Dame Donna Langley awarded BAFTA Fellowship at BAFTA Film Awards 2026
dame donna langley was presented with the British Academy’s highest honor, the BAFTA Fellowship, at the BAFTA Film Awards 2026 in London, using her acceptance to argue that cinema can help people "see each other more clearly" and that "decency is a superpower. " The ceremony also produced major wins for Robert Aramayo, best newcomer and best actor; One Battle After Another, best film; and Hamnet, whose success included Jessie Buckley winning best actress.
Dame Donna Langley honoured on stage in London
The recipient is the chair of NBCUniversal Entertainment and the first British woman to run a major Hollywood studio. Born and raised on the Isle of Wight in the U. K., she took to the stage in London on Sunday to receive the BAFTA Fellowship to a standing ovation and used her moment to highlight cinema’s power to bring people together.
Prince William introduction and collaborators' tributes
Prince William introduced Langley and praised her "determination and commitment" and her "strong commitment to inclusion and mentorship. " A video reel of collaborators followed: Steven Spielberg called her "a peacemaker" and "a dealmaker, a creative rights advocate, " saying she is "always on the forward fringe of new business, new technology, new ideas. " Spielberg added that "Donna believes that movies and audiences belong in movie theaters" and quoted the line about making movies "out there in the dark, " concluding that her patience "is kind of like the bonding agent" and makes people feel she is "our security blanket. "
Christopher Nolan said it was hard to think of a more deserving recipient and praised her leadership at Universal, describing a "very unique blend of filmmaker-friendly creative insights with true leadership that commands respect, " and saying she "has a grasp of all the different aspects of the filmmaking process but never loses sight of the audience. " Producer Judy Craymer lauded Langley as "a titan, " calling her "an outlier" who has "already created an incredible legacy. " Working Title Films chairs and producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner also feted Langley in the reel; their spoken praise begins "You have somebody at the" and the transcript is unclear in the provided context.
Langley’s speech: decency, inclusion and backing new voices
Onstage she said, "We are … facing moments of change and disruption today, " and urged storytellers to make popular art that carries over into people's everyday lives, helps people understand the world better and to "see each other a little more clearly, " and that it "reminds us that decency is a superpower. " She said her parents helped her "see differences as a strength and not a weakness. "
Langley spoke about the human side of the industry: as her career progressed she came to believe the most meaningful part of the work is "the people we choose to support along the way. The voices we encourage. And the talent we protect… long enough for them to find their feet. And the doors we remember to open. " She closed with a call to action: "As we move forward, let's remember the future of this business is not something that happens to us. It's something we shape… by the risks we take and the people we back. So, let us continue to adapt, be resilient and make room for new voices. "
Night’s winners and ceremony coverage highlights
Robert Aramayo was a standout on the awards night, taking both best newcomer and best actor. One Battle After Another won best film, and Hamnet also saw success, with Jessie Buckley winning best actress among its accolades. The ceremony was captured in a highlights video titled "Watch: Highlights from the Baftas 2026, " runtime 00: 01: 54.
Additional related video items listed alongside the highlights included: "Inside press briefing as Trump criticises Supreme Court tariffs ruling" (00: 00: 56); "Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island after nearly 200 years" (00: 00: 31); "Viral monkey Punch rejected by mother given stuffed orangutan" (00: 01: 22); "What happens next for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor?" (00: 01: 00); "The day Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested" (00: 01: 14); "Why haven't more Americans faced charges in the Epstein case?" (00: 01: 03); "Skier tells of 'panic' as avalanche hit Italian slopes" (00: 01: 23); "Lunar New Year 2026: Celebrations around the world" (00: 01: 29); "Flying oranges: Italian town celebrates carnival with historic street battle" (00: 00: 30); "Giant robot tribute to Brazil's President Lula comes last in carnival competition" (00: 01: 12); and "'I am a survivor' Gisèle Pelicot tells Newsnight" (00: 01: 57).
Access note and brief page instruction
A separate page associated with the ceremony carried the instruction: "Click here if you are not redirected automatically. "
dame donna langley used the fellowship moment to press for inclusion and to urge that the industry back people and talent; the awards night also served as a showcase for the year’s films and the range of short-form video coverage surrounding the event.
