Paul Mescal and Gracie Abrams Mark Red Carpet Debut With a Kiss at the 2026 BAFTAs
Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal made their official red carpet debut at the 2026 British Academy Film Awards, arriving together at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London and sharing a kiss on the carpet. The appearance matters now because Mescal was a nominee at the ceremony and the couple’s public presence — nearly two years after they were first seen together — drew attention across the event’s high-profile guest list.
Gracie Abrams’s Chanel dress from Matthieu Blazy’s 2026 Métiers d’art collection
For the BAFTAs, Gracie Abrams chose a black sleeveless Chanel dress from Matthieu Blazy’s 2026 Métiers d’art collection. A longtime ambassador of the French label, she wore a gown trimmed with teal-blue beading and embellished with aquatic motifs in varying shades of red and brown. The open back of the dress showcased her extra-short bob and long diamond earrings; she kept the rest of her accessories minimal, adding a single statement diamond ring and black pointy-toe heels. Abrams matched her nails to the gown with a deep-brown polish, and during the carpet walk she kissed Mescal on the cheek.
Paul Mescal’s Hamnet nomination and Prada suit
Paul Mescal attended the ceremony as a nominee for Hamnet, up for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the 2026 BAFTAs. Mescal, who previously won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Actor in 2021 for Normal People, posed for photos with Abrams before the ceremony. He wore a black Prada suit, leaving the jacket unbuttoned and the collar of his white dress shirt open, and folded over the cuffs for a relaxed look.
Arrival at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London
The couple arrived at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall for an evening of celebration, joining other notable attendees on the red carpet. Their formal debut together came nearly two years after they were first seen together, and the timing highlighted the BAFTAs as the stage for a jointly staged public appearance. Because Mescal was a nominee that night, the pair’s presence at the venue combined industry recognition with a spotlighted personal moment.
Jessie Buckley, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner and members of the royal family
The 2026 BAFTAs also featured other high-profile figures on the carpet. Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner attended the ceremony, and Prince William and Princess Kate were present as well. Jessie Buckley won big at the BAFTAs in Chanel, and Margot Robbie was noted for wearing the Charlotte Brontë bracelet. The ceremony’s broader fashion and awards coverage included references to Rosé making Grammys history in a black-and-white gown and roundups such as All the Looks From the 2026 Grammy Awards. Additional red-carpet and awards moments mentioned in the event coverage included Miley Cyrus’s gown with a dramatic neckline, Charli XCX presenting at the Golden Globes, Jessie Buckley’s Golden Globes debut, and Ariana Grande bringing back her signature ponytail.
BAFTAs page disclosure and editorial note
The page that covered the BAFTAs notes that it may earn commission from links on the page, and it states that it recommends only products it backs. What makes this notable is how a single awards night combined award recognition, pronounced fashion statements and a high-profile couple’s official red carpet debut into one widely covered evening.
Across the carpet at the Royal Festival Hall, stylistic choices and award nominations intersected: Abrams’s selection of a Matthieu Blazy Chanel gown reinforced her role as a longtime ambassador of the house, and Mescal’s nomination for Hamnet ensured their joint appearance was tied directly to the ceremony’s competitive slate. The pair’s photographed kiss and coordinated presence attracted attention against a backdrop of winners, presenters and members of the royal family.
