BAFTA Awards: Deadline’s Live Blog & Winners List

February 18, 2018

UPDATING with early winners: The EE British Academy Film Awards are now underway tonight at the Royal Albert Hall in London with Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water leading with 12 BAFTA Award nominations. The movie from Fox Searchlight is followed by the studio’s own Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Focus/Working Title’s Darkest Hour with nine mentions each. It’s a particularly heavy year for British film as Three Billboards was co-financed by the UK’s Film4 (it already has won the Outstanding British Film honor tonight) and with Darkest Hour and Paddington 2 scoring major nods. Dunkirk, which does not qualify in the Outstanding British Film category, is nevertheless directed by Christopher Nolan and with a largely Brit cast.

Joanna Lumley is hosting for the first time, taking over the reins from longtime emcee Stephen Fry. We’re here at the Royal Albert, follow along with the winners and commentary in the live blog (all photos courtesy REX/Shutterstock):

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:53 am

Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema is next. I predict most confidently that NFTS and Jon Wardle will be the victor here. Mainly because it was announced in advance. Celia Imrie comes out late. “I was having a glass of Bolinger and a cigarette, which is something you like isn’t it sweetie?” she tells Lumley.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:53 am

How is he going to celebrate the BAFTA win? “The thing about this awards season is you can’t really get drunk
because there’s always someone taking a picture of you. I just want to
be with my friends and my family.”

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:52 am

Kaluuya’s life has changed in that he now takes Uber everywhere. “I get the tube sometimes, I got the bus the other day – it was wicked.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:52 am

Raoul Peck drops the thanks. He finished by thanking James Baldwin. “The perfect image of a great humanist. He left us with words necessary in a world of unapologetic ignorance.”

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:51 am

Daniel Kaluuya backstage talks about arts funding again, “We’re not being thought of and we have to work extra hard. Sometimes we have to take care of our family and arts funding helps. I feel like loads of organizations do that and it’s our responsibility to do something about it.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:51 am

I Am Not Your Negro, which was Oscar nominated LAST year, came out later in the UK, hence its presence here.

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:50 am

WINNER: DOCUMENTARY – I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO, Raoul Peck

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:50 am

Up next is Documentary, featuring nominees City of Ghosts, I am Not Your Negro, Icarus, An Inconvenient Sequel and Jane. I met Al Gore at last night’s Nominees’ Party, so I’m cheering him on. I also think it has a stronger shot here than anywhere else because I suspect it’s the doc most BAFTA members saw. I could be wrong though. It has been known to happen. And all of the other nominees feel like they have a shot.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:47 am

Jonathan Amos says he’s lucky to work with Wright. “His innovative approach to filmmaking challenges you creatively to do your job in ways you never considered.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:46 am

I am going to claim I predicted this. But I did think it was a long shot. Still a well deserved win for Edgar Wright’s balletic getaway movie.

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:46 am

WINNER: EDITING – BABY DRIVER, Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:46 am

Backstage, the Three Billboards trio:

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:46 am

Asked about what filmmakers can do to support Time’s Up, McDonagh says “apart from making sure a film set is safe, which we would do anyway, it’s writing strong female parts. I’m really happy Frances’ performance is getting out there this year.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:45 am

Editing and Documentary next. Presenting are Natalie Dormer and Hayley Squires. The nominees for Editing are Baby Driver, Blade Runner 2049, Dunkirk, The Shape of Water and Three Billboards. I am intrigued by Baby Driver’s rare nomination in this category, but I feel it’ll be hard for it to pull a win off… not that it doesn’t very much deserve it.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:45 am

From backstage, Three Billboards’ Graham Broadbent is praising the health of the British film industry. McDonagh says he was thinking Outstanding British Film “could have gone to anyone. If they thought ours was too American.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:44 am

Lee Unkrich collects: “Thanks to the people of Mexico. Your culture and traditions inspired me to make Coco and with Coco we tried to take a step towards a world where non-white characters talk and look like they do. Marginalized people deserve to feel like they belong. I hope we’ve made a difference and I hope it’s just a beginning.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:42 am

I really should have put some money down on these predictions…

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:42 am

WINNER: ANIMATED FILM – COCO, Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:41 am

We’re on Animated Film now. Same presenters. Only three noms in this category, Coco, Loving Vincent and My Life as a Courgette. I’ve managed to see NONE of them this year, so I’m not going to make a prediction this time. (Coco)

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:40 am

Wow, I’m really calling it tonight. Mark Bridges: “This award has always been something to aspire to, so I treasure this.”

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:39 am

WINNER: Costume Design – PHANTOM THREAD, Mark Bridges

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:39 am

But the hours and hours spent on Belle’s yellow dress…

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:38 am

But then, the wider academy votes in phase two, so who knows?

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:38 am

Costume Design comes next. Will the British Academy go for the fantasy of Beauty & The Beast, the history of Darkest Hour, the ice skating threads of I, Tonya, the haute couture of Phantom Thread or the Cold War America patterns of The SHape of Water? I have to say I feel a movie with “Thread” in the title probably has a good shot. Presenting are Edward Holcroft and Tom Taylor.

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:38 am

From Darkest Hour, courtesy Focus Features:

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:37 am

Gary looks quite pleased about this one from the audience

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:37 am

All those hours in the make-up chair are paying off

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:36 am

Kazuhiro Tsuji was the only make-up artist Oldman knew could pull this off. He tempted him out of retirement to make it happen.

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:35 am

WINNER – MAKEUP & HAIR – DARKEST HOUR David Malinowski, Ivana Primorac, Lucy Sibbick, Kazuhiro Tsuji

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:35 am

And it is!

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:34 am

The nominees are Blade Runner 2049, Darkest Hour, I, Tonya, Victoria & Abdul and Wonder. Let’s be honest: this has to be darkest hour.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:34 am

After the premiere of Shape in Venice, Desplat told me he performed part of the whistling on the score

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:33 am

Make-Up and Hair is next.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:33 am

He notes they recorded the music at Abbey Road in London with The London Symphony Orchestra.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:32 am

Desplat: “What a venue for music [the Royal Albert Hall]. Guillermo your film is unique and the poetry you’ve given us is amazing. There’s a good bond between music and poetry.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:32 am

So that’s the first award for The Shape of Water. I was in an elevator with Alexandre Desplat earlier today. I have no further insights to reveal.

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:32 am

WINNER: ORIGINAL MUSIC – THE SHAPE OF WATER Alexandre Desplat

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:31 am

Speaking of Blade Runner 2019, lot of love here with Denis Villeneuve up for Director and another 7 noms for the pic

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:30 am

Presenting are Gemma Chan and Sergei Polunin, the ballet star.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:30 am

Next up is Original Music. The nominees are Blade Runner 2049, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, Phantom Thread and The Shape of Water. Hans Zimmer isn’t here tonight despite being nominated for BOTH Dunkirk and Blade Runner. I suppose being pelted with awards gets boring after a while…

Jonny Greenwood also isn’t here, which is a shame as I’d quite like to annoy him at the dinner afterwards by telling him how much I love him.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:29 am

He points to the countdown clock, although folks were asked ahead of time not to mention it – which is a bit silly, no?

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:28 am

Kaluuya: “I am a product of arts funding within the United Kingdom, I’d like to thank people that financially support that”

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:28 am

Kaluuya tonight:

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:28 am

Daniel Kaluuya is wearing an amazing tux.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:27 am

Joe, you called it

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:27 am

WINNER: EE RISING STAR AWARD – DANIEL KALUUYA

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:27 am

The nominees, fyi, are picked by a jury that meets at BAFTA’s HQ.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:25 am

The nominees are Daniel Kaluuya, Florence Pugh, Josh O’Connor, Tessa Thompson and Timothee Chalamet. The award usually goes to the person in the most popular movie of the year. So that’d make it a tossup between Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) and Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok). But my gut tells me Kaluuya has this in the bag.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:24 am

The second award will be EE Rising Star. This is the only award voted for by the public. Margot Robbie and Octavia Spencer present.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:23 am

Here comes Martin McDonagh to claim his prize with producer Graham Broadbent. McDonagh jokes he’s half Irish so he’s not allowed to make the speech. Broadbent: “We finished this film about a year ago about a woman taking on the establishment. It seems more timely now than it did then with Times Out. It turns out meaningful change can happen quickly if we put our minds to it.”

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:23 am

It just crossed $100M worldwide last week, too

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:22 am

That’s a nice win as British film. It’s the first 50-50 co-fi that the UK’s Film4 ever did – in partnership with Fox Searchlight

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:21 am

WINNER: OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM – THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI Martin McDonagh, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:21 am

BUT I’m very happy with this result…

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:20 am

I’d love to see Stalin snatch this. What a terrific flick.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:19 am

The nominees are Darkest Hour, Death of Stalin, God’s Own Country, Lady Macbeth, Paddington 2 and Three Billboards.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:18 am

The first award up is Outstanding British Film. Coming to present, Jennifer Lawrence.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:17 am

(Nancy saw some Porgs in the montage before I was even able to introduce the montage. On behalf of Deadline, we apologise for this outrageous jumping of the gun)

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:16 am

Time for the Obligatory Awards Show Montage of Movie Moments Set to Popular Music (The OASMMMSPM, as it’s popularly known).

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:16 am

Porgs!

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:15 am

Hugh Grant has been getting great notices for his role in Paddington 2 and Joanna says, “How he managed to portray a vain, egocentric actor is beyond me” to laughter

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:15 am

“In one sense you’re all winners tonight. And in another sense, if you believe that you’ll believe anything.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:15 am

“The enchanting Octavia Spencer joins us.” She gets the biggest applause so far. “In the Shape of Water she stars in that mot classic stories: Girl meets Amphibious Humanoid…”

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:14 am

On Angelina Jolie, “The hardest working woman in Hollywood… since she’s been here tonight, she’s knocked up 400 portions of risotto for the after dinner”

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:13 am

Annette Bening is here for Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool which Joanna calls a “brilliant title and the reason all tonight’s nominess have been househunting in Merseyside”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:13 am

“Sir Daniel Day-Lewis joins us tonight. He’s nominated for Phantom Thread. In preparation Daniel learnt to sew. I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right, yes he did make my dress tonight. Thank you darling, Betty Jackson would be proud of you.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:12 am

Daniel Kaluuya star of the “jaw dropping” Get Out: “In the film’s most memorable moments Daniel is trapped in a chair powerless to move. A skill that will come in handy tonight because nobody gets a comfort break.”

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:12 am

Turns to Frances McDormand and praises the “masterclass” she delivers in Three Billboards

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:12 am

(Hawkins is in Shape and Paddington 2)

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:12 am

And Deadline cuts to Gemma Arterton….

.@GemmaArterton with 2 very special guests on the red carpet tonight ✨ #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/5zUehqzJEp

— BAFTA (@BAFTA) February 18, 2018

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:12 am

Sally Hawkins is here, Lumley says. “She starred in a highly complex morality tale in which my favorite scene was when she helped Paddington on the train.”

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:11 am

Joanna on Gary Oldman’s other roles this year: Yoda Wonder Woman and Lego Batman

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:11 am

“The ceremony is not just about the famous people. But anyway, let’s look at the famous people here tonight.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:10 am

Joanna addresses TimesUp, celebrating the RAH as the site of early resistance.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:10 am

A lot of cuts to Gemma Arterton

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:10 am

OH GOD. OH GOD. MAKE IT STOP.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:10 am

That was actually a relatively short CdS performance;

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201811:09 am

Just for Joe: Cirque on the red carpet earlier:

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:09 am

Here comes her intro.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:09 am

Joanna’s backstage pretending to hoist the trapeze; she’s tied it to a chair to run on stage.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:08 am

And they end with a kiss, before milking the applause.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:08 am

They’re spinning around to Alexandre Desplat’s score. Spinning. And spinning.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:07 am

Sally Hawkins is loving it from the audience. So I suppose I should shut up.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:06 am

Joe, tell us how you really feel about Cirque du Soleil?

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:06 am

Because when I watched The Shape of Water, my first thought was, “God, I wish there were more trapezes”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:05 am

There’s a dude on a trapeize dressed as the fishman, and a woman dressed as Elisa.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:05 am

Cirque du Soleil is coming out now with a tribute to The Shape Of Water, which leads noms tonight

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:05 am

“Winny” Churchill rings back. “We need a name for this operation.” “I’ve got it covered darling. It’s the British Academy Film Awards”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:04 am

Now she’s on with Hugh Grant in Paddington 2. “I’m hosting the BAFTAs and I wondered if you wanted to come?” “Well, wonderful news, yes, yes, of course.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:04 am

Now a call from Stalin, and then Churchill. God, lots of films featured phone scenes this year. This is an inspired bit.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:03 am

She’s dropping lots of “darlings”, which is what you want from Joanna Lumley.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:03 am

This is Lumley’s first time out

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:03 am

We have a prerecord bit with Joanna Lumley. She calls Woody Harrelson, cutting into a clip of Three Billboards. Now Timothee Chalamet, a phone clip from Call Me By Your Name.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:02 am

Jane Lush sums up by thanking BAFTA President Prince William.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:01 am

I guess Cirque du Soleil are actually waiting a few minutes before they storm the stage and refuse to yield…

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201811:01 am

BAFTA Chair Jane Lush is speaking now, addressing the importance to acknowledge what a difficult year for this industry this has been and talks about the BAFTA/BFI guidelines that have been drafted “aimed at conifining to the past the abusive work practices in outdated power structures.” Noting 2018 marks 100 years of suffrage but that today’s gender imbalance is “ridiculous. Let this be the year when MeToo goes in hand with WeToo. We at BAFTA want to lead the way.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201811:00 am

She says BAFTA is supporting 800 young filmmakers, and expanding HQ to help more. “Our shores are awash with untapped talent.”

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:59 am

Jane Lush, BAFTA Chair, says they supported fifteen female directors through BAFTA elevate.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:58 am

I am counting on some kind of King Ralph situation

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:57 am

I, however, am 189th in line to the throne.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:57 am

Patrick thinks all British people belong to the Royal Family, so just for the record: the lady on the far left is BAFTA chief Amanda Berry, who may be an OBE but is not techically a royal.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201810:55 am

They know there are a lot of Americans in the audience, right?

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201810:55 am

The audience is further encouraged to summon its “inner American” to whoop, holler and make some noise

Patrick Hipes
February 18, 201810:55 am

The Royals:

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201810:54 am

Oh, and one speaker per group…

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:53 am

It does not exist.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:53 am

Seriously. Try and find a stage that doesn’t have Cirque du Soleil on it.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201810:53 am

And here comes the admonishment to keep the speeches short

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:52 am

The show kicks off with a performance from Cirque du Soleil, who are now an omnipresent force whenever a stage is in sight.

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:51 am

(I’m a regular Nicholas Witchell)

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:51 am

The Duchess of Cambridge, heavily pregant, eschewed the black dress code with a dark green number, but it’s hard not to imagine the black belt she paired with it was a nod to the movement.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201810:49 am

A red carpet that was populated with actresses and activists in support of the Time’s Up movement, and a newly launched UK Justice and Equality Fund

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201810:48 am

Indeed, more sparkly than anything else witnessed on the red carpet

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:47 am

Or, indeed, the most AMAZING SHOES EVER, which I’m wearing.

Nancy Tartaglione
February 18, 201810:47 am

Not ideal for heels…

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:46 am

Nancy and I are here at the Royal Albert Hall. Or, at least, We’re RAH adjacent. After some confusing direction from the local security teams…

Joe Utichi
February 18, 201810:46 am

Welcome! Prince William and Princess Catherine have just arrived, so we’re moments away from kick-off.