Dame Donna Langley Honored With BAFTA Fellowship 2026
Dame Donna Langley was presented with the BAFTA Fellowship at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards in London, a prize handed to her by Prince William. In her acceptance remarks, dame donna langley warned that "we are facing moments of change and disruption today" and called for storytellers to adapt and back new voices.
Dame Donna Langley’s Fellowship Speech
Dame Donna Langley, chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment and the first British woman to run a major Hollywood studio, was today handed a Fellowship prize at the BAFTA Film Awards. Prince William presented the prize and hailed her "tireless" advocacy for British storytelling and for championing movies that have "shaped culture. " 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. "
Calls To Shape The Future
She continued: "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. " The studio veteran added: "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. "
Acknowledgement From Filmmakers
The audience was shown a video reel of leading filmmakers Langley has worked with. Steven Spielberg said: "Donna is a peacemaker and she’s a dealmaker, a creative rights advocate, and she’s 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. "
BAFTA Rationale And Films Noted
BAFTA said it was honoring Langley’s "transformative leadership in the face of rapid change and disruption" at NBCUniversal Entertainment, recognizing her role in films including Oppenheimer, Bridget Jones, and Straight Outta Compton. The 2026 BAFTA Film Awards took place at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London, and Alan Cumming hosted the ceremony for the first time. The full list of winners is here. Previous BAFTA fellows include 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 last year at the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards.
2026 Baftas Winners And Highlights
Robert Aramayo crowned a strong night for British cinema at the 2026 Baftas, 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. A highlights video was available titled "Watch: Highlights from the Baftas 2026" with a runtime of 00: 01: 54.
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In summary, dame donna langley used her Fellowship platform to stress resilience, risk-taking and opening doors for new voices, while the wider ceremony also celebrated performances by Robert Aramayo and Jessie Buckley and recognized One Battle After Another as best film. Copyright © 2026. The publisher is not responsible for the content of external sites.
