Robert Aramayo Wins Best Actor and Rising Star as One Battle After Another Dominates BAFTAs
robert aramayo collected two of the night’s most talked-about prizes at a ceremony at London’s Southbank Centre, winning both the rising star award and best actor for his portrayal of John Davidson in I Swear. The dual victory reframed an evening in which Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another emerged as the biggest winner.
Robert Aramayo’s double win for I Swear
Robert Aramayo, 33, who grew up in Hull, was emotional as he accepted best actor for I Swear, the film that depicts the life of Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson. He said he “honestly cannot believe” he had won and was visibly moved, cheered in the auditorium by his father. Earlier in the evening he had also received the rising star prize, the only category chosen by a public vote; it was the first time an actor or actress has claimed both of those BAFTAs in the same year.
Aramayo thanked fellow nominee Ethan Hawke and recalled Hawke visiting his school at Julliard and speaking about longevity as an actor. I Swear went on to pick up a third BAFTA for casting, leaving the film with multiple recognitions on a night when Aramayo beat competition from high-profile nominees including Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio.
One Battle After Another’s six wins under Paul Thomas Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson’s darkly comic thriller One Battle After Another dominated the ceremony, taking six awards out of the 14 categories it was nominated in. The film won best film and netted Anderson best director; it also won best supporting actor for Sean Penn, who played the reactionary villain Colonel Steven Lockjaw but was not in attendance.
Accepting best film, Anderson called it a “tremendous honour” and pushed back at anyone saying movies are in decline, telling detractors to “piss right off” because it was a strong year for cinema. Earlier in the night he had nearly refused a BAFTA for best adapted screenplay before ultimately accepting the award.
Jessie Buckley and Hamnet
Jessie Buckley was the favourite for best actress and took the prize for her portrayal of Agnes, Shakespeare’s grieving wife, in Hamnet. She paid tribute to the women who taught her and said “this is nuts, ” describing the moment as belonging to women past, present and future. Buckley is the first Irish actress to win the BAFTA for best actress; she has already been recognised at the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Golden Globes this awards season.
Buckley reflected on her early ambitions and formative experiences in performance, recalling a childhood image of herself with a polka-dot skirt and “nuclear bad fake tan. ” Her rise included time on the talent show I’d Do Anything, where she came runner-up in the 2009 search to play Nancy in a West End revival.
Ceremony moments, presenters and performances
The ceremony at London’s Southbank Centre featured a mixture of gags, sketches and awkward interludes. Host Alan Cumming attempted an extended monologue that was interrupted in tone by audible ticcing from John Davidson, who was present in the auditorium, at one point prompting startled reactions. Cumming later performed a long sketch that included Warwick Davis, Ken Jeong and Brian Cox—Cox appeared briefly with a cat filter—and a child from Hamnet who pretended not to know what television is. Hannah Waddingham and Paddington made muted appearances in the sequence.
Presenters included Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan, who introduced the first award, and Gillian Anderson with Maggie Gyllenhaal, who presented best supporting actor while repeatedly mentioning Stellan Skarsgård. Patrick Dempsey presented best supporting actress. Winners in the visual effects category noted that 2, 000 visual artists worked on the film honoured in that field.
Supporting winners, red carpet and royal attendance
Wunmi Mosaku won best supporting actress for Sinners to enthusiastic applause; her lengthy speech of thanks drew screams and a glare from Carey Mulligan in the audience. I Swear’s John Davidson was in the room and some presenters appeared thrown by his audible tics.
Prince William, in his capacity as BAFTA president, and the Princess of Wales attended the ceremony. The Prince told Southbank Centre chief executive Elaine Bedell he had not yet seen the emotion-laden film; the Princess told BAFTA film committee chair Emily Stillman she had watched the drama about the death of Shakespeare’s son on Saturday and had come away with “very puffy eyes. ” Their appearance was their first joint public outing since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office last week.
The room included a wide range of stars and guests: nominees and performers such as Emma Stone, Kate Hudson, Little Simz, Stormzy and Jessie Ware, and public figures including Kylie Jenner, who was in the UK to support her boyfriend Timothée Chalamet. Cumming played up the celebrity presence with an on-stage snack service that offered Jammie Dodgers to Chalamet and Jenner, Twiglets to Rose Byrne and an oaty flapjack for DiCaprio.
What makes this night notable is the contrast between the industry’s embrace of an established director’s sprawling thriller and the public’s elevation of a newcomer for a delicate, real-life portrayal—an outcome that left both veterans and debut talents celebrated across the winners’ list.
