Audiences will get an earful (or two) of one Brit’s opinions of the film industry on Sunday when Ricky Gervais returns to host the Golden Globes, though most of the actual attendees will probably be too drunk to register his barbs. But before we get to that night of inebriated adulation, we have the announcement of the BAFTA nominations which, though a slightly more restrained affair, is no less prestigious.
Carol and Bridge Of Spies lead the race with nine nominations apiece and will battle it out for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, who were deemed co-leads in Carol by the Hollywood Foreign Press and will therefore compete against each other for Best Actress at the Golden Globes, were nominated in separate BAFTA acting categories. Blanchett is up against Brie Larson, Saoirse Ronan, Maggie Smith, and Alicia Vikander for Best Actress, while Mara has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress along with Kate Winslet, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julie Walters, and…Alicia Vikander. Yes, it seems Vikander has the distinction of being the only actress nominated in both categories this year, for her performances in The Danish Girl and Ex Machina.
The Revenant nabbed eight nominations, including a Best Actor nom for Leonardo DiCaprio who, let’s not forget, slept in an animal carcass during filming. The film’s cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, was nominated for his third consecutive BAFTA award, and considering he won the last two times he was up for the prize, he’s considered stiff competition for even veteran cinematographer Roger Deakins (Sicario), who’s won three BAFTA awards himself. The Revenant is also up for Best Film, despite the fact that its hellish journey is a one-way trip.
National Board Of Review winner Mad Max: Fury Road continues to make plenty of (figurative) noise during awards season, earning seven BAFTA nominations, though they’re mostly in the production/technical categories. The Martian and Brooklyn share fourth place with six nominations each, and the leads of both films are nominated in their respective Best Acting categories. And in case you were wondering, Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens was nominated in four categories including, naturally, special visual effects.
Below are the nominees in the top categories, but you can see the complete list here. The winners will be announced on February 14.
Best Film
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
The Revenant
Carol
Spotlight
Best Director
Adam McKay, The Big Short
Steven Spielberg, Bridge Of Spies
Todd Haynes, Carol
Ridley Scott, The Martian
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, The Revenant
Best Actress
Brie Larson, Room
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Maggie Smith, Lady in the Van
Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Matt Damon, The Martian
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Best Supporting Actress
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Rooney Mara, Carol
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Julie Walters, Brooklyn
Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro, Sicario
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Cinematography
Janusz Kaminski, Bridge Of Spies
Ed Lachman, Carol
John Seale, Mad Max: Fury Road
Emmanuel Lubezki, The Revenant
Roger Deakins, Sicario
Best Documentary
Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees: Amy
Matthew Heineman, Tom Yellin: Cartel Land
Davis Guggenheim, Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald: He Named Me Malala
Stevan Riley, John Battsek, George Chignell, R.J. Cutler: Listen To Me, Marlon
Jennifer Peedom, Bridget Ikin, John Smithson: Sherpa