The race for cinematic glory is heating up, and it's a nail-biter! While one film made history with a record-breaking Oscar haul, its fierce awards season rival has just snatched the lead in the Bafta nominations. This is the kind of drama we live for in Hollywood!
One Battle After Another has emerged as the frontrunner, securing a remarkable 14 Bafta nominations. This comes hot on the heels of Sinners making history by becoming the first film ever to snag 16 Oscar nominations. But here's where it gets interesting: the Bafta nod count suggests the pendulum might be swinging back! Ryan Coogler's vampire thriller, Sinners, has landed 13 nominations, proving it's still a major contender.
Hot on their heels are Marty Supreme and Hamnet, both with an impressive 11 nominations each. Not far behind, Frankenstein and Sentimental Value have garnered eight nods apiece. And in a delightful surprise, the British Tourette comedy I Swear has earned five nominations, including a coveted Best Actor nod for Robert Aramayo. We also see The Ballad of Wallis Island and the Bromley-set romance Pillion each picking up three nominations.
But here's the part that often sparks debate: Were there any major snubs? Thankfully, Bafta’s larger acting shortlists (six names compared to the Oscars' five) helped prevent too many high-profile omissions. This allowed for actors like Paul Mescal from Hamnet to secure a nomination. However, the blockbuster sequel Wicked: For Good, which surprisingly walked away empty-handed from the Oscar nominations, fared slightly better at the Baftas, receiving nominations for costume design and hair and makeup. Still, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were notably absent from the acting categories.
And this is the part most people miss: a host of other A-listers also didn't make the cut. Jennifer Lawrence for Die My Love, George Clooney for Jay Kelly, Sydney Sweeney for Christy, Dwayne Johnson for The Smashing Machine, and Julia Roberts for After the Hunt all found themselves overlooked for acting nominations.
Interestingly, while Leonardo DiCaprio is currently the second favorite for Best Actor, trailing behind Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, his seventh nomination in this category means he now shares an all-time Bafta record with acting legends like Michael Caine, Daniel Day-Lewis, Peter Finch, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Lemmon, and Laurence Olivier. Given his consistent work rate and age, it's highly probable that DiCaprio might be the one to break this prestigious record.
Robert Aramayo is the exciting dark horse in the Best Actor race. This nomination is a significant career boost for the 33-year-old, who was previously best known for his role as the young Ned Stark in Game of Thrones. In I Swear, he delivers a powerful performance as John Davidson, a pioneering Scottish campaigner for Tourette syndrome. The film, directed by Kirk Jones, has not only been critically acclaimed but also a moderate box office success. It's also nominated for Outstanding British Film, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actor for Peter Mullan, and Casting.
Bafta chair Sara Putt highlighted that the success of films like I Swear is a testament to the audience's craving for "moving and authentic stories of lived experience which really resonate." She also noted that the continued dominance of Sinners and One Battle After Another points to a universal desire to find common ground in "a fractured and confused world."
"These two films represent a triumph for cinema itself," Putt added. "What we're seeing on the big screen today is the elevation of genre filmmaking into something that is not only educational and emotionally resonant but also a thoroughly enjoyable, big-screen experience."
This year's nominations show a slight lean towards British films, even beyond the specific Outstanding British Film and Debut categories. We see nods for Emily Watson and Carey Mulligan in the Supporting Actress category, and both Pillion and Wallis Island are up for Adapted Screenplay.
But here's a point that might spark some discussion: Save for Robert Aramayo, none of the leading acting nominees are British this year, and neither are any of the six directors vying for that award. Out of those six directors, only two – Ryan Coogler and Chloé Zhao (for Hamnet) – are not white, and Zhao is the sole woman. This leads to a crucial question: is this a reflection of the talent pool, or is there still a significant journey ahead for greater diversity and inclusion in filmmaking?
Putt acknowledged this, stating, "This shows there’s still a journey to go on for female directors, and demonstrates the importance of us retaining intervention at the longlist stage." As part of their significant overhaul in 2020, Bafta implemented measures, including quotas, to ensure gender parity among directors in the initial selection process.
Interestingly, this is the first year the Oscars have introduced similar innovations, such as an award for casting and mandatory viewing for voters in certain rounds. The Baftas' commitment to ensuring voters watch 15 randomised films continues to yield positive results, with 46 titles in contention this year, an increase from 2025.
Anthony Andrews, deputy chair of the film committee, expressed encouragement that over half of the documentary films shortlisted this year were directed by women.
This year's Bafta ceremony will take place on February 22nd, with Alan Cumming taking over hosting duties from David Tennant. The Oscars will follow three weeks later, on March 15th, hosted by the returning Conan O’Brien.
What are your thoughts on these nominations? Do you agree with the snubs, or are you excited about the potential winners? Let us know in the comments below!
