Dame Donna Langley Honored at BAFTAs as Aramayo, Jessie Buckley and One Battle After Another Win
dame donna langley was handed the BAFTA Fellowship prize at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards in London and used her acceptance to warn the audience that “we are facing moments of change and disruption. ” The ceremony also crowned Robert Aramayo with both best newcomer and best actor, Jessie Buckley with best actress for Hamnet, and One Battle After Another as best film.
Dame Donna Langley: The Fellowship 2026
She was presented the Fellowship by Prince William at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London, where Alan Cumming hosted the ceremony for the first time. BAFTA said it was honoring Langley’s “transformative leadership in the face of rapid change and disruption” at NBCUniversal Entertainment, citing her role in films including Oppenheimer, Bridget Jones, and Straight Outta Compton.
dame donna langley, NBCUniversal Entertainment’s chairman and the first British woman to run a major Hollywood studio, told the crowd: “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. ”
The ceremony and tributes
The audience was shown a video reel of leading filmmakers Langley has worked with. Steven Spielberg praised her as “a peacemaker and she’s a dealmaker, a creative rights advocate, ” adding that Langley believes audiences belong in movie theatres. Christopher Nolan said it was hard to think of “a more deserving recipient of a BAFTA Fellowship, ” calling her filmmaker-friendly and commanding of respect.
Langley closed with a call to support new voices: “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. ”
Night’s big winners and moments
Robert Aramayo capped a strong night for British cinema by taking both best newcomer and best actor awards at the 2026 BAFTAs. One Battle After Another won best film, and Hamnet added to its haul when Jessie Buckley won best actress.
Previous BAFTA fellows named during the ceremony were listed as 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 had been Warwick Davis at the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards.
Watch: Highlights from the Baftas 2026
A highlights video titled "Watch: Highlights from the Baftas 2026" runs 00: 01: 54. The ceremony coverage included an "Up Next" playlist of short videos with their running times:
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The BAFTA Film Awards took place at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London; with the Fellowship presented by Prince William and Alan Cumming hosting, the ceremony wrapped with the Fellowship tribute and the night’s winners announced. Viewers can next watch the highlights video (00: 01: 54) or any of the listed short features in the platform’s "Up Next" queue.
