Donna Langley Honored with BAFTA Fellowship at 2026 Film Awards
donna langley was awarded BAFTA’s highest accolade at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards in London, a recognition BAFTA framed as honoring her "transformative leadership in the face of rapid change and disruption. " The Fellowship was presented during the ceremony at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall.
Donna Langley Accepts Fellowship
Dame Donna Langley, NBCUniversal Entertainment’s chairman and the first British woman to run a major Hollywood studio, was handed the Fellowship prize at the BAFTA Film Awards. BAFTA said it was recognizing her role in films including Oppenheimer, Bridget Jones, and Straight Outta Compton.
Prince William presents fellowship
The prize was presented by Prince William, who hailed Langley’s "tireless" advocacy for British storytelling and for championing movies that have "shaped culture. " The audience at the Royal Festival Hall was shown a video reel of leading filmmakers Langley has worked with.
Langley’s message on change and supporting talent
Langley told the audience: "We are facing moments of change and disruption today. My hope is that those of us who help tell stories for a living continue to find inspiration to make popular art that carries over into people’s everyday lives – that helps us understand the world a bit better and to see each other a little more clearly…and reminds us that decency is a superpower. "
She added: "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. " She also said: "As my career has progressed, I’ve come to believe that the most meaningful part of what we do 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. "
Filmmakers praise Langley
Steven Spielberg praised Langley, calling her "a peacemaker and she’s a dealmaker, a creative rights advocate, " and saying she is "always on the forward fringe of new business, new technology, new ideas…Donna believes that movies and audiences belong in movie theatres and she’s an advocate of that…. to make movies that, as Gloria Swanson said in Sunset Boulevard, out there in the dark…Her patience is kind of like the bonding agent. It makes us all feel like, in a way, she’s our security blanket. "
Christopher Nolan commented: "It’s hard to think of a more deserving recipient of a BAFTA Fellowship than Dame Donna Langley. She’s been leading Universal with a very unique blend of filmmaker friendly creative insights with true leadership that commands respect…Donna has a grasp of all the different aspects of the filmmaking process but never loses sight of the audience. [She] is so inspiring to work for and collaborate with. "
A night of British winners and ceremony details
The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards took place at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London, with Alan Cumming hosting the ceremony for the first time. Robert Aramayo crowned a strong night for British cinema by taking both best newcomer and best actor awards. One Battle After Another took home best film, and Hamnet also saw success, with Jessie Buckley winning best actress among its accolades. The full list of winners is here.
Legacy and recent fellows
BAFTA noted Langley’s place among past Fellows, a list that includes Dame Helen Mirren, Sidney Poitier, Mel Brooks, Sir Ridley Scott, Thelma Schoonmaker, Kathleen Kennedy, and Ang Lee. The most recent recipient of the BAFTA Fellowship was Warwick Davis at the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards.
Next on the calendar: winners and highlights from the ceremony remain available for viewing, and BAFTA’s published winners list is the next confirmed reference for the awards announced at the 2026 event.
