Robert Aramayo won Leading Actor for his performance in I Swear, beating heavy favorite Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio. The British actor, visibly emotional, told the audience: "I can't believe I've won". Aramayo was a double winner, also taking home the EE Rising Star Award, the only BAFTA voted on by the public.Digital Spy

Jessie Buckley continued her dominant awards-season run, winning Leading Actress for her portrayal of Shakespeare's wife Agnes Hathaway in Hamnet. The Irish actor's fourth BAFTA nomination became her first win in a leading role, following a campaign that has already delivered Golden Globe and Critics' Choice trophies.irishtimes+2

Paul Thomas Anderson won Best Director for One Battle After Another, his first BAFTA directing prize. He also took Adapted Screenplay for the film, loosely based on Thomas Pynchon's Vineland. Sean Penn won Supporting Actor for the same film, while Wunmi Mosaku earned Supporting Actress for Sinners.theguardian+3

Coogler Makes BAFTA History

Ryan Coogler became the first Black winner of BAFTA's Original Screenplay award for Sinners, adding to the vampire thriller's haul that also included Original Score for Ludwig Göransson. According to Variety, Coogler's historic win bolsters his prospects at the Oscars, where only Jordan Peele has previously won the equivalent category among Black screenwriters.bafta+1

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein swept the craft categories with three wins for Costume Design, Makeup and Hair, and Production Design. Avatar: Fire and Ash took Special Visual Effects, while the ceremony featured a presentation by Paddington Bear and a performance by the fictional girl group Huntrix from the Netflix animation KPop Demon Hunters.indiewire+5

Prince William and Kate Middleton made an unannounced appearance, their first joint return to the BAFTAs in three years. Donna Langley, chairwoman of NBCUniversal Entertainment, received the BAFTA Fellowship, the academy's highest honor.bleedingcool+3

Sources (97)