BAFTA 2026 was a night where the art of cinema stood beside emotion and style on a stage at the Royal Festival Hall in London, and the names called as winners told a story of craft, ambition and sometimes surprise.
At the center of the evening, the political thriller One Battle After Another swept the ceremony with six awards including Best Film and Best Director for Paul Thomas Anderson, and it was clear from the way the audience watched him accept that this film’s impact stretched beyond the trophy itself. His tie was crisp, his jacket bespoke, and when he spoke about cinematic storytelling he spoke about resilience, about the power of film to reflect society’s contradictions, and about why work rooted in truth matters to audiences and creators alike.
In the acting categories there were cheers, tears and unexpectedly heartfelt moments. Robert Aramayo won Best Leading Actor for his work in I Swear and also claimed the EE Rising Star Award in the same evening, a rare double that instantly became part of the chatter online. When he stepped to the microphone his voice wavered as he reflected on the names beside him in the category and spoke of the people who inspired him both on set and off, mentioning a mentor whose lessons shaped his path into acting. His suit was elegant and dark, shoes polished, and his simplicity stood in contrast to the noise of the moment.
Jessie Buckley’s win for Best Leading Actress in Hamnet was one of the night’s standouts too, not just because she was the first Irish woman to take that award at a BAFTA ceremony but because her acceptance speech became a defining moment. She wore a custom Chanel gown in deep blue velvet that contrasted with the warm glow of the stage lights, and spoke immediately about lineage and craft, linking her win to mentors and women who taught her to be uncompromising in her artistry. “This belongs to the women past present and future that have taught me and continue to teach me how to do it differently,” she said, turning the applause outward toward her peers and community.
Sean Penn was named Best Supporting Actor for his role in One Battle After Another, and even though he was not present to accept the award in person, the energy in the room lifted when his name was read. The presenter joked about stepping in with his own remarks, recalling Penn’s decades in film and his on-screen intensity that has kept audiences riveted for years. Wunmi Mosaku took home Best Supporting Actress for Sinners, and when she spoke her voice carried a weight that felt personal and rooted in the meaning of representation. She wore a classic silhouette in a rich hue that played against the stage lights, and when she thanked her fellow nominees she did so with genuine warmth and gratitude that was caught instantly by photographers and shared across social feeds.
In screenplay categories Ryan Coogler’s win for Original Screenplay for Sinners held its own as part of a broader narrative around how genre cinema intersects with cultural storytelling. He accepted the trophy with a sense of personal pride and acknowledged the creative team whose work shaped the film. He wore a tailored black suit with crisp lines that mirrored his directorial precision, and spoke about the importance of narrative risk and emotional depth in writing. Paul Thomas Anderson picked up Adapted Screenplay for One Battle After Another and mentioned the source material’s power to endure and evolve, his tone humble and reflective as cameras tracked his every gesture.
Outstanding British Film went to Hamnet, and alongside Jessie Buckley the director and team were recognised for how they brought a story of grief and imagination to life. The technical categories saw Frankenstein honoured in Costume Design Makeup and Hair and Production Design, and these wins were welcomed by creatives whose meticulous work often goes unseen by awards season conversations but that glittered under the lights when they took to the stage to accept. The documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin won Best Documentary and its director spoke of the urgency and gravity behind the project with a quiet intensity that shifted the room’s energy for a moment.
In categories that reflect breadth of cinema Zootopia 2 was named Best Animated Film and Boong won for Children’s and Family Film, and both teams shared their excitement about storytelling that speaks to all ages. The film Sentimental Value took Best Film Not in the English Language and its director acknowledged the festival circuit, the translators and the communities whose voices shape filmmaking across borders. These wins, though distinct from the acting and directing awards, felt connected to a global conversation about how stories travel and resonate.
Robert Aramayo also received the EE Rising Star Award a second time that night, a public-voted recognition that often signals a shift in audience attention toward emerging talents. When he accepted again he looked out at the crowd and spoke about the weight of that audience vote, how it feels to carry that kind of recognition and the responsibility he feels to those he represents on screen. There were tears over the podium and laughter when host Alan Cumming made gentle jokes about the unpredictability of awards season, moments that made the evening feel less like an industry ritual and more like a gathering of people moved by shared work.
On the carpet before the ceremony the winners had already been discussed for how they chose to present themselves. Jessie Buckley’s blue velvet gown was a standout for many critics and fans, while Robert Aramayo’s tailored suit was mentioned in fashion roundups as a look that balanced classic tailoring with a subtle modern edge. Wunmi Mosaku’s style was referenced in conversations about how costume and personal presentation can mirror the themes of the films themselves, and designers received mentions alongside directors and actors for how their creations shaped the tone of the night.
As the ceremony wound down there were special honors too. Clare Binns was recognized for her Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema and Dame Donna Langley received the BAFTA Fellowship, the academy’s highest accolade, and both spoke about the value of persistence love of storytelling and community support that sustains film culture. Their speeches carried the kind of reflective insight that reminded the audience that awards are not just about trophies but about the networks of people who push cinema forward.
By the time the last speech was given and lights dimmed inside the hall the story of that night at BAFTA 2026 was clear.
