The star-studded BAFTAs were full of talking points, from a royal appearance to couple’s debuts on the red carpet, but here are some moments you won’t have seen
We’ve all seen the highlights by now of Sunday night’s glitzy, star-studded BAFTA awards. Kate and William made a high-profile appearance, after what was a dramatic week for the royals in every sense. Paddington Bear made his presenting debut.
Paul Mescal made his first red carpet appearance with stunning girlfriend Gracie Adams, and Hollywood power couple Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner made sure all eyes were on them inside the ceremony, both surprisingly understated in black.
READ MORE: Princess Kate reveals ‘hard conversations’ she’s having with George, Charlotte and LouisREAD MORE: Tourette’s charity calls for ‘understanding’ after incident during BAFTAs ceremony
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Wherever you looked, it was a starry, starry night – with more A-listers squeezed into London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall than you could shake a stick at.
But what about those backstage moments viewers might not be aware of? Well, as one of the journalists following the action live on a small screen from the Winners Press conference room inside, we saw what was happening in real time – way before anyone at home did.
And from the get-go, there was a little red flag that this year’s awards might throw up a few surprises.
As the awards proper kicked off at 5pm (they were then edited and broadcast to the nation on the BBC at 7pm), host Alan Cummings could be seen explaining that as there’d be someone in the audience with Tourette’s, there could be some swearing – so to please be ‘understanding’.
The man he was talking about was, of course, John Davidson, Tourette’s campaigner and the inspiration for nominated film I Swear, which saw its lead actor, Hull native Robert Aramayo storm the night, taking away both the EE Rising Star Award and Best Actor leaving Hollywood stars like Leo Di Caprio and Timothee Chalamet in his wake.
As Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo took to the stage to present an award, the n-word could clearly be heard shouted across the auditorium, following various exclamations of ‘f** of” and other offensive words. And the look of stunned shock on the two actors’ faces was clear to see.
Though the BBC swiftly apologised for the language that could be heard during the broadcast, post-awards the debate about the ‘n-word moment’ has taken on a life of its own.
Fellow actor Jamie Foxx just one of the A-listers pitching in with their outrage, commenting “unacceptable” in a post about the incident on Instagram.
But us journalists sat in that hot, busy press room, enjoying the odd canape and sparkling water before various winners were shepherded in – heard the word before the rest of the world did, and the controversy truly exploded. And those that missed it, through Chinese whispers, soon did.
And despite the advanced warning from US Traitors host Alan Cumming, it was a truly shocking moment. Intakes of breath could be heard throughout the press room, and hushed whispers long after. Had someone really just shouted that word at two Black actors at the Baftas?
When Aramayo – still visibly shocked at his two wins, spoke to us – a clearly humble guy who instantly comes across as hugely likeable – he spoke of wanting to raise awareness for Tourettes.
He asked people to respond with ‘grace’ and compassion towards people with the ‘complex, complicated’ condition. But one fears this is only the tip of the iceberg. This debate will rumble on. And Aramayo, no doubt – will become a huge star now.
On a less dramatic note, where on earth was Leo? Yes, everyone’s one-time teenage crush Leo Di Caprio was at the awards, he even posed with fans on the red carpet.
But he refused to talk to press or come up for his photo call after his epic revolutionary film, One Battle After Another, won Best Film, after a host of other gongs.
It’s a far cry from the year he won big in 2016 for The Revenant. That time, he came up to chat to journalists – I got a twinkly smile and I even shook his hand, reader. But a decade is a very long time in showbiz.
Irish superstar Jessie Buckley, who bagged the BAFTA for Best Actress for Hamnet, seen as one of the biggest precursors of Oscars success – also swerved the winners room, much to everyone’s disappointment.
Though I did, I think, get a glimpse of her using the ladies room at one point. Yes, you can meet literally anyone in the loo on the biggest night in British film.
Perhaps the drama of the night proved too much for both of them and they needed to sit down with a glass of fizz, or two. We shall never know.
One actress who did grace us with her dynamic presence, however, was Wunmi Mosaku, winner of the Best Supporting Actress Award for Sinners.
Pregnant with her second child, she was absolutely glowing in an electric blue dress – though clearly the temperature was too much for the down-to-earth star, was seen wiping the beads of sweat off her face as she took to the stage.
Her joy and excitement was contagious, instantly enchanted the gathered journalists as much as she did the A-lister crowd in the auditorium.
And after quipping, “I can’t have a drink – so I’ll celebrate this win by having sparkling water and a virgin margarita, I think!” she opened up on what her role in Sinners meant to her.
She said, “The whole experience was magical. It always feels good when you’re not the only one – and you feel your experience is being represented with integrity and creativity.
“I saw Ryan {Coogler]’s vision so clearly – what the vampires represent in my world are the things that threaten to rob me of my job, my freedom, my creativity.”
But one of the sweetest moments of the night was when she was told, mid Q&A with the press pack, that Sinners had also won Best Screenplay. Holding her head to her hands, she looked like she might cry as she did a little squeal and repeated, “I am so happy. I am just SO happy”.
And as she waved to us energetically walking out of the press room, wiping away the tears with a tissue handed to her by a crew member, we couldn’t have been happier for Wunmi, either.
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