Donna Langley Awarded BAFTA Fellowship at 2026 Film Awards
donna langley, NBCUniversal Entertainment’s chairman, was presented with BAFTA’s highest accolade at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards in London, a recognition offered as the industry confronts rapid change and disruption. The Fellowship was handed over by Prince William at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, underlining the ceremony’s emphasis on leadership, British storytelling and the future of film.
Donna Langley Honored at Royal Festival Hall
The Fellowship prize was presented at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards held at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London. BAFTA said it was honoring Langley’s “transformative leadership in the face of rapid change and disruption” at NBCUniversal Entertainment and noted her role in films including Oppenheimer, Bridget Jones and Straight Outta Compton. Langley is the first British woman to run a major Hollywood studio.
The ceremony was hosted for the first time by Alan Cumming. A video reel shown to the audience featured leading filmmakers Langley has worked with, underscoring the industry relationships BAFTA highlighted in awarding the Fellowship.
Prince William Presents Fellowship
Prince William presented the Fellowship and praised Langley’s “tireless” advocacy for British storytelling and for championing movies that have “shaped culture. ” The royal presentation framed the award as recognition of both commercial leadership and sustained support for films rooted in British talent and stories.
Langley’s Remarks on Change and Talent
In her remarks Langley said, “We are facing moments of change and disruption today. ” She urged storytellers to continue making popular art that carries into people’s everyday lives, “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 that the future of the business is something leaders shape “by the risks we take and the people we back, ” calling for adaptation, resilience and room for new voices. Reflecting on her career, Langley said the most meaningful work is the people leaders choose to support, the voices they encourage, and the talent they protect long enough “for them to find their feet. ”
Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan Praise Langley
Filmmakers featured in the ceremony offered strong endorsements. Steven Spielberg described Langley as “a peacemaker and she’s a dealmaker, a creative rights advocate, ” noting she has been “always on the forward fringe of new business, new technology, new ideas” and that she believes movies and audiences “belong in movie theatres. ” Spielberg likened her patience to “the bonding agent” that makes collaborators feel secure.
Christopher Nolan said it was hard to think of a more deserving recipient, praising Langley for leading Universal “with a very unique blend of filmmaker friendly creative insights with true leadership that commands respect, ” and for maintaining a grasp of filmmaking while never losing sight of the audience.
Winners on the Night: Robert Aramayo, One Battle After Another and Hamnet
The Fellowship was part of a night of awards that also celebrated British cinema. Robert Aramayo won both best newcomer and best actor, while One Battle After Another took home best film. Hamnet collected multiple accolades on the night, with Jessie Buckley winning best actress among its honors.
Highlights of the ceremony were made available in a short video titled "Watch: Highlights from the Baftas 2026" with a running time of 00: 01: 54. Related short items listed around that feature included: "What the killing of drug lord 'El Mencho' means for Mexico" (00: 01: 07); "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); "Watch: The day Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested. " (00: 01: 14); "Why haven't more Americans faced charges in the Epstein case?" (00: 01: 03); "Watch: Skier tells of 'panic' as avalanche hit Italian slopes. " (00: 01: 23); "Lunar New Year 2026: Celebrations around the world. " (00: 01: 29); and "Flying oranges: Italian town celebrates carnival with historic street battle. " (00: 00: 30).
Watch: Highlights from the Baftas 2026. Video, 00: 01: 54
Fellowship History and Ceremony Notes
BAFTA’s Fellowship joins a line of previous recipients including 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.
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What makes this notable is that BAFTA’s choice combined an institutional celebration of filmmaking with explicit emphasis on leadership amid industry upheaval: awarding a studio chair who has overseen major titles and been publicly lauded by peers and royalty ties the Fellowship to both cultural stewardship and market-facing decisions.
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donna langley’s Fellowship marks a high-profile moment that intersects industry praise, royal endorsement and a night of competitive awards that highlighted British acting and filmmaking talent.
